Saturday, November 27, 2010

The Original Real Life Winnie-The-Poo, Bear Of 1914




Was the real life Winnie-The-Pool a grizzly bear, a black bear or hokkaido brown bear?  You say you didn't even know he existed and was a figment of someone's imagination?  Nope...so make your choice, and you might even want to guess its nationality as well.   An American brown bear you say or perhaps Russian?  Nope.  The fact is the original real life Winnie-The-Poo WAS NOT BROWN AT ALL  and you guessed correctly by not considering his colour was white, as in polar bear,  but the real actual colour of  "Winnie"  was black.

Here's  the background of this caniform creature. Winnie was purchased from a hunter in 1914 in White River, Ontario Canada by  Lieutenant Harry Colebourn while on the way to England during the First World War. "Winnie" was a short form for Colebourn's  hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba.  Colebourn  took the bear to England and became accepted as The Fort Gary Horse regiment mascot. While the Lieutenant served in France, "Winnie" was provided a home at the London Zoo, where he was later donated to.


It was a common site to see "Winnie" giving children piggie back rides around the zoo and eating treats from their hands. One young boy, Christopher Robin developed a great affection for the bear who had even spent time in its cage.  Longing to take it home, Christopher's father, A. A. Mine, promised rather to write cute little bear stories for his son to enjoy.

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Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Wake Up Call To See The Dream Movie....INCEPTION ! [Part 2]


Continuation From Part One

In the bigger picture of things, lets say even with the developing or evolving of nations there comes at times when a doing and accomplishing of certain things need to be done.  Yes on occasions there is a breaking of laws but can't it be deemed necessary at times to create a just society?  One might consider even American Independence from the Brits. Who were the bad guys in that scenario?  Did any of them really exist?

 Perhaps in similar fashion one can feel empathy with Cobb and his dream teams goals. I found the story line of Cobb's departed wife to likewise raise questions that need considered. Do we live in a world, even now, which many would rather choose the illusionary, as compared to the more substantial perimeters of reality?

Cobb's wife chose the make believe, and indeed became confused as to which was which.  How many in present culture actually have succumbed  to being absorbed or assimilated into the cyber space of internet game videos, living as a full time participant with almost real life avatars in the world of their choosing. Cobb wanted the real world and ultimately wanted to get back home, out of the dream,  and one is pretty much led to believe he achieved it....BUT DID HE? 

The movie ends with a delightful spin which makes one wonder.   Or could it be the many viewers of the film,  are merely dreaming themselves that he did?  In conclusion, I'd rate this film a 10 out of 10 for the extraordinary movie going experience it was, great acting, and spectacular special effects.  I would hope one thing however, that a sequel will never be done.


Admittedly I'm not too much of a fan of such and with INCEPTION i'd fear the wonderful dream it created would begin to crumble, with a second or third sequel, or for those who viewed the film, on the second or third level down into the dream.  If you've seen the film you know my meaning but  if not I hope my piece serves as a wake up call inspiring you to view  it.  I can pretty much guarantee, you won't  feel sleepy even though you're in the dream!  

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Wake Up Call To See The Dream Movie....INCEPTION ! [Part 1]





Time for me to wake up and share my thoughts on having seen INCEPTION,  which could rightly be called the movie of dreams!  DREAMS....Didn't Leonardo DiCaprio, one time before have great success as an actor by boarding a Ship Of Dreams, Titanic--- and now a movie about Dreams?  The basic theme of INCEPTION is concerning  a team of individuals who see their goal as to sway the  mindset of a particular individual to carry out a certain agenda he wasn't beforehand inclined to do--or something like that! :)    


The way of so doing is via the way of entering the subjects dreams, and have him conditioned to believe the implanted thought his own. I'm sure many would feel it  most unfortunate that Mr Cobb, [Leonardo DiCaprio] and his dream team weren't around a few years back. Perhaps they could have  conditioned  the  minds of cooperative  heads, of say mega corps like Wal-Mart, subtlety persuading such into the adopting of business plans which would leave the small, mom and pop shops, to solely provide for local clientele. 

Understanding this, then you capture the main idea of INCEPTION.  This raises a myriad of questions as it relates to situation ethics.  Is every issue always black and white? Are the bad guys totally and absolutely  bad in everything they do,  or are the good guys truly that good after all? Is it many times merely a matter of opinion?  Even Cobb acknowledged to his side kick, Ariadne [Ellen Page] that what what they were up to was not strictly legal. Can it reach a point however where it's deemed justifiably right to take certain questionable actions for the common good? 

[Those who stay awake for the next 72 hours I'll reward the right to read Part 2 ! Then again maybe I'm dreaming anyone would do so.  Here's a plan,  go to sleep, but set the alarm for three days up ahead and let that awaken  you to the realization that my INCEPTION piece, Part 2 has now been posted!  See you on the other side of the sleep and above all...Sweet Dreams!  

To read Part 2 of Inception please click on link,
http://bob-richards.blogspot.ca/2010/11/wake-up-call-to-see-dream_24.html




Monday, November 15, 2010

It's Got To Be A Dream ! [Part 2]




The previews of other films began...one after another after another and I thought, I'm going to go to sleep!  Sleep? I did come to enter into the dream of INCEPTION  however and if this was the way to get there  I'll take the preview sedatives! There came a break and I knew this was it!  The images on the screen reminded all to turn their cell phones off, and I thought here we go! Some  sweet music introduced the film, and much to my utter astonishment I  see appear in the middle of the screen the word, 'HEREAFTER'  Hearafter I wondered!  Hearafter what!?!  This can't be real!!!  This must be a dream!!!! 



Really though I knew the truth.  The girl at the desk must have pushed the wrong button concerning our requested movie  and oddly enough I had stated it to her twice.  No, I wasn't overly upset  for I can appreciate mistakes can happen and perhaps I should have checked the ticket stubs to make sure but....what were we to do?   I considered that if we got up and went into the other theatre we could get into the Inception dream but what sort of seats would be left?  Surely they'd probably be right at the front row with a huge screen enveloping ones whole being, and I didn't care to get into the dream that deeply.

I then remembered that I had the day prior read the reviews concerning this  'Hereafter' film and the consensus was that it wasn't too bad, and I had considered  wanting to see it.   We stayed with that plan.  My quick review?   It was  OK, although I truly didn't think Matt Damon came across well in the part. It won't win any  awards but  I don't think Clint Eastwood who directed and produced it had that in mind.  His primary goal of this project  I would say, was  to produce a piece dealing with the issue of death and  the afterlife, a film basically to generate discussion.  

He can be applauded for perhaps having achieved this goal.  We went home having enjoyed our evening but the next day I did make a polite phone call to the manager of the theatre to inform him what occurred. He apologised  and offered us two free tickets to see INCEPTION.  This was like a dream come true, I was hoping that he'd allow me at least one free ticket and we'd pay for the other,  seeing we did enjoy the  film of the night before but he wanted to give me both.  If one thinks about these words I guess it could be said that we got to see, INCEPTION,  in some future time or state, or in ....."THE HEREAFTER".

OK now. Would you like to see what I thought about "Inception"? Click on link,
http://bob-richards.blogspot.ca/2010/11/wake-up-call-to-see-dream.html 

Saturday, November 13, 2010

It's Got To Be A Dream! [Part 1]





'No this can't be real!  It's got to be a dream!' I exclaimed to my wife as we sat in a theatre awaiting to see INCEPTION...the film about dreams.  Could it be that in reality I was in a deep sleep and my thought of taking my wife to this place , I had entertained  the notion  the night before? Was I  in reality right now in bed....asleep? 

I gave myself the supreme test to ascertain whether this was the case, that being, do I recall how we arrived?  Isn't that usually the way of dreams, that you never can quite recall how you got  where you are?  [a line from Inception]


  Well....after giving it only a passing thought-yes I did remember.  I distinctly recalled the three streets we drove down to arrive,  buying our tickets, popping into one of the many eating establishments for a quick bite, and rushing back to ensure we'd get the best seats in the house.

To our way of thinking they're the two in the middle of the back row.  We were disappointed however to find that another couple had claimed them for themselves! 

Well, more people begain to file in, until the place was comfortably full.  It was then I noticed something quite peculiar and I mentioned to my wife, "You know," I say, 'This is pretty neat!  Look at the general age of the crowd! The greatest percentage of them are of the baby boomer generation 50 or over, not in totality but generally speaking.' 


I went on to point out how wonderful it is that people of an older age group are looking like they want to stay current,, in what the younger age demographics like to see.  I would have thought that most who'd want to see a  DiCapreo  film would be around 40 years or younger and looking around I hardly could even notice one present. 

Very strange but I now had a new appreciation,  and I was beaming with pride towards people of my own demographics for now it seemed the younger types couldn't keep up to us!  It is we who enjoyed the fast moving thrillers and where are the younger ones?  Maybe in a deep sleep and need awoken to the fact  that a great movie like this is playing?      :)

Part Two--->  http://www.bob-richards.blogspot.ca/2010/11/its-got-to-be-dream-part-2.html
 

 

Thursday, November 4, 2010

The Scariest Halloween On Record!!!

"Should I be afraid or shouldn't I?"  was the question plaguing many citizens of the northern US states on what could be considered the most peculiar Halloween night on record.  The date was October 30th 1938.  Howard Koch and Orson Welles had written a radio play, adapted from the H.G. Wells novel, "War Of The Worlds," concerning the idea of Martians, aliens from another world invading the earth.  Millions of people thought the broadcast to be credible, and took what they considered appropriate actions in response.

To one,  that meant shooting at a farmers water tower, convinced it had to be a Martian tripod craft readying itself to wreak destruction.  To others, they fled, believing they could smell poison gas, and seeing flashing lights off in the distance, surely it could be nothing else except the aliens utilizing their ray gun weapon of mass destruction!  The community of Concrete, Washington was particularly impacted when a power failure put the town of 1,000 in darkness.  Numbers of citizens gathered their families and headed to the high country, better to be safe then sorry!

One citizen in a state of panic ran down the main street screaming in sheer terror! Thankfully a few hours later the town came to the conclusion that it was, what it was, merely a  fictional radio broadcast.  As bizarre as their reactions  might seem, to be fair I'd say they deserve to be cut a lot of slack.  When considered in a proper historical context,  it should perhaps be considered, they didn't have a myriad of countless ways to verify a story.  We understand The Most Trusted Name In News, outlets like CNN were not as yet born, neither could they google other news agencies for the latest developments.

When researching the event, one can observe there are questions raised and a debate on just how hysterical people became or to put it another way where does one separate the truth from myth?    One thing we do know, the commotion it caused generated close to 3000 newspaper articles discussing the event. Some were even concerned that the purpose  of the broadcast was for an even more of a sinister intent,  a psychological  warfare test, backed by the Rockefeller Foundation, to study the effects of panic upon the citizenry.  How nuts can you get? 

One very influential world leader took it quite seriously holding that it was indeed a US  government conspiracy.  He found it quite deplorable the American elites would use their people in such a fashion and pointed to it as, "evidence of the decadence and corrupt condition of democracy." How ironic, that this man, Adolf Hitler seemed to forget the meaning of the word "corrupt" and "decadent" some time later, with the great atrocities he committed against defenceless people.  Instead of War Of The Worlds, he insisted I guess in creating his own, World At War, a true monster indeed of whom you'd never want to meet on any scary night of  October Halloween.  I think I would've much rather wanted to deal and try to reason with the Martians instead!

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