Revitalizing The Classics - Bell, Book And Candle

The old Hollywood is undeniably dead. The stars of today have become classless, cheap imitations. Bad movies are pumped out more often than good ones. It has just come to the point where the very soul of it all has just vanished. So why not return to a bygone era where the stars were glimmering gods and goddesses? Why not bask in the glory of the movies that didn't rely on vampire/human sex to drive sales? Yes, that was a direct jab at Breaking Dawn. While we're on that subject, I'll bring up the first movie in the Revatilizing The Classics series... Bell, Book And Candle.

Novak casting her spell

Bell Book And Candle is an unconventional love story set around an unsuspecting human named Shepard 'Shep' Henderson (James Stewart) and a crafty, seductive modern witch named Gillian 'Gil' Holryod (Kim Novak). This pairing may seem familiar to some who have seen Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece Vertigo. If it doesn't seem familiar, don't worry. I'll cover Vertigo somewhere down the line.

The story is set into motion on Christmas Eve when Shepard's phone is bewitched by Gillian's Aunt Queenie Holryod (Elsa Lanchester). This causes Shepard to retreat to Gillean's apartment downstairs (also a functioning Voodoo shop) to report that his phone is malfunctioning. It is a chance meeting at first, but it quickly turns into a game of cat-catches-mouse (not cat-and-mouse) when Gillean discovers that Shepard's current fiancé is her old roommate that caused her trouble during college. In order to get back at her old roommate, Gillean plans to take Shepard away from her. Thus, a spiteful love spell is set into motion. What ensues is a lightweight romantic comedy as Gillean tries to hide her true identity, her true intentions behind the love spell, and her true feelings from herself and her warlock brother Ricky Holryod (Jack Lemmon).

Bell, Book And Candle didn't really break any new ground, but it is certainly a movie that shouldn't be missed. The story is fun, Novak sets the screen on fire, and this was ultimatly the last romantic lead role for James Stewart. He himself admitted that he had been miscast as lovesick Shepard (due to his age), and I regretably agree with him. However, that does not mean that his performance was marred. It was still as good as ever.

Memorable Quote:
Shepherd 'Shep' Henderson: That girl you know, Gillian Holroyd, she's one.
Merle Kittridge: A witch?
Shepherd 'Shep' Henderson: Yes!
Merle Kittridge: Shep, you just never learned to spell.

I give Bell, Book And Candle 3.0 Osborne's* out of 5.
*Robert Osborne is the Turner Classic Movies primary host.



Photos courtesy of Harvard Film Archive and Google

Popcorn Worthy? - Paranormal Activity 3

READER BEWARE: Opinions Are Expressed Below

The third installment in the Paranormal Activity series delightfully proves that this series has some serious legs. Whoa! That's a pretty bold statement about a movie that is like watching home movies from hell. Sounds boring, but that's the beauty of it.

Following along the same close lines as its predecessors, PA3 goes back in the past to explain why Katie from the first PA slowly went evil. So, what does that mean? That means we're still voyeurs on a demonic Where's Waldo hunt while watching a typical family descend first into curiosity, denial, and then terror. You'd figure that it would get old by now, but it doesn't.

Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (the mad-men behind a possibly-true movie called Catfish) have injected their own brand of mayhem into the mix. The scares are much longer, more frequent, and bigger than any other PA movie. There is no single segment dedicated to just a door moving anymore. The directors know we've already seen that and crave something more. That's what they give us... more substantial visual scares. For example, a camera isn't positioned in a fixed position anymore. As it pans across the living room and into the kitchen, you know that something is going on just out of sight. The demon also gets a visual overhaul. He gets a name (Toby), the demon gets a bed sheet, the demon gets a dark shadow, and the demon gets dirty.

Now on to the issues:

>Yes, it's true that 75 percent of the footage shown in the official trailer is not featured in the movie. It's called the "editing process." It's not false advertising. It's just something that happens. I'm sure it will all show up on the DVD as an extended cut.

>Yes, this movie takes place in 1988, but is shot in HD. We already know it's not real, so why is that important? Do you really want to watch a movie in a crappy format? You'd complain about that!

>Yes, the last 15 minutes of PA3 is a complete game changer. It gives the viewer some answers, and it provides even more questions. It gives the answers the viewer wants or the answers that the viewer doesn't want. I personally liked it, but there are some who are ripping it to shreds. Oh well... it's just a movie.

3.5 Popcorn Kernels out of 5 (same as the first two, more visual scares, some answers provided, and a tense ending)



Photo courtesy of Google

Popcorn Preview: The Dark Knight Rises

My question is, why must everything have an end? Especially Christopher Nolan's amazing reboot of the Batman franchise?

This little teaser trailer shows basically nothing, but I am excited as ever about the new Batman movie in 2012. As I've said before, Nolan knows how to market a movie. We get about a five second glimpse combined of Bane, which is the only villain that ever managed to break Batman's back (I have a bad feeling about this movie being the end of the Batman trilogy). We also get a glimpse of a possibly dying Commissioner Gordon and hear a Liam Neeson voiceover. Cool beans. My only complaint is... where is Catwoman?

There's still a whole year to go, but this trailer is a glimpse at an amazing movie.



Photo courtesy of Google

Popcorn Worthy? - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

I know it's a little late to write a Harry Potter review, but I've been on vacation. So, I'm writing one now... better late than never.

READER BEWARE: Opinions Are Expressed Below

The eighth and last installment of the Harry Potter series was nothing short of spectacular. However, amidst all the magic and destruction, the story was lost. Don't get me wrong! The movie was an amazing piece of cinema, but the plot liberally differed from that of the book. It can actually be viewed as a blessing and a curse. Moments that dragged in the book where sped up to out-of-sight speeds suitable enough to be consider passable, and moments that shined in the book were only insignificant specks.

Despite my complaints about plot, I applaud the filmmakers for paying close attention to Snape's character arc. It was the most heartbreaking thing for me to watch but still very satisfying. If I was part of the Academy Awards, Alan Rickman would be getting an Oscar for sure. That's how powerful his performance was.

As far as visuals go, this movie was a visual feast of light and dark (and pale skin). The pacing was tense and unrelenting while danger lurked around every corner. Musically, Desplate did have a few memorable tunes this time around, but it was nice to hear the old John Williams theme from the Sorcerer's Stone during the credits.

Overall, I have to say that Harry Potter is definitely one of the must-see movies of the year.

4.5 Popcorn Kernels Out Of 5 (magical visuals, epic conclusion, satisfying action, and Snape is just awesome)

Surviving Disney

In celebration of my return to my "Home Away from Home," I decided to write some helpful and common sense tips on how to survive Walt Disney World if you ever plan to go. I'll just go ahead and jump into it. Just remember...

Trust me, I'm a Disney Professional.

Don’t Beat Your Children…
Sometime’s the Magic Kingdom isn’t so magical. Before Walt Disney rises from his grave and slaps me down, please let me explain. Disney World really is The Happiest Place on Earth, but some really sour people are allowed through the gates. Through all the wishes to have a “magical day” and Barbie doll smiles, children can still throw fits in the Florida heat. Parents of these children are susceptible to cracking and start whooping butts before they have the chance to remind themselves where they are. It’s embarrassing to them, and even more awkward to shocked onlookers. If you don’t want CPS up in your face (it’s only a phone call away), then you better save yourself the trouble and put yourself in your child’s shoes. The parks are hot, crowded, and fairly large for such little legs and feet. So, when the kiddos are on the ground rolling in circles, screaming they hate you, and drawing unwanted attention you need to approach the situation calmly and sternly. Buy them a drink, invest in some ice cream, sit on a bench, and if all else fails, head back to the hotel to let the kids take a nap or swim.

Beware the Colored Shirts…
Some people like to travel in large packs inside the parks (church groups, family reunions, etc). These vicious packs are fairly easy to identify…just look for the sea of same colored shirts. When you see bright pinks, dark purples, or even flamboyant reds you have to get your “Disney Mode” on. This is a brisk walk (that isn’t yet a run) that will get you to the nearest attraction and in line before the sea of colored shirts get in front of you. Be advised that every second you waist killing time to get to the next ride, 50 people get in line ahead of you. Never actually measured that, but it sounds true enough.

Dance Naked in the Rain…
Okay, seriously don’t do that. It’s just another way to say “embrace the rain.” It rains in Florida almost every day almost always at the same time. Don’t run to your hotel room like some tourist amateur. Unlike Six Flags, Disney World doesn’t shut down all its rides when a single rain drop falls from the sky. The rides keep going! What a concept… So, invest in a Mickey Mouse poncho (like everyone else) and hit up those rides when it rains because the ride wait times are down and the crowds are gone.

Ignore the Fudge…
When observing the wait time for a ride keep in mind this one little fact…sometimes Disney fudges those times to drive people away and create shorter lines. The best example occurred on the Jungle Cruise. The sign said the wait time was 35-40 minutes when the wait time was actually 10-15 minutes. When Disney is feeling really devious, they also show a shorter wait time to create longer lines. The best example always occurs on Peter Pan’s Flight (it is always one of the longest wait times ever). Now keep in mind, most of the wait times can be accurate but they like to throw in a dirty curve every now and then. Don’t tell them I said that, because they’ll deny it.

This Isn’t QVC…
Souvenirs are going to be pricey pretty much wherever you go. Don’t buy any souvenirs during the middle of the day because you will have to carry them all day. Buy them when exiting the park. All the shops will still be open to take your money even after the rides are closed. Other than souvenirs, drinks and snacks are going to be expensive too. Last time I was there, a bottle of Dr Pepper out the drink machine was $2.50. There’s a simple solution to this dilemma. Buy all of your snacks and drinks in small packaging at home and ship them to your hotel (if your staying on Disney property).

Stay Delusional…
The world is a cruel, ugly, and un-magical place. All these nasty descriptions of the world seem to dissipate on Disney Resort property. So, in order to fully enjoy your vacation, stay inside the Disney Resort and revel in the joys of Disney’s Magical Express. A Disney bus picks you up at the airport in Orlando, Disney gets your luggage for you (and sends it to your room), and then you’re whisked away to a place where everything is simple and clean. You need to get a park? It’s easy! Just take a free bus provided by the Disney Resort. You want to sleep in? That’s okay! You can make up for lost time by taking advantage of Disney’s Extra Magic Hours (see next tip). You need assistance? You’re in the right place! Every single Disney Cast Member is friendly and full of smiles. There’s nothing Disney can’t do for you (exceptions do apply).

Become a Night Owl...
If you’re staying on Disney property and you don’t take advantage of Disney’s Extra Magic Hours…then you’re a complete fool! You get to sleep in with no regrets! Why? Because you have the special privilege to enter a select park and ride select rides. You have the option to go before the park opens, but that’s too early for me. I take advantage of the even longer Extra Magic Hours at night. First, you have to remember to get your colored wristband (unless you want to get kicked out). These wristbands are distributed inside the select park in certain areas. Secondly, go ride the rides with a minimum wait time. Is it really worth it? Heck yes! The park is quiet, nearly deserted, and you can ride a ride multiple times. I literally walked right onto Space Mountain. You can’t imagine how impossible that sounds, but it’s true! The biggest thing for me is that the Extra Magic Hours at night makes me feel like I snuck into the park after it closed. It adds a sexy “danger” factor.

Covet Thy Fast Pass…
I can be really patient most of the time. However, there is just something about walking by a long line of weary-looking people and laughing at them with a Fast Pass in hand. Fast Pass is a beautiful, free service offered by Disney. All you have to do is insert your card/park ticket in the kiosk of the select ride you want to Fast Pass, get a slip of paper that tells you to wait an hour, and come back to ride the ride. You have to remember to get your card/park ticket after you get the Fast Pass! I recommend getting your Fast Pass as soon as possible because they are not limitless. So, don’t waste your Fast Passes on stupid things like Winnie the Pooh. Get a Fast Pass for the extremely popular rides (Soarin’ and Toy Story Mania especially). Once you have a Fast Pass, I would recommend that you stay close to the ride. However, don’t worry if you get a Fast Pass and find yourself in a position to not get back to the ride in the time span you are given. The Fast Pass will still be valid even if you show up later in the day, but don’t expect the Cast Member to accept a Fast Pass you got for 9:45 am at 9:45 pm. That wouldn’t fly with me buster because you had plenty of time to get your butt back to that ride! Another word of advice is that there is no law against one person getting everyone’s tickets and getting all the Fast Passes for the whole group (don’t crowd the kiosk!). There also isn’t a law against an older kid using his card/park ticket and using a younger kid’s card/park ticket to get two Fast Passes for himself (especially on the rides the younger kid can’t ride). One last thing…if you lose your Fast Pass…boohoo for you.

Push the Kid on Someone Else…
In a more technical sense, the process is known as the “Baby Swap.” It’s simple as pie. First, tell a ride attendant that your child won’t be riding, but all adults want to ride. The attendant will walk you through the “Baby Swap” procedure and will direct the poor adult who doesn’t get to ride first and the hindering child to a secure location so the “swap” can occur. The whole procedure is a little more technical than it used to be compared to the early 90s (when I was the hindering child), but it’s the same idea. Also keep in mind that a child may want to ride Splash Mountain at first, but that child suddenly decide he/she doesn’t want to ride it anymore while standing in the middle of the line for the ride. Follow line etiquette (see next tip), and take the “chicken exits.” There are plenty of them to choose from.

Waiting in Line is an Experience…
Sure, waiting in line sounds mundane, but at Disney it really isn’t. You get to have quality family time, you can make several new friends with the people around you (you will at least have one thing in common), and Disney has ambiance everywhere to keep you entertained. You won’t just be watching Coke commercials over and over again like you do at Six Flags. Everything has a meaning at Disney. Everything has a story to tell. However, this experience can be ruined if line etiquette is not followed. It goes as thus:

1) Keep your love life in a hotel/motel room. No one wants to see you make out, rub each other, touch each other, etc.

2) Don’t cut in line even if it is “family line cutting.” I don’t care that your mother and father are waiting for you in line…they obviously didn’t care enough to wait for you.

3) Pay attention to the movement of the line. Even though it moved an inch, you better move an inch too.

4) Get off your cell phone.

5) Wear deodorant for the sake of others.

6) Wear clothes suitable for your body. No one wants to see your stretch marks, your rolls of fat, your hairy back, etc.

7) Don’t do “line backtracking.” If you’re child has a panic attack and you decide not to ride, please use the “chicken exit” and don’t walk backwards through a line of people.

8) Respect people’s space.

9) Don’t use foul language around children.

Popcorn Worthy? - Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

READER BEWARE: Opinions Are Expressed Below

If you like mermaids like Ariel, then maybe this movie isn't for you. These mermaids (which don't make an appearancece until later in the movie) are beautiful and very, VERY deadly. I'll just say that they are a cannibalistic and make the zombies in the movie look like harmless fairies. Believe me, this isn't kid stuff. I needed to start off with that because the mermaids are the most amazing thing about this movie. Another thing that needs to be said is that even if you haven't seen the second or third movie, then you won't be completely lost. To be honest, this is the direction in which the series should have gone in the first place. It doesn't have a deep plot and is clearly not supposed to be taken seriously (pretty much everything in this movie is impossible to do).

Acting wise, Johnny Depp just plays his usual Sparrow gig (and makes fun of it), Geoffrey Rush doesn't have a sense of sinister left in him as Barbossa, Penelope Cruz is sultry (maybe a little too sultry for children), and Ian McShane plays a tiresome and somewhat menacing Blackbeard (with magical powers?). I was more than relieved this Pirates installment was sans Keira Knightley's and Orlando Bloom's boring story arc and infused with a small and more interesting love story between a mermaid and a missionary. Yeah, sounds dull...but missionary's need love too and can provide gratuitous shirtless scenes for the ladies with a butt-naked mermaid for the men.

Anyways, the music is provided once more by Hans Zimmer and is infused with former Pirate's excellence on top of new musical excellence. My favorite tune is played during the mermaid scene and is fittingly called "Mermaids" on iTunes (very original).

Overall, this movie is fun, silly, and chocked full of action throughout as the characters try to beat each other to the Fountain of Youth. Like I said before, it can't be taken seriously...just like all the James Bond movies that starred Roger Moore.

3.5 Popcorn Kernels Out Of 5 (deadly mermaids, filthy pirates, a timid bad guy, good music, plenty of action, fun, and excitement)



Photo courtesy of Google

Popcorn Preview - Humans VS Zombies

This Popcorn Preview takes us on a walk down a road less traveled. On June 1st, a movie called Humans Vs Zombies will be released. Whether it will be in an actual theater that supports independent movies or in the $5 bin at a grocery store is up for you to decide. This latest zombie flick, filmed right down the road from Mount Vernon in Pittsburg, Texas, looks a little promising with the visuals and cheesy with the dialogue. If I can get my hands on it, I'll watch it just so I can see my marketing professor dressed up as a zombie (his name is Scott Sewell, and he is listed on IMDb).

Well anyways, I poked around for awhile to find an official Web site and this trailer. Look now kiddos, because you might just see yourself.

Popcorn Preview - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

I'll admit this one snuck up on me... The final battle between Harry Potter and Voldemort is upon us, and I'm dragging my feet. I seriously don't want it to end! However, I know it must come to an end. By the looks of this trailer, it is going to be a very, VERY emotional and epic end. Seriously, the Twilight crap is absolutly nothing compared to Harry Potter, and Part 2 will blow that series out of the water.

What I really like about this trailer is its return to "Hedwig's Theme" (despite it being slowed down). I'm really hoping "Hedwig's Theme" will actually be featured in the movie as an amazing tribute to the original. I can only hope... The second thing I like about this trailer is that it seems that Alan Rickman AKA Snape will finally have his time to shine (be him good or bad) and more screen time. I can only hope again...

I'm not going to lie. I got some serious goosebumps and teary eye action watching this trailer. Seems like some deaths are going to be pretty dramatic.  Anyways, the end is coming, and July couldn't come any faster.



Photo courtesy of Google

Spring Break in Vernon's Peak

Hello all! It really has been an awful long time since we last spoke, and once again I must apologize for that. So what's the excuse this time? Well, I've been working really, REALLY hard to finish up the first draft of my third book Verity. Heck! I've been working so hard that I haven't even changed my status on Facebook in forever! Anyways, I'm glad to say that I'm about two - three chapters away from achieving that goal! I poured a lot of sleepless nights during the Spring Break into this book, and I'm pretty happy with what I've read so far. I just have to go back and add a little...take out a little...just all the works.

I'm glad to announce that to make it up for my disappearance, I'll give you a new "steamy" tidbit to mull over below. AND...I'll also (in another post) tell you what Mount Vernon icons/people will be featured in this book after I finish the first draft. WARNING: I grind a few axes...just kidding!

Now that's done, I have to admit that I've also been falling behind on my movie reviews. I have seen I Am Number 4 and Battle: LA, but they already had enough reviews about them online by the time I got to see them...so I didn't want to bore you with anything everyone else had already said. I just have to say that if Hollywood would just make a movie worthwhile I would get excited and write reviews!

Anyways, I've got to get back to my book. I'll pop in again soon! In the meantime, check out my post about Anneliese Michel...thousands of others are doing it...so should you!

Oh, and here's the excerpt I promised!

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I met Abigail down on the boardwalk wearing some old swimsuit trunks I found stashed away in the bottom drawer of my dresser. They were a little tight around my thighs and a few inches too high above my kneecaps. I felt like a giant wearing midget pants.


Abigail was facing the glasslike surface of the pond applying some sunscreen to her shoulders.


“Do you need help with that?”


“I think I missed some spots.” She handed me the sunscreen bottle and lifted up her hair. “You mind rubbing some more on my back?”


I squirted the white lotion in my hand and placed the bottle in the cup holder of the nearest sunbathing chair. I rubbed both of my hands together and then uneasily started to massage Abigail’s soft back. The smell of coconuts filled the air. I rubbed the lotion in deep and worked my hands between her bikini straps. Abigail smiled back at me with a troublesome gleam in her eyes. We had always shared a certain fondness in the past.


“You can go a little lower.” She reached around and slid my right hand to the base of her back. “However, you better work your way up from there.”


My cheeks flushed as I slid my hands up the middle of her back. She could sense my unease, so she stepped away from my hands and let down her hair.


“Cute trunks,” she cracked.


“I think I had a growth spurt since I wore them last.” I grabbed the hem of my trunks and tried to pull them down. “It was the only swimming trunks I could find.”


She turned around to face me, and I could feel her eyes scanning my exposed body. I uncomfortably folded my arms against my chest. Abigail took a few daring steps towards me and grabbed each of my forearms.


“I want your body Scott.” She tried to say it with a straight face.


“Excuse me?”


Abigail pushed me backwards and a surge of water sucked me under. I could see the sunlight rippling above the dark surface. The rushing water sounded like a whisper in my ear. I flicked my feet and I shot back up to the hot surface. Abigail was laughing hysterically as I coughed up some water.


“Very amusing.” I whipped my wet hair out of my face and tried to wipe the water out of my eyes. “I’m glad I know how to swim.”


Abigail bent down so that we were nearly face to face. I swam up to the boardwalk and held onto it.


“I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t resist doing it.”


She held out her hand to pull me up, and I gladly accepted it. Just as she started to pull, I clamped down on her hand and pulled her into the water. It was my turn to laugh. She quickly reemerged next to me and splashed water in my face.
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The Bizarre: The Human Centipede (First Sequence)

READER BEWARE: Opinions Are Expressed Below

I finally broke down and gave in to the idea of watching this certified cult classic. However, this is not a cult classic for the same reason The Rocky Horror Picture Show is. I would compare The Human Centipede to the "killer video" in The Ring that you're warned not to watch, but you watch anyways because of natural curiosity...and then you die. Thankfully I won't die from watching The Human Centipede, but I shall forever be scarred.

The plot starts off being pretty basic. Two American girls from New York are taking a tour of Europe and are searching for a club in Germany to have some fun. Well, they get lost down some country road and blow out a tire. Being the complete idiots that they already are, the girls decide to leave their car and track down some help by taking a stroll through the German woods (in the rain). They do manage to find a find a house, but they quickly learn that they knocked on the wrong door...

After that, the plot goes down a sickening road that has to be seen to believed. If you must know a little more...IMDb describes it best. The site says "[Dr. Josef Heiter] kidnaps and mutilates a trio of tourists in order to 'reassemble' them into a new 'pet'-- a human centipede, created by stitching their mouths to each others' rectums." Yeah...it's pretty sick. I literally had a trash can nearby just in case I couldn't handle the sensory or auditory elements.

There is no deep meaning to this movie. The Human Centipede is intentionally meant to be sick fun (it really isn't fun). Then why is this a cult classic? Two words: Dieter Laser. He looks like a sicko...he acts like a sicko...he is the sicko named Dr. Heiter. I can confidently say that it is Laser's performance that makes this entire movie live and breathe.

If you're curious now...go check it out. I strongly recommend that you just rent this movie, because you would probably be seriously ashamed to have The Human Centipede in your movie collection. You better hurry though before the sequel comes out later this year!



Photo courtesy of Google

Fighting the Disease Called "Boredom"

We've all had that one class where the professor monotonously keeps talking about a subject that we really just don't care about. This eventually leads to the disease called "boredom". This nasty infection is spread from professor's mouths and can be passed on through the use of an assigned textbook, lab work or any other work assigned by a professor.

Prolonged exposure to "boredom" can eventually lead to the inevitable and serious disability called a "head bob". Never heard of it? The symptoms of a "head bob" include heavy eyelids, one numb brain, periodic blackouts and unfinished notes. The hardest symptom to identify is the periodic blackout that usually occur in five-ten second intervals during the entire class period.

But have no fear! I am here to help identify the dangerous signs of the "head bob" for you today. Maybe you have it and just don't know it?

Exhibit A: This student has not been subjected to "boredom" and is perfectly healthy (in his own way).

Exhibit B: This student has just been exposed to "boredom", however the signs are minimal. Notice how he draws a character related to the subject in order to fight the small signs of the "head bob". The student informed me that the character shown below is Gandhi with a megaphone saying "Let my people go!"

Exhibit C: This student has experienced prolonged exposure to "boredom", and the symptoms are at their highest point before the "head bob" occurs. Notice how the student is fighting the "head bob" through drawing like the student in Exhibit B, but this student is drawing bizarre and twisted images that are not related to the subject. The student informed me that these "drawings" were called "Le Spilt Salt", "Donkeyphant", and "Martian Volcano". Please Keep in mind that the student was delirious at that moment.

Exhibit D: This student has been overcome by "boredom" and is now experiencing the most critical case of "head bob" I have ever seen. If you look carefully, you can actually see where this student experienced his "head bob".

I hope and pray this demonstration can encourage everyone to fight future cases of "boredom". Hopefully we can do it before it strikes your child, neighbor, cousin and monkey's uncle.

We Must Unite To Join The Fight!*

*Everyone in the world has already been infected with "boredom". There is no cure, and it's too late to save anybody. We will all die. This message was written in a state of "boredom". This message has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Press Release: The Lost Article

I'm breaking tradition here, but I dove into the archives and dug up this little piece that wasn't published in the campus newspaper. This article is about a terrible tragedy that is pretty much forgotten in Commerce. However, I still think that it is a significant event in our history that can not be forgotten. I wrote this in a style that mainly focuses on the Halladay's contributions and excellence at East Texas State University (at the time) rather than the scandal. Although, I still think that the ultimate event is certainly worth mentioning.

Suicide of the President's Wife
By: Chance A. Crane

On February 24, 1972, East Texas State University was jolted by the news that Elaine “Pat” Owings Halladay, former wife of ETSU President D. Whitney Halladay, was found dead in the presidential home garage. The Halladay’s were the first to move into the newly constructed President’s Home, south of the campus on Hwy. 50, on May 15, 1968.

Mrs. Halladay was discovered by the housemaid and was taken to the Commerce Medical and Surgical Hospital where attempts to revive her failed. At first, her cause of death was unknown and kept silent by Dr. Patrick Martin. According to The East Texan on March 1, 1972, it was Justice of the Peace Charles Walden that declared the official cause of death as “carbon monoxide poisoning from suicide.”

“Mrs. Halladay walked into the garage, closed the garage door and turned on the car engine,” former Texas A&M University - Commerce Archivist Dr. James Conrad said. “Everybody knew about it an hour after it happened.”

Mrs. Halladay was a prominent figure on campus and revered by many.

“[She] radiate[d] an atmosphere of enthusiasm for a not so enthusiastic university,” The Special said.

On June 22, 1970, Mrs. Halladay's husband was summoned by President Richard Nixon, along with 16 other college presidents, to Washington D.C. President Nixon sought advice from the group of college presidents about how to suppress student uprisings on college campuses.

“This was a very violent time,” Conrad said. “However, ETSU was barely impacted because most of the students on campus were fairly conservative.”

Conrad said that it was this trip to D.C. that possibly led to Mrs. Halladay to commit suicide two years later.

“It is said that it was in Washington D.C. where President Halladay developed a relationship with another woman,” he said. “This was probably a contributing factor to the suicide.”

On January 13, 1972, one month before the suicide, the Halladays divorced. After Mrs. Halladay’s suicide, President Halladay resigned on May 5, 1972, and became president of the new A&I University at Corpus Christi.

In Donald E. Reynolds’ book “Professor Mayo’s College: A History of East Texas State University,” it is said that the campus was stunned, “first by the death a highly regarded Pat Halladay and then the president’s resignation. The community had become sharply divided over Halladay because of his personal tragedy.”

The Halladay’s were dedicated to their work at ETSU and to the students. According to The Greenville Herald Banner, President Halladay was “a man who [was] largely responsible for the Commerce school’s emergence as a budding regional university with a growing academic repute.”

According to The Special, “the Halladays often ate in the cafeteria to ‘meet the students in their own environment.’”

“I want to meet and associate with as many students as I can,” Mrs. Halladay said. “When schools were smaller, you could know everyone personally and bring them to your home. But there’s no way we could invite over 8,000 students to the house today.”

Martha Jo McDowell, Marietta McClurg and Whitney Halladay Whitelaw, Mrs. Halladay’s daughter, said in Mrs. Halladay’s written profile that she had an interest in the welfare of animals that was “intense.”

“She could not turn away a stray, and she spent many hours trying to find homes for unwanted and abandoned animals,” they said. “A testimonial to her concern is the Commerce Humane Association, organized with funds donated…as memorial tributes upon her death.”

They also said that Mrs. Halladay had her hand in several organizations. She was a member of the Coterie Club, the Dames Club and the Methodist Church. They described her “[being] active in all of them despite a busy schedule as official hostess.”

“My life pretty well revolves around the schedule of my husband,” Mrs. Halladay said in The Special. “The University always comes first, and that doesn’t leave time for much else.”

Mrs. Halladay enjoyed being at ETSU.

“We aren’t searching for a larger or better school, because we think we have found it.”

On the day before President Halladay resigned, those who loved Mrs. Halladay paid a final tribute in
The Commerce Journal.

“Many share my opinion that today she is where the glory of her own goodness will be revealed in her,” the paid advertisement said.

Voltage: Epic Mickey

I've been slacking on my movie attendance despite desperate cravings to see Tron Legacy and True Grit. Even if I did get to go see them, it would be too late by now to review them since they have been out for awhile. Oh well...I do have something to review now and it's a video game. Now begins the video game review series called Voltage and games shall be reviewed as such: Low Voltage, Minimum Voltage and High Voltage. That's pretty easy..

Disney's Epic Mickey is deceptive.  I put it into my Wii console thinking that it was going to be easy-breezy fun. I couldn't have been more wrong. Epic Mickey is not a children's game. It's dark, it's challenging and it's addicting.

The story starts off in Yin Sid's (from Fantasia) domicile where he created an alternate universe/theme park called Wasteland for all of the forgotten Disney characters to live. The forgotten characters range from Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, Captian Hook, various forms of Pete (there was a Pete from Tron) and Wasteland's leader Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Well, mischievous Mickey disrupts all of their lives when he accidentally spills paint thinner all over Wasteland and created The Blot. Mickey is sucked up into this world (eventually) and must save the crumbling Wasteland with the power of paint or paint thinner before The Blot and The Mad Scientist steal his heart. That's the gist of it all.

The storyline is as good as any Disney film should be, and your actions with the paint and paint thinner and choices on how to go about the various missions truly do make a huge difference. The graphics are superb as you traverse Mickey's old black and white classic short films and other parts of what really is the Magic Kingdom we all know and love. I'm speaking of The Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World, Space Mountain, Main Street and other important Disney landmarks. However, it is the events towards the end that frustrated me. I literally took one step forward and five steps back...over and over again. Despite the frustrations, I still had a lot of fun playing Epic Mickey. This game has enough deep Disney magic and meaning in it that it caused me to choke up when I finally reached the end.

Epic Mickey is High Voltage.

Photo courtesy of Google