A CRY FOR HELP ... FROM AN ADOPTED MOTHER
Current mood: frustrated
Category: News and Politics

Originally written by Carolyn Griffin.

To All Ohio Legislators:

I am the mother of an adopted child.  He is grown up now.  Can you understand how painful it is not to have any information on a baby or a child's family background?  What can I tell my son?  It is not in my child's best interest for YOU to block out his or her family's history. 

What are some of the things that run in his family as far as health is concerned?  Do you understand the danger in that?  What if he or she has a hereditary condition that might take their life?  How do you explain THAT to the parents of an adopted child?

Okay, I understand.  The birth parents don't want anyone to know who they are.  But, my adopted son is diabetic.  I want to know what else runs in his family. 

Do you know what it is like when you take your son or daughter to a hospital, and the doctor asks you about their medical history.  You tell them you don't know, because your kid is  adopted, and you don't have that information, because the birth parents won't release it to you and the government doesn't want to help?

Please, PLEASE, release the records for medical reasons.  You owe my son that much.  His birth mother loved him enough to give him up for adoption.  She should also have the heart to help him out when he needs it the most.

And to the Ohio legislators who oppose this bill (HB 7): at least you know your family's history.  How would you feel if you never knew where you came from?  At least give out the family's medical historty, even if the birth parents choose to be anonymous.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Ohio_HB_7

12:28 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

SHAMELESS PLUG(S)
Current mood: restless
Category: News and Politics

http://www.myspace.com/beaohio

If anybody has read my GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG blog, I wrote about an Ohio legislation, House Bill No. 7, giving all Ohio adoptees unlimited access to their birth records, including their original birth certificates.  Currently, Ohio legislators proposed changes to the house bill.  In a nutshell, they really don't want to change a damn thing. 

Check out my friends online at the above website for more details.  They rightfully deserve it.  That, and if you haven't read my older blogs, I'm an Ohio adoptee myself.  I've been looking for my birth family since I was 13.  Yes, this is personal -- very personal.

Also, check out these websites:
http://www.adoptionnetwork.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OhioAngelsWithOpenArms/
http://www.bastards.org/activism/local/oh
http://www.adoptioninstitute.org/research/2007_11_for_records.php

I appreciate any comments, both good and bad.  So please, don't be afraid to sound off on my blogs.  I want to hear them.  I love to hear all perspectives and opinions, and I especially love to debate on issues. 

Take care.

5:00 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

A MESSAGE TO ALL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ....
Current mood: frustrated
Category: News and Politics

How about doing your day jobs for once.  Just because you are all presidential nominees, it does not mean you should stop being senators.  That's right.  For as long as I can remember, all three contenders to the throne @ 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue are ACTIVE SENATORS.  Not one of the nominees have been on the floor of the senate since they have been campaigning for the top prize.  This should offend everybody in this country.

Let me give you some examples:

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/a_three_sections_with_teasers/votes.htm

On the most recent vote (16 April 2008, vote number 104)  H.R. 1195 (A bill to amend the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users to make technical corrections, and for other purposes. ), all three nominees were not present to vote.

In an older Senate vote to protect families most vulnerable to foreclosure due to a sudden loss of income by extending the depreciation incentive to loss companies that have accumulated alternative minimum tax and research and development tax credits (vote number 91, back in 4 April, this year), once again, all three were not present to vote on the floor to vote. 

I can go all the way to the beginning of the campaign, but you get the idea.

This is what I am ticked off about.  They want us to vote for them for change, but they don't want to go back to Washington, DC and vote for issues that matter to us.  I find that being hypocritical and offensive.  They should say on their campaign trail, "do what we say, not what we do."

I'll make a deal to all three candidates.  I will vote for the first presidential candidate to go back and do their job as U.S. Senator.  The nominee to vote in favor of a health issue on the Senate floor will get my vote for the boss of this beloved country.  It doesn't matter if I like them, or if I don't like them.

Let's look at them, shall we ...

Senator John McCain.  I respect his service during the Vietnam war.  He served our country well.  We went through a lot of crap for American freedom.  But, that doesn't mean he should be President.  I don't want another republican in the White House.  They messed up this country plenty. 

I respect him, but I don't like him.  Respect is a neutral emotion.  It doesn't matter if you like someone or dislike them.  It means you're in the middle.  When it comes to McCain, I'm in the middle.

Senator Hillary Clinton.  I like Bill, but I cannot stand Hillary.  If anyone in that bunch is an elitist, it is her.  The facts speak for themselves.  She spoke in favor for universal health care during her husband's presidency, but she got bought out by pharmaceutical companies to keep her mouth shut.  She is a terrible liar, which has been proven on the cable news channels ad nauseum.

Check out this website on her:
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.asp?id=N00000019&cycle=2008

This website shows the top contributors to Clinton's election campaign, which are corporate law firms and banks.  Her top contributor is DLA Piper, a law firm that deals with, among other things, Asian Pacific real estate.

http://www.dlapiper.com/Global/Media/detail.aspx?news=2677

Last, and certainly not least, Senator Barack Obama.  I don't know what to make of this guy.  He seems to have honorable intentions, but I don't care for the company that he keeps.  He is starting to say things that are waving red flags at me.  I don't care much for the comments that he made in regards to Midwesterners being bitter.  I'm only speaking for myself here.  I love this country, but I AM BITTER about the direction this country is headed.

I really don't know who I am voting for in 2008.  Sometimes, I wish voting was like fishing.  You just want to throw the batch back in the water and get new ones.  Nonetheless, I will keep my promise.  I will vote for the first person who remembers that they have a day job.  I just hope that whoever it is, they repair the 8 year-old damage that the last president inflicted upon us. 

I also hope that they remember that there is a U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.  That, and they can't make their own rules.

This blog has been passionately approved by Bryan N Griffin Jr.

More Senate Roll Call Votes:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00192 
To save American taxpayers up to $24 billion in the 10 years after passage of this Act, by preventing the earned income tax credit, which is, according to the Congressional Research Service, the largest anti-poverty entitlement program of the Federal Government, from being claimed by Y temporary workers or illegal aliens given status by this Act until they adjust to legal permanent resident status. 

This one of the last times that McCain, Obama, and Clinton voted on the floor of the Senate.  It was on 06 June 2007.  It was vote number 192 during the 2007 voting season.  Obama and Clinton voted against it, while McCain voted in favor.  The bill passed, 56 to 41 in favor.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00323
To provide for the spending of $106,763,000 on programs that save children's lives, such as the President's Malaria Initiative, rather than lower priority programs, such as the Global Environment Facility, which produce few results and are managed by the United Nations Development Program, which utilizes corrupt procurement practices, operates contrary to United Nations rules, and retaliates against whistleblowers.

This was part of the beginning, which all three nominees were not present to vote vote for issues on the floor of the Senate, as well as other presidential nominees at that time, including Joseph Biden.  It was back on 06 September of 2007.  Senate defeated that bill by a very thin margin of 47 to 46.  If the three nominees were present, it would have been a tied vote.  I'm taking a rough guess here.  This piece of legislation received a makeover into a foreign consolidation approporiations act (meaning they probably took the kids out of it) and got passed into law on 26 December 2007. 

Once again, all three nominees were not present to vote on it.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00441

Please take a moment to sign my online petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/DC_Day_Job/index.html

12:35 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG NOTEBOOK
Current mood: contemplative

@@@@@ CURRENTLY ON THE FLOOR OF THE U.S. SENATE:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:s.01494:
S.1494  Title: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the special diabetes programs for Type I diabetes and Indians under that Act.
Sponsor: Sen Domenici, Pete V. [NM]
(introduced 5/24/2007)      Cosponsors (45)
Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] - 7/9/2007            DEMOCRAT
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] - 2/25/2008  DEMOCRAT
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] - 9/27/2007       DEMOCRAT
Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] - 10/1/2007           DEMOCRAT
Sen Reid, Harry [NV] - 5/25/2007              DEMOCRAT
Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] - 6/14/2007         INDEPENDENT
Related Bills: H.R.2762

CURRENT STATUS: still being investigated; has yet to be voted on.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:S.1343:
S.1343  Title: A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to prevention and treatment of diabetes, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]
(introduced 5/9/2007)      Cosponsors (3)
Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] - 1/22/2008       DEMOCRAT
Sen Collins, Susan M. [ME] - 5/9/2007     REPUBLICAN
Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT] - 7/24/2007     INDEPENDENT
Related Bills: H.R.2241

CURRENT STATUS: still being investigated; has yet to be voted on.

@@@@@ CURRENTLY ON THE FLOOR OF THE OHIO LEGISLATURE:

http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_7
Ohio's 127th General Assembly Regular Session
2007-2008  H. B. No. 7 To formally state the General Assembly's intentions in its upcoming deliberations on reforming Ohio's adoption laws.

Sponsored by Tom Brinkman, Jr. (R) District 34 (district34@ohr.state.oh.us)
Introduced  02/20/07  
Committee Assigned: Health

This bill, if it becomes law, this will open up all files to Ohio adoptees, giving them full disclosure.  The current Ohio adoption laws protect birth parents.  This is also under investigation, and yet to be voted on.  The Ohio congressional committee on health has taken affidavits from people, and taking the bill 'under consideration.' 

Also, this may be Representative Brinkman's last year on the floor of the Ohio Congress.  He represents the people of Cincinnati, Ohio.

http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_SB_99
Ohio's 127th General Assembly Regular Session
2007-2008  Senate Bill No. 99  To amend section 1751.01 and to enact sections 1751.69, 3923.71, and 3923.72 of the Revised Code to require certain health care policies, contracts, agreements, and plans to provide benefits for equipment, supplies, and medication for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of diabetes and for diabetes self-management education.

Sponsored by: Sen. Randall Gardner (R) 2nd District
Introduced 03/06/2007
Committee Assigned: ICL (?)

This bill, if it becomes law, will give health insurance for all diabetics in the state of Ohio.  There is a glitch, though.  The senator for the 2nd district is Mark D. Wagoner, Jr., not Randall Gardner.  According to Wikipedia, Gardner may have filled a seat on the U.S. House of Representatives for someone who passed away.  Senator Wagoner may have taken over his position, and can be reached at this e-mail address: sd02@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Gardner_(Ohio_politician)

6:55 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

HORRORFEST 2007 REVIEW
Current mood: disappointed
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

Okay, let's start by saying "it went."  Not well, but it went anyway.  In Cleveland, and other, other parts of Cuyahoga county, the attendance was dismal.  It showed in 4 theaters total.  One theater had a grand total of less than 100 attending (of all 9 days of the Horrorfest!).  The other three averaged either near or barely past 100.

I can think of one good reason why the attendance was low.  Showing horror flicks around the Holiday season instead of Halloween?  Bad thing, definitely.  My suggestion: take the head of marketing for the festival and put him in the next slasher flick.  Make sure he dies in a slow, painful fashion.  I suggest picking him apart, organ by organ, and making him watch.  Then, pull his eyes out.  Now, that's horror!

Speaking of which ...

I saw at least two of the eight movies with my limited budget. In the DEATHS OF IAN STONE, made in Britain, a guy keeps getting killed by mysterious creatures.  Every time he dies, he goes into another lifetime, only to get whacked over and over again. 

The main bad girl in the flick is a cross between Lara Flynn Boyle from MEN IN BLACK 2 and Carrie-Ann Moss from the MATRIX trilogy.  The lead actor is virtually a rookie in the business.  The action was not bad.  It was slow in the beginning, but it picked up about ten minutes into the flick.  The ending seemed to turn into a sci-fi thing, almost exactly like the MATRIX. It wasn't bad, but it could have been better.

NIGHTMARE MAN, on the other hand, was almost in the same league as DEATHS when it came to enjoyment.  It took over half of the stinking movie before someone got whacked.  This is also another movie with rookie actors all around.  At least, this movie was a slasher with plenty of T and A.  It doesn't make it an improvement, but it kept me from falling asleep in the theater.

Simple gist of the movie: a woman buys the mask of an African deity to improve her sex life with the hubby, except the mask gives her a hellish world of trouble.  The deity in the mask haunts her throughout the movie, chasing her into a house in the middle of the forest with a bunch of strangers.  It finally turns into a slasher flick at that point.  If it weren't for the gallows humor, the movie would have tanked. 

Oh, by the way, Richard "Bull" Moll of TV's NIGHT COURT fame has a cameo as the police captain.  He should have been the Nightmare Man!  And another "by the way," the lead actress, Tiffany Shepis, used to act in Skinemax-type pornos such as DELTA DELTA DIE! and a couple EMMANUELLE flicks.  Too bad she didn't show her boobs.

In my personal opinion, last year's Horrorfest was better.  Last year's movies had some star power behind it.  The only movie this year, but I didn't get a chance to see it, that had star power was CRAZY EIGHTS with former porn star Traci Lords and Gabrielle Anwar from the USA network show BURN NOTICE with Bruce Campbell.  I just hope the Horrorfest did better in other parts of the U.S.  I also hope the audience caught the matinees, instead of blowing more money in the evening.

7:40 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

STILL FIGHTING .... PLUS A TV REVIEW

I’m on the comeback trail.  Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to see any movies lately.  Maybe, before the holiday season, I might catch a couple movies.  I’m waiting for BEOWULF to come out on 16 November.  I don’t get the benefit of getting a free advanced screening, because I’m a freelance writer.  If I complained about that before, I humbly apologize.  Nonetheless, I will try to catch it and give the MySpace community my blunt opinion.

I did, though, catch the Scream Awards on SPIKE-TV.  I loved it.  It was even better than last year’s show.  I was happy to see the movie "300" get the Ultimate Scream award.  It also won Best Comic-To-Screen Adaption, an award that did not air on TV.  Kate Beckinsale, for the second year in the row, won the Scream Queen award for hte movie VACANCY.  She won it last year for UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION. 

Shia LeBeouf, won two awards this year: Scream King for DISTURBIA and and best Sci-Fi Star for TRANSFORMERS.  His partner, Megan Fox, won the Sci-Fi Siren award.  Hayden  Panettiere won the Breakout Star award this year for her role in the TV show, HEROES.  Another award that did not get aired on TV was Best Sequel to HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX.

Aside from that, I have been taking good care of my health.  I’m getting better a little bit at a time.  I will try to get, aside from the BEOWULF review, one more blog posted before the end of November.  Keep clicking into my blogsite for more updates.  My blogs are also available as an RSS feed.  Just look for the orange symbol on the top right hand side of the webpage.  Also, feel free to subscribe to my blogs online.

Take Care, BGJR.

12:45 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

STEM CELL RESEARCH, DIABETES, & OUR GOV’T (WORK IN PROGRESS)

I have an abbreviated copy of this blog posted on a CompuServe forums website.  I will provide a link at the end of this article.

Some time back, I heard through the grapevine something that caught my attention.  After hearing about it, I plopped my fat, Italian butt in my computer chair and started my internet research.  This is what I found.

In a(n) university in Sao Paulo, Brazil, scientists have conducted experiments, developing a possible cure for diabetes.  Depending on the severity, some diabetics have gone as long as two years without an insulin injection.  Others were too severe that they wound up going back on insulin.  These experiments are still being conducted in Brazil. 

I have also read somewhere that embryonic stem cells have been able to mimic beta cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin.  This must be what the scientists in Brazil are using in their experiments.  I think it was published in a French health journal; I'm 75% sure about that.

This is the bitter-sweet part of the whole thing.  I am happy that there is a possible cure.  The part that I am disappointed in is the fact it took another country to discover the possible cure.  Don't get me wrong.  I have no problems with that.  I just wish the U.S. was "competing" (forgive me for using that word) on the same level as other countries are when it comes to health.

Okay.  I am a type 1 diabetic.  I have had it since I was a baby.  I have been on insulin since I was a baby.  I would love more than anything in the world to be cured of my diabetes, but I don't have the money or the means to travel to Latin America to do it.  I would rather see the [alleged] cure available in this country.

This is what irks me the most.  Because our beloved President refuses to pass bills that allow federal funding for stem cell research (embryonic or adult), other countries are light years ahead us in medical technology.  Bush also did the same thing last year.  Some time back, there were two bills on the U.S. Senate floor that supported funding for stem cell research (S.B. 5 & S.B. 30).  Both got passed, but not enough to override a presidental veto. 

In order to override a presidential veto, there must be a 2/3 majority vote  in both the House (???) and the Senate (about, uh, 65 to 70 votes).  In the Senate, though, all senators must be present.  I don't know about the House of Representatives.  Both bills barely made it.  For both bills, at least one senator was not present.  Yeah, something smells rotten on the Hill!  I wonder if Bush had anything to do with it.

This may sound like a redundant, regurgitated question, but it's necessary.  What the hell is wrong with our government?  Why can't we keep up with everybody else on this rock we call earth?  Why can't our government think progressive, for the sake of our citizens and for the betterment of their welfare?

This blog is a masterpiece in the making, so keep logging on for updates.  Also, any other information that YOU can provide is greatly appreciated.  I am always looking for extra input.  If you can find out more info than what I am able to, PLEASE POST A RESPONSE and put it in.  This is going to be a blog that EVERYBODY can contribute to, so don't be shy.

Let me what you think.  I appreciate you taking the time to read my rant.  Take care.  Hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely, BGJR

PS: More sources will be available at a later date, but I will give you a few good ones to start out with:

http://thomas.loc.gov/home/c110query.html
Type in "diabetes" in the search bar, and you will find Senate bills 5 and 30.  You will also get the vote status as well.

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/a_three_sections_with_teasers/votes.htm
To get to the Senate roll call votes on S.B. 5 & 30, click to ...
* "Roll Call Tables --> 2007 (110th, 1st)  --> 00127 and 00128 in the far left column
* 00127 is Senate Bill 5 (embryonic), and 00128 is Senate Bill 30 (Adult Stem Cell a.k.a. the HOPE Act)

10:30 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

BRAVELY FIGHTING AN ILLNESS

About a few weeks back, I wound up going to the hospital for severe abdominal pains.  It was so bad, that I nearly passed out.  Knowing my luck, it was something I ate that I should not have.  They gave me the works: CT scans and the whole nine yards.  It kept me from going out and enjoying the movies.  I missed Harry Potter, damn it!

Anyway, the doctor told me to lay back and take it easy.  He also put me on a caffeine-free diet, among other things.  No more cappuccino!  You can't do that to an Italian!  Oh, well.  I rarely drink it.  And where I live, it is quite expensive.  If I have to go decaf for my coffee addiction, then so be it.

When I get my strength back, I will be my usual self again.  I will spew more of my venom when I feel better.  Oh, I am working on a big article on stem cell research and how it relates to recent actions by Congress.  I should have it, article and research, published by the end of this Summer or early Fall.  I want to make sure that everything is accurate and perfect.  Keep checking out my blogs.  I'll let you how my health is going, too.

Take Care,
BGJR

10:30 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

DVD REVIEW -- GHOST RIDER (4 OUT OF 5)
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

Just to let you know, off the bat, I am not a comic book reader.  I am not familiar with the mythology of Ghost Rider, a.k.a. Johnny Blaze.  I just know that it is a Marvel Comics character made up by Stan Lee and Avi Arad.  I cannot tell you if the movie was faithful to the comic book series.  Find another review for that analysis.

I also know one other thing: I liked the movie.

I am a Nicholas Cage "Coppola" fan.  I have not yet seen one bad movie with him in it.  He was great in "National Treasure".  By the way, he is currently filming the sequel to that movie, subtitled THE BOOK OF SECRETS. Nick definitely deserved the Oscar in "Leaving Las Vegas" with Elizabeth Shue.  He was good in "Wicker Man", despite the fact that the original movie was better.  I loved him in "Con Air".  "Gone in Sixty Seconds" is one of my all time faves, for Angelina Jolie was in it.

Cage had a great supporting cast.  Eva Mendes gave an exceptional performance as his long lost girlfriend, Roxie.  Acting legend Peter Fonda did a bang-up job as the Devil (called Mephistopheles in the movie, but they are one in the same). Former MTV cabbie Donal Logue was in the movie, playing Blaze's sidekick, Mack.  Wes Bentley (from "American Beauty" and "Soul Survivors" with BUFFY co-star Eliza Duskhu) did a great job playing the Devil's son, Blackheart.

The movie was a little slow in the beginning, but it did pick up about a half hour into the movie.  The movie had a lot of CG effects, but it was necessary to get that comic book authenticity.  I loved the art direction, meaning it was a good looking flick. 

The only thing that bugged me were the night-time fighting scenes.  This is one of my all-time pet peeves when I watch a movie, especially in horror flicks.  The scene is so dark, that the audience (AND MYSELF) cannot make out ANY DETAILS.  I know it is the dead of the night, but turn up the aperature when shooting the scenes.  It will not hurt the film!!  Trust me.  I know a little something about photography.

Nonetheless, the DVDs in full or wide-screen had a few good special features.  The 2-disc edition is the better choice, but it comes in widescreen only. The formatted versions had a two-part featurette.  Part one told some of the mythology and the history of the Ghost Rider comic, with interviews from co-creator Avi Arad and actor Nicholas Cage, who admits reading the comic when he was young.  The second part is a "Behind The Scenes" piece, which was pretty good.

Even though I did like the movie and the features, I would still consider the DVD a renter, rather than an owner.  Sorry, but that is just me.  You can make your own judgements.  My word is not always gospel.

OUT ON DVD THIS WEEK:
-- The last of the 8 Films to Die For came out this past Tuesday.  It was the audience favorite at the Horrorfest, that being "The Abandoned".  When I get a chance to rent it, I will give my review online, right here on MySpace.  Keep reading my blogs, and you'll get my honest opinion, as always.

Take Care, BGJR

10:30 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

More of my Movie Reviews Online
Current mood: ecstatic

Check out my websites on movies:
* MSN Entertainment Reviews (Most recent)
  http://movies.msn.com/reviews/userreviews.aspx?user=01bf2bd8-0000-0000-0000-000000000000 or look for 'giannico' in search bar (my pen name)
* Internet Movie Database (Some older reviews)
  http://www.imdb.com/user/ur5888090/comments
* Movies @ Yahoo (I have older and the most reviews on this site)
  http://movies.yahoo.com/mvc/durvl?ys=NND2m3q54AffKZh__yA.YQ--  This page might have problems; type 'griffinator3661' in search bar.

I hope you enjoy them.  Take care, BGJR

8:45 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

IMPORTANT: READ BEFORE BEING MY FRIEND
Current mood: aggravated
Category: Friends

I'm getting tired of friend requests, just for the purpose of one of the following:
1) selling me some product that I really do not need, or
2) promoting naked pictures of yourself, or directing me to porn sites, and lastly,
3) anyone trying to put me on "To Catch A Predator".  I'm a writer, not a pervert!   

Just get the hell away from my page! 

These are the kinds of friends on MySpace that I am looking for:
1) fellow writers and editors;
2) pro wrestling fans and pro wrestlers, locally and nationally;
3) anyone involved in the publishing business who is genuinely interested in my writing -- and wants to hire me in the near future;
4) scholars who would love to debate current issues with me; and
5) musicians who may be looking for some PR.

If I think you are selling me something, I will boot you.  Capisce?

I have been very respectful of people on MySpace for a good while.  I have been very nice.  I came to MySpace last year so I can network my writing and keep in touch with my pen pals.  I set my profile to "public" so I can expand my network for writing and allow the masses to read my blogs.  I didn't do it to buy blackberries, DVD recorders, get my rocks off, or any of that other sort.

In return, I am not selling you anything either.  All I want to do is offer my writing services with no obligations.  I also want to inform and entertain people with my insightful commentaries and entertainment reviews.  

I am a writer and an editor.  I love what I do.  I enjoy it very much, and I want to make a living with it.  That is why I am on MySpace!

If you really don't want to be my friend, then please leave.  Don't sell me your stuff.  If you post anything that sells something on my blogs or my webpage, I will boot you off as well. 

PLEASE, RESPECT MY WISHES.  THANK YOU.

Respectfully, BGJR

PS: If you are a teenager responding to this blog, you should not be here.  I am **37** years old.  My age should have been displayed at the top left-hand side of my profile page.  Okey dokey? GOOD!!  I do not have an adult filter on my MySpace page, because I do not have anything of a sexual nature ANYWHERE ON MY PAGES.  Also, take note that I am not responsible for any of my friends who may have such material on their websites.  It is their own responsibility to put adult filters on their website, and to warn people of such things.

Thank you for understanding.

7:30 PM - 3 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

SHORT MOVIE REVIEW -- SPIDER MAN 3
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

This Spiderman movie was much better than the last two.  Maybe it was because this movie had three super-villains for Spiderman to deal with. I just loved the action sequences. It keeps you on the edge of your seat.  There is an interesting twist during the climax of the film that might grab your attention.  I usually do not do teasers, but it is worth it.

The cast did a top notch job performing their roles. Check out the cameos by Bruce Campbell and Spiderman creator Stan Lee. The role by Campbell is hilarious. Sorry, folks, I will not give out his role.   Thomas Haden Church, on the other hand, was a little stiff playing the role of Flint Marko, otherwise known as the Sandman. 

Topher Grace from THAT 70'S SHOW did a good job playing would-be photographer Eddie Brock, a.k.a. Venom.  This is not a spoiler.  This has been on the Internet for a good while.  Don't kill the messenger for the tidbit.

The story was compelling enough to keep you interested. The movie had heart-wrenching scenes for the women to pull out their handkerchiefs. There was plenty of great fight scenes for the guys to go crazy over and root for the hero.

All around, it was a great movie for everyone to enjoy. Worth the money!  Easy 5 out of 5 stars!

9:15 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

SHORT DVD REVIEW -- THE GRAVEDANCERS (4 1/2 OUT OF 5)
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

I originally saw this movie at the Horror Fest this past November. As they advertised it on TV, the collection of "8 Films 2 Die For" was in limited release. They only had two theaters in my area, where they showed the movies. Nonetheless, I went, and I had fun. Rumor online has it the Horror Fest is coming back for 2007.

I enjoyed the story. It gets to the point. The movie moves at a nice, medium pace, which I especially enjoyed. The plot never drags on, and it is easy to follow.

I also loved the style of horror. It is an old school type of horror flick. There was hardly any blood and gore in the movie, which I enjoyed very much, too. The movie relied mostly on elements of surprise, the jump-out-of-your-seat type of horror. There is some blood, but not much gore, with some intense scenes. It still provides some good scares, no matter how one looks at it.

The DVD has plenty of some good extras. There are two good featurettes, a "Making Of" and "How They Made The Ghosts" piece. There is an excellent "Deleted Scenes" feature that is definitely worth checking out, which also includes optional commentary. The DVD also has the other bare bones stuff captioning, audio, optional commentaries during the movie, so forth and so on.

This DVD is definitely worth owning. You do not even have to rent it before you buy it.  Check it out!  If you love horror movies, GRAVEDANCERS is definitely a must have.

6:00 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

SHORT MOVIE REVIEW -- GRINDHOUSE
Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities

Length of Movie: 3 hrs., 11 Mins.

"Planet Terror" is a great gore fest.  You cannot go wrong with the action and the violence in this part of the movie.  The acting is a little over the top, which was typical of the 1970's exploitation movies -- exactly what director Robert Rodriguez had intended, and accurately depicted.  Nonetheless, I didn't mind it.  By the way, check out the performance by Michael Parks, who once played a role in Tarantino's "Kill Bill 1 & 2".   Speaking of other appearances, Marlie Shelton, who had a short role in the beginning of "Sin City", has a longer role as an anesthesiologist.  

"Death Proof" was good, but it could have been better.  It was excruciatingly slow in the first half, but it began to pick up in the second half.  It was too chatty for my taste.  I understand that Tarantino wanted to set up the story and the characters, but I almost fell to sleep while he was doing that.  Nonetheless, Kurt Russell did an excellent job playing a psychopath.  Other notable performances included Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell (who was Uma Thurman's stunt double in "Kill Bill 1 & 2"), and Sydney Poitier (daughter of legendary Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier).

I have to admit, though, the fake trailers stole the show.  The trailer for "Machete" featuring Danny Trejo (the long-haired assassin from "Desperado") was violent, yet hilarious at the same time.  Rumor has it this trailer might turn into a direct-to-DVD video.  Eli Roth's "Thanksgiving" felt like an homage to John Carpenter's "Halloween".  It was awesome.  Rob Zombie had a trailer dedicated to female Nazi werewolves (yep, you read that right!)  that featured a cameo by Nicholas Cage that was laugh out loud hilarious.

On the whole, it was a great movie.  I highly recommend it.  I give it a 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  Just a little warning: do nature's business before flopping your butt in the theatre seat.  You will thank me for the advice.

IN OTHER ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:
-  "Pan's Labyrinth" will be available on 15 May in both a single-disc edition and a special platinum edition, loaded with extras and other goodies.  I saw this movie back in December with a good friend of mine.  The movie was visually stunning and the story captivated me.  Excellent performances from Maribel Verdu ("Y Tu Mama Tambien") and Sergi Lopez, who played Capitan Vidal
- The "Horrorfest" flicks are currently on DVD release everywhere.  Check out the "Gravedancers" movie.  It is the absolute best of the 7 DVDs, with the most star power, featuring Josie Moran from "Van Helsing" and the dude from TV's "Prison Break".

Many Blessings, BGJR

4:00 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

A Sample of My Poetry
Category: Writing and Poetry

Toss and Turn... A Shakespearean Parody

I toss and turn about in my old bed,
But I cannot seem to fall asleep;
Words and phrases dwell around in my head
Hindering my rest; I try to count sheep.
Will I recall the day's material,
Or will I forget them before class?
Are there clues in my alphabet cereal?
Better come back fast, so I can pass
My test today.  The bus is coming, I
Have to go before I miss it; gotta run
As fast as Hermes himself; I gotta fly.
There is the bus; he's fast as a gun.
   I peddle my feet as fast as fast can be.
   Made it for my test; I hope I score a B.

THE STORY BEHIND THE POEM:

I wrote this poem way back in my college days as part of a project for my creative writing workshop.  I got a little flack from my classmates because it wasn't written in free-verse.  On the other hand, I got some praise from my professor because it was an "old-school" poem that used rhyme and meter.  The sonnet also got points for humor, too.

Tell me what you think.  Write back with your comments.  I would greatly appreciate it.

BGJR

7:00 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment