“No Safe Harbor” by Elizabeth Ludwig

It was a cold and snowy day when I began to read this latest book sent to me to review. I had never read anything by author Elizabeth Ludwig before so I was anxious to get started.
They always say the sign of a talented writer is the ability to capture the readers’ interest quickly. It took only a couple sentences before Ludwig had me hook, line and sinker.

“No Safe Harbor” is a fictional romance set in the late 1800’s which begins as Cara Hamilton arrives at Ellis Island. Cara is a young, Irish woman who has set sail from Liverpool in order to come to America in search of her brother. It takes very little time before she starts encountering several helpful people.

Douglas Healy recommends her to the boarding house of Amelia Matheson and she meets the attentive and attractive Rourke Walsh who takes the time to escort her there. Cara Hamilton is cultured, well brought up and moral and finds the surroundings of New York both rough and crude. But with her personal determination and the help of several interesting characters she sets out on her quest to find her brother.

But things (and people) are not all that they appear. There are other people also looking for her brother and the meeting with Mr. Walsh was no accident. Yet Rourke’s owns purpose becomes cloudy when he develops feelings for Cara and is torn between spying on her in the hope she will lead him to her brother and his desire to protect her from his malevolent employers.

Elizabeth Ludwig unwinds the knots of Cara’s life with an easy flow of prose and sense of intrigue. Her characters are drawn from life as well as her knowledge of human nature and the unexpected turns life takes when God is involved.
 
Ludwig seems a little light in the details and knowledge of this era in New York history but her perfect balance between romance and mystery and the steady and pleasant rhythm of her writing makes it an enjoyable read.

Elizabeth Ludwig

 
I not only recommend you read “No Safe Harbor” but suggest you pick a time when you will be undisturbed and wish to relax as you allow Elizabeth Ludwig lead you into a suspenseful yet encouraging retreat.

This is Book One in the “Edge of Freedom” series so, if you enjoy it, keep watch for Book Two.

Follow the link below for more information:

GRAF-MARTIN COMMUNICATIONS

It rates 8 out of 10 “Secret Christian Fishies”.

Please feel free to leave a comment about this Review or this Book. I appreciate your Feedback. (Remember you can comment anonymously)

Coming out of RED JOHN (PREDICTIONS) cont

Several weeks ago I figured out the true identity of the serial killer "Red John" on the TV Show "The Mentalist". Since I have no desire to ruin the surprise for anyone, I simply decided to be pompous and brag about my superior sleuthing, but not actually give away his identity. My attitude naturally brought forth several people who claimed I was "full of it". So I decided to make several predictions about upcoming episodes of  "The Mentalist" in my post, "The Coming Out of RED JOHN Part 3 (PREDICTIONS)". Naturally, if I know who the killer is, I should be able to make pretty accurate predictions as they relate to that topic. Right?

That brings us to the Sunday, November 18 (2012) episode of  "The Mentalist" in which Jane "springs" Lorelei from a Federal prison. (You may want to review my Predictions on my blog post "The Coming Out of RED JOHN Part 3 (PREDICTIONS)" )

As I stated previously, since the Mentalist is a hit show, the writers know that they have many, many episodes to fill and writing a mystery story is very much like being a magician. It consists of making a person look at one thing, in order to divert their attention from where the 'trick' is really happening.
With the Mentalist, they give many clues. Most are decoys and just a way of blowing a lot of smoke around so the few, real clues stay mostly hidden.

Several weeks ago I told you that they would bring the Hunt for RED JOHN right into the CBI. Of course with last week's episode Lorelei said to Patrick Jane in a moment of anger, "I don't know why you [and Red John] weren't life long friends from the moment you shook hands." And in case we were too stupid to notice this clue, they made sure to have Jane repeat it right at the end of the episode. He told Lisbon that Lorelei had confessed that he had "shook hands with Red John. He's somebody I've met".
And, of course, that was EXACTLY what I said would happen.  Now we start to get dizzy as they spin us  'round and 'round and 'round in order to point the finger at everyone and no one who has ever met Jane.

But I do want to bring your attention to a couple important things. The writers DID give you a very big clue, but it is NOT the one about Jane shaking hands with Red John. That one was the decoy, so that you wouldn't notice the REAL clue which was stated quickly, briefly and right around the same time.

Also, consider this: Red John has many pawns and we have witnessed him use many people. Lorelei is described as "Red John's mistress" and the writers will have us chase her around for awhile, but ask yourself,  does Red John strike you as a monogamous type of man? Would he have just one mistress? And if so, would he be "generous" enough to let Patrick Jane use her sexually? And most of all, how do we know that Lorelei actually knows the REAL Red John? How many times have we been tricked into thinking someone is Red John only to find out that he isn't. If Jane doesn't know who Red John is, how can Lorelei be certain she does?Always keep in mind that the writers have years to make us chase our tails and they will. It's what they're payed to do.

Let me end with a couple of predictions about the future of Lorelei (although these are just 'guess-tamations'). In a future episode (when the show needs a ratings boost) Lorelei will come back to Patrick because she has discovered he is right about Red John and ... she loves him. Then, BOOM! She will be yet another Red John victim.
(Don't forget, FBI Agent Susan Darcy is also on my Red John future victim list too)

Don't get me wrong, even though I know what's going to happen ahead of time, I still immensely enjoy watching the show. That particular episode was worth it just to see Simon Baker in a cowboy hat. Yee Haw!   

P.S. I wonder if the makers of "The Mentalist" will ever be annoyed with me for telling their stories before they are completed?
~~ Laura-Lee (aka. "The Red Menace" or at least "The Red Annoyance")

Coming out of RED JOHN Part 4

  

In "The Coming Out of  "RED JOHN" Part 3"  post, I made predictions as to what would happen on "The Mentalist" in the next year or two. After watching the 100th episode on Sunday night, you should know I'm on the right track.

Remember a previous episode in which Jane helped a former friend and it ended up that she was a Psychiatrist? They made a couple of vague insinuations that Jane had been a mental patient. Then the topic was dropped.

I've told you that they are going to start making you think that several people from the CBI could be Red John or at least an accomplice. But I predicted the writers would point to the possibility that Patrick Jane IS Red John! Well, here come all the episodes which will continue to explore him as a psychopath.

But remember what I said? It's a smoke screen.

Please read Part 3 , which has all my main predictions, before commenting on this post.

I can also guarantee that FBI Agent Susan Darcy is NOT a RED JOHN accomplice. But after falling romantically for Jane, she will be killed by RED JOHN. Or will it be Patrick that kills her? ;-)

Round and round and round the writers will spin you. (Like a record round, round, round)

Happy Halloween with a Couple Favorite Music Videos

I stopped celebrating Halloween many years ago. Right around the time I became too old to go "trick or treating" from door to door, I also became a Born-Again Christian.

Now, in truth, dressing up in costumes and having a good time is something a person never really grows out of, so there is always a "tug" on my emotions around this time of year. I have a vivid imagination, can always think of a great costume and I'm never too old for a party.

Of course, this time of year also brings out certain songs, depending on what generation you belong too.

Those of us who grew up in the 1980's immediately think of "Thriller" by Michael Jackson.

Those of us even older (not me of course) think of "The Monster Mash". Both 'classics' in their own right.

But when I think of Halloween, one song rises above the rest. AND the great part of it, is it can slip by my Christian conscience, so I can still enjoy it.

So for those of you who have never had one before, I give to you now a "Witch's Invitation."

With deep sincerity, Laura-Lee

"Witch's Invitation" by Carman

And if that video "left you hanging", then you should rap it up with some good news.

"THE COURT ROOM" Video

Now this is the best way to celebrate "Halloween". Make sure your name is written in "The Book"

GRACE: More Than We Deserve; Greater Than We Imagine

Heather and her father, Kyle, were both doctors doing missionary work among AIDS patients in Zimbabwe. When Heather’s father became very ill she finally convinced him to get on a plane back to America for treatment. She went along to care for him on the trip and became very ill herself while on the plane. Soon she had to rush to the on board washroom where she began to vomit profusely, while her father remained in his seat with a 104.5 fever. From where she lay on the floor in the airplane washroom, Heather prayed to God for help. At some point she was found in the washroom and both her and her father were attended to by the 100 doctors who also happened to be on that plane!

With stories like that and many others, Max Lucado reveals to us God’s luxurious Grace in his new book, “Grace: More Than We Deserve; Greater Than We Imagine”.

In a world where the meaning of Grace can be easily misunderstood or even twisted to the point of being unrecognizable, Lucado explains the difference between the human version of Grace, which usually involves strings attached or the idea of earning God’s favour, and God’s idea of real grace.
“Grace is simply another word for God’s tumbling, rumbling reservoir of strength and protection. It comes at us not occasionally or miserly but constantly and aggressively, wave upon wave.” (page 99)

Lucado goes even farther back to explain why we need Grace in the first place. We, as humans, are riddled with sin which “is not a regrettable lapse or an occasional stumble. Sin stages a coup against God’s regime. Sin storms the castle, lays claim to God’s throne, and defies his authority.” (page 34)

In order to rid ourselves of our entrenched sin we often think we can win God’s favour, just as a boy scout wins his merit badges. But if we “[make] the assumption that God rates on the merit system” then “some thorny questions surfaced. If God saves good people, how good is ‘good’?” (page 46 – excerpts)

I became familiar with the writing of Max Lucado about 20 years ago when I first read his book, “God Came Near”. Through the years I have read 9 more of the more than 60 books Max has authored. I refer to him as “The Point Man” because he weaves together anecdotes, human interest, jokes, current events and Bible stories in an almost seamless way in order to meld emotion, common sense and theology into a sharp point. I was expecting more of the same with this book and was not disappointed.

Even though his writing skills have continued to grow I do have a few reservations about “Grace”. It seems to me that grace has three sides to it. All of them in perfect balance. Max discusses it’s cost and it’s results but there is little emphasis or practical advice on how to pass it on. As is the case with most things of God, we learn the most, get to the heart of the matter, and find their greatest power in the sharing of them. Max briefly discusses this in chapter 9 by encouraging us to be “generous” and “forgiving” and a “Billboard of God’s mercy” (page 166), but fails to delve into it much deeper or give practical advice on exactly how to live grace out on a daily basis.

He also discusses the “cost of grace” and the fact that grace was paid for by Jesus on the cross. Through an enhanced story of Barabbas, Max Lucado demonstrates that Jesus was sinless and died for each of us personally. But I wonder if a person can truly understand the massive cost of grace without identifying with our Heavenly Father who allowed his only Son to be murdered in order to purchase that grace for us? Max excels at showing different points of view, yet he misses out on helping us view things from God’s view. The view of a Parent, sacrificing one innocent, beloved Child for the sake of a rebellious, evil one.

As Max puts it,

“ ‘Cheap grace’ comes from misunderstanding the enormity of the sacrifice.” (page 169) AND

“The gift is the Giver.” (page 150) [emphasis mine]

I am also concerned with Lucado’s use of so many different translations of the Bible. He seems to use whatever version of the Bible best suits his immediate purpose. Whether it be NIV or The Message, he used whatever version best made his point. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can be the first step down a slippery slope to slanting the Scriptures to mean what what we want, instead of us wanting to get to what they mean.

At the end of “GRACE: More Than We Deserve; Greater Than We Imagine” the book is further enhanced by a “Reader’s Guide” written by Kate Etue. It reviews each chapter with sections entitled, “Scripture Review” (which gives further Bible verses on the topic), “Ask” (which poses probing questions), and “Call on God” (which aids in beginning a conversation with the Lord).

Kate Etue picks some very pertinent Bible verses and her sincere way of starting us in a personal prayer time is both insightful and eloquent. However, I feel slightly manipulated by some of the questions in the “Ask” sections. As if I am being routed into conclusions and assumptions that I am might not come to on my own.

For Example: The question is asked,

“How is spiritual rest a holy assignment?”

When perhaps it should be phrased,

“Do you think spiritual rest is a holy assignment? If so, how?”

Yet, who am I to question the opinions of Cal Thomas (USA Today columnist), Sheila Walsh (author, speaker and singer), Colt McCoy (NFL Quarterback), Mandisa (American Idol singer) and the other 18 people who spend the first 4 pages of this book singing it’s praises?

In conclusion, I must admit that I always enjoy a book by Max Lucado, including this one. He is honest, refreshing and very funny. His topics are both timely and necessary and I feel encouraged by what he has to say. I can most definitely recommend “GRACE: More Than We Deserve; Greater Than We Imagine” as a good read and a welcome addition to my home library (because I will want to read it again).

Or as Max says, “ I know we shouldn’t complain. But, honestly, when someone hands you a bar of hotel soap and says, ‘This is for you',’ don’t you detect a lack of originality? But when a person gives a genuine gift, don’t you cherish the presence of affection? The hand-knit sweater, the photo album from last summer, the personalized poem, the Lucado book. Such gifts convince you that someone planned, prepared, saved and searched. Last minute decision? No, this gift was just for you.” (page 149)

I suppose the same thing applies to God’s grace too. Let us rest in the presence of his affection.

I’m giving this book 8 out of 10 “Secret Christian Fishies".

For further information contact:

Graf-Martin Communications Inc

HERE'S A VIDEO FROM MAX LUCADO HIMSELF

** NOTE: Please feel free to leave a comment. I would like to know what you think of this book AND the Review. (Remember. You can leave a comment Anonymously)

The Coming Out of "RED JOHN" Part 3 (PREDICTIONS)

Submarines have radar that allows them to identify other submarines, boats and creatures nearby in the water. However, if another submarine sneaks up from behind and follows them from close behind, they cannot be detected by the radar of the first sub. The propellers at the back of the first submarine blocks the noise made by the submarine behind. It’s called “hiding in the baffles”. But, because the submarine captains know that another ship might be in their baffles, they do a “crazy Ivan”. Without any warning, they suddenly turn their submarine sharply to the right or the left. Since the hiding submarine has no idea that the in front sub is going to turn, they get caught.

I remember watching an old movie about World War II. The Nazis had captured somebody and were going to torture them until they “gave up the information”. I remember telling those watching the movie with me, “I know how to trick the Nazis”. Everyone turned to see how my 8 year old mind had figured it out.

“I would talk and talk and talk. Then talk some more. Any question they asked me, I would make up an answer. That way, if I ever do spill out the truth, the Nazis wouldn’t know it. It will be hidden behind all the other junk I said. Plus, I wouldn’t be tortured either, because I would just keep giving in and blabbing.”
Everyone paused for a moment, then my Aunt said, “That’s so stupid, it’s actually quite smart.”  (I never have figure out whether she was complimenting me or criticizing me.)


What does all this have to do with “The Mentalist” or Red John?

A few weeks ago I said that I had figured out who Red John was, but that I have no intention of telling because I don’t want to ruin the surprise for anyone else. Many people think I’m just ‘blowing smoke’ and I can’t blame them. And I must admit that the writers of “The Mentalist” are keeping a lot of things very vague so that they can shuffle things around and don’t write themselves into a corner. But I’m sure they won’t change who (I think) they have picked as Red John, because it’s just that good an idea.

However, if I do know who Red John is, then I should be able to make some extremely accurate predictions on what will happen next on the show. (And, just like Patrick Jane, that doesn’t make me a psychic, it just shows that I’m paying attention)

First of all, keep in mind that “The Mentalist” is a massive hit show. This means that it is in very little danger of being cancelled any time soon. So the writers have a lot of time to play around with and weave their web.

For the next year (or maybe 2), it’s going to be  like me “blabbing to the Nazis”. You are going to hear and see everything and anything. It will be like a manic version of “spin the bottle”. The stories will go ‘round and ‘round and ‘round. (And you’ll have no idea who’s going to end up kissing whom)

The search for Red John’s identity will be brought closer to home. The CBI. We are going to be shown clues that point to Cho, Rigsby, Van Pelt and even little Lisbon as Red John or one of his minions. But mostly, they are going to point to Patrick Jane as Red John (or a Red John accomplice). There are going to be so many clues, you won’t know what hit you. But keep in mind, it is just a smoke screen. They have years to play with us (the audience) and play they will. But planted in all those false clues, you will find some real ones. There won’t be many (maybe only 2 or 3 in an entire season), but they will be important. You will have quite a job trying to sort  out truth from deception.

And these myriad of clues will pop out everywhere. Just when you think the plot is going in one direction, it will suddenly take a sharp turn in another direction. (Remember the “crazy Ivan”?) The writers will do this to see if we’re following them too closely.

But, trust me, we will get no where near an actual solution of who Red John is. They’ve got the time (years) and the vaguer they make it, the more people will stay interested. It will also create some job security for the writers.

 
I would suggest you just enjoy each episode for what it is. Each main character will get take their turn to be the center of a plot and they are going to really “go for it” and use the opportunity to flex their “acting chops” (especially so they have something to send in to the Television Academy when it’s time to apply for Emmy nominations).  Enjoy the relationships between the characters as they deepen (and ripen). Enjoy the great acting by the guest actors. Enjoy watching the suspects jump through Patrick Jane’s mental hoops. But most of all, revel in the great dialogue.

Patrick Jane
 
…on messing with peoples’ lives:

“We’re the law. We can do whatever we want.”

… on doctors:

“People prescribing pills they know little about, for diseases they know even less about, to people they know nothing about.”

… on a high school Principal illegally putting cameras in the washrooms:

“Pervy, Perve, Perve, Perve!”

There is one more prediction I’d like to make , although this is closer to a guess (and keep in mind that I haven’t seen all the episodes yet).

In regards to Agent Darcy, of the FBI, who believes that Jane is working for Red John. I believe there will be a romantic relationship between her and Patrick Jane and then she will be killed by Red John. I’m not sure “why” I think that. But we shall see if I’m right.

Stay tuned, my fellow ‘Mentalistas’.

And one more REMINDER. "The Mentalist" is about to celebrate it's 100th Episode in which there will be some "flash backs" to before the Pilot episode. That should prove both interesting and comical. You won't want to miss that so "Check Your Local Listings" as they say.

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who works (and did work) on "The Mentalist". Take a bow for a job well done.

Cast of "The Mentalist"

 

 

Robin and Simon at the 100th Episode Celebration.

The Coming Out of "RED JOHN" Part 2

I expected to discover many comments when I revealed that I knew the identity of Red John in my original post, "THE COMING OUT OF RED JOHN".

 I mean, The Mentalist gets massive ratings , so I KNOW a lot of people are watching the show. And since the concurrent theme of the show is "Who is Red John?" I thought more people would be interested.

But there are probably two strains of thought of why I'm being generally ignored:

1) If I knew who Red John is, why wouldn't I just tell everybody?

2) There is very little chance that I have figured out what millions of other people haven't.


Both are very valid points. I'm nobody special and usually if someone has a "juicy" piece of information, they would 'spill' it.
It's simply that it's driving me crazy that I've figured it out but I can't share it with anyone. You see, the reasons I don't want to blab is:

1) Who Red John is is a brilliant stroke of writing and if I "tattle", the writers will have to come up with something else and this story line is already so great I'd hate it if they couldn't see it through, 

2) I really don't want to ruin it for anyone else. Half the fun of watching the show is NOT being able to figure things out.

I JUST CAN'T do those things.


Mostly though, I wish I knew a way to contact the Writers of the Mentalist (I already know about their Twitter page) but they're ignoring me. I've got some great ideas that could build on their great revelation.

The irony of the whole thing is that if I wrote a letter to "The Mentalist" TV Show and revealed Red John's identity IN the letter, it would get through to the writers. If they knew that I knew, I would definitely have their attention. But it would have to pass over many peoples' desks and through many peoples' hands before it got to the writers and then all those people would all know who Red John is. (and I guarantee that most of the people who work on "The Mentalist" don't even know Red John's true identity). So in order to protect "The Secret", I must remain silent and obscure. And it's killing me that I cannot talk to anyone about this! 

If I can find a way to give a hint that is not hugely obvious, that will reveal Red John to only a few people who are able work it out, then I will. But they've "hidden" the answer in plain sight, so anything I say will mess things up. Actually, I've already said more than I should.

The Coming Out of "RED JOHN"

When you see a  magician who has a really great act, you wrack your brain trying to figure out how he does his tricks. You know there is deception and slight of hand going on, but even with that knowledge you are no closer to discovering the answer. But once the magician reveals to you the "magic" behind his tricks you think to yourself, "It's so obvious! How could I have NOT seen it".
Which brings me to the trickery of the TV show, "The Mentalist". 

I was originally attracted to "The Mentalist" because of it's great writing.  And after encountering literally hundreds of "Who-done-it's"  mysteries, there are precious few that I have not figured out well before the end of the story. But, in the case of "The Mentalist" there were often times I couldn't pinpoint the villain until he or she was revealed to the audience.

Anyone who has watched "The Mentalist" knows that the mystery that perseveres in the show from week to week is, "Who is Red John?". I have gone around the circle of characters and possibilities in my mind and eventually discarded each one. THEN, like a lightening bolt, after seeing a very slight clue, I knew who Red John was! I told a couple of my family members who I thought it was in order to test my "magician's theory" that once you knew a trick it became obvious to you.
Then, I went to "Mentalist" Forums and other places  the fans hang-out (a thing I had never done before) in order to see if anyone else was close to discovering who (or what) Red John is. I found nothing amongst the fans and, in the meanwhile, my family members had watched "The Mentalist" again and confirmed that this secret became obvious once it is known.

It's my understanding that 17,000,000 in North America watch this show each week. It's weird to be "in" on something that the majority of 17 million people haven't figure out yet.  It makes me feel giddy and slightly fearful. (I suppose it's because of my belief that "the more you know, the more will be expected of you")

Having figured out the "big secret" my respect for the writers has grown even greater, although one would assume it would be less since they could not trick me all the way to the end. But I see the way they keep certain plot "doors" open, so they don't write themselves into a corner and can still change certain things should the need arise. Plus, the usual wonderful way they include things like humor, great dialogue, an intricate mystery and the respect they give us in assuming we are intelligent viewers. Also, with the success of the show, the writers are guaranteed many more episodes before the show is cancelled and therefore they have the luxury of taking their time to include subtle clues and weekly hints to direct us to the identity of Red John (or MISdirect us to the identity of Red John).

 And practically speaking, it won't hurt when "The Mentalist' has been cancelled, everyone is looking for new jobs and they are trying to sell copies of "The Mentalist: the Complete Series".
 

 

 

 

As for me, it's nice to know that if I were to fall upon hard times, I can always blackmail the makers of the show for piles of cash simply to keep my mouth shut.  (Ahhhh! The beauty of free enterprise)

Do I hear any bids out there?

TV SHOW: "Last Resort" (Whew!)

(***Warning***: Since this blog often contains reviews, what I'm about to say may seem bizarre but, DON'T READ OR RESEARCH ANYTHING ABOUT  "LAST RESORT"  BEFORE YOU SEE IT!) it's okay to read this though

I just watched a pilot episode of a brand new TV show called, "Last Resort". I had heard nothing about it prior to seeing it. No promos ahead of time. The only reason I caught it at all was because it came right after the new show, "Elementary" (which did have lots of promos ahead of time).

"Elementary" was okay. It's a re-telling of the Sherlock Holmes mystery genre.  I was just getting up to go to the wash room when "Last Resort" started. Then I was in trouble because I had to "hold it" through the entire hour it was on. I was so afraid of missing one second of Last Resort that I didn't even leave during the commercials.

It was a thrilling hour and I was totally engrossed in the show from the first minute to the last and I cannot wait to watch it again. I don't mean what another episode, I mean watch THE SAME episode again.

I have been actively watching TV with great interest since I was 6 years old. For those of you without your calculator , that is 39 years of TV watching. New seasons, new shows, the TV Guide Fall Season specials, thousands of hours of pilot episodes over my almost 4 decades of new TV shows. So when I tell you that this TV SHOW MUST be watched and that it is probably the best TV pilot I've seen in a decade, it's advice you should take seriously.

Do yourself a favor and watch "Last Resort". It should be broadcast a couple more times in the next day or so. Check your local listings (as they say).

 I won't critique it right now because I don't want to give away any part of it. As I said in the warning at the top of this blog post, don't learn anything about it before you see it. And especially, don't read any reviews about it before you've seen it. Form your own opinion.  I want you to enjoy discovering it for yourself. All of it! But I know it's appeal with cross generations, races, economical strati, as well as many different tastes and attitudes.

Heed what I say and go watch "Last Resort". You can thank me for it later! And by the way, go pee before the show starts. You'll thank me later for that too!

Watch it; enjoy yourself; then come right back here.  I'll review it later, after everyone has had a chance to see it. Then we'll discuss it. I'll be dying to hear what you think about it. So hurry. 
Love  L-L



After you've seen the show, go check out it's website.
ABC: Last Resort TV Show (official page)

CAST LIST: 

	Andre Braugher	...	Capt. Marcus Chaplin / ... (2 episodes, 2012)
	Scott Speedman	...	XO Sam Kendal (2 episodes, 2012)
	Daisy Betts	...	Lieutenant Grace Shepard / ... (2 episodes, 2012)
	Dichen Lachman	...	Tani Tumrejak / ... (2 episodes, 2012)
	Daniel Lissing	...	James King (2 episodes, 2012)
	Sahr Ngaujah	...	Julian Serrat (2 episodes, 2012)
	Autumn Reeser	...	Kylie Sinclair (2 episodes, 2012)
	Jessy Schram	...	Christine Kendal (2 episodes, 2012)
	Robert Patrick	...	Joseph Prosser / ... (2 episodes, 2012)
	Omid Abtahi	...	Nigel (2 episodes, 2012)
	Darri Ingolfsson	...	Robert Mitchell (2 episodes, 2012)
	Raj K. Bose	...	DC Bar Patron / ... (2 episodes, 2012)

William Shatner: the Lost Letter

WILLIAM SHATNER SIGNATURE

When I was 12 years old I lived in the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. I had only lived there about a year when I heard that William Shatner would be appearing to give a live concert. My family were avid Trekkies. The first time I saw William Shatner was on a Star Trek episode while I sat on the floor at 7 months old, still in diapers. I was three years old before I realized that William Shatner was NOT my father.  (my father’s name is also Bill and he wasn’t around very much – so I’m not as stupid as I sound).

When Bill Shatner was due to come to Vancouver my brother and I would have given anything to go but we simply were too poor. Between us we had $5. So we sat at home that night doing Star Trek trivia out of an old book my brother had.
The next day I heard on the news that the people who had attended the concert had “Booed” William Shatner off the stage. I was angry and embarrassed at the same time. Vancouver was my new home but I was disgusted with the lot of them. I would have given my right arm to be there and all those people who had the money to go didn’t even realize what a privilege they had been given. Apparently Bill Shatner had gone on stage and started quoting poetry and they started booing him. What did they expect him to do? He’s an actor. Did they expect him to sing, “Flashdance”?

I walked around for two days upset by the whole thing when my mother suggested I write a letter to Mr. Shatner. So I grabbed my pen and loose leaf paper and did just that. I apologized for the city of Vancouver, told him why I couldn’t go to the concert and asked him to not let that one episode stop him from returning to our city in the future. I got the address to Paramount in Los Angeles and mailed it on it’s way.

Fast forward about 7 months. I had completely forgotten about the concert and the letter until I came home from school to discover I had something from California in the mail for me. I couldn’t imagine what it might be. When I opened it I discovered a post-card promo for the Vancouver Shatner Concert and on the back someone had written: “Sorry you didn’t get to see the concert. There are no hard feelings. Maybe you’ll get to see one in the future. The letter you sent was wonderful and very appreciated. Thanks again for your encouragement.” It was signed with some sort of scribble I couldn’t read. I couldn’t even make out part of the name. I was rather annoyed and hurt that some Shatner-flunky had written me a few words on the back of an old, out dated post card. I’m sure William Shatner never even read my letter. He just has a bunch of people to answer mail for him. We moved a year later and I threw away the post card with a bunch of stuff that we weren’t taking with us.

Fast forward 8 years. I am 20 years old, still living in Vancouver and about to attend my very first Star Trek convention. Now, for those of you who have not had the experience of being to a Star Trek Convention, besides talking Trek, dressing up Trek, seeing one of the stars from Trek, there is a lot of SELLING TREK! Anything that has something to do with Star Trek was being sold there. And at that period in time “Star Trek: the Next Generation” was on TV and doing very well.
My brother and I were strolling around the selling tables. We had separated so each of us could look at what interested us most. I was looking to pick up a cassette tape (that’s what we listened to music on in the ‘olden days’) of Brent Spiner’s  “Old Yellow Eyes”. I passed a table that was selling copies of William Shatner’s new book “Tek War”. The proprietor actually had a few autographed copies he was selling too. I looked at the book with William Shatner’s signature at the bottom of the back cover and a chill ran right up my spine. You guessed it. It was the exact “scribble” that was on the post card I had received. William Shatner had actually written to me personally and I had thrown it away! I had assumed that he was too big and important to write to me personally and so his warm wishes in his own handwriting went out with the trash. Boy, howdy! Did I want to commit suicide right there on the spot. Or at least find someone to give me a good thrashing. So I went to seek out my brother and explain what had happened. (maybe he would help me with the thrashing task?)

Obviously it impacted me hugely. I’m 46 years old now and I still cringe at my stupidity. But I can now see an object lesson in it (I can usually see an object lesson in just about anything and everything).

OBJECT LESSON: We reach out to God and when He responds we are too blind to recognize Him. We think He surely has better things to do that listen to ‘tiny’ us. But if we show even the smallest interest in Him, He will respond. And unlike William Shatner, God can be right where you are at any moment of any day. He can love me without it diminishing His love for you. So I beg you to be wise enough to recognize the handwriting of God. If I had known more about Bill Shatner’s character, I would not have assumed he wouldn’t write to me personally. If you don’t know God’s character, then let me assure you that , “if something matters to you, it matters to Him”. Do throw Him out with the trash.

And to William Shatner: thanks for the letter and for being the sweet and warm person you are. And for taking the time to write to a little girl all those years ago. I may not have been smart enough to recognize you then, but I know you are precious now.

EXECUTIVE DECISION kills Steven Seagal

Now I am not exactly a big Steven Seagal fan, but a rip off is a rip off and it gets me steamed. About 8 years ago, I turned on a movie on TV called, “Executive Decision” with  Steven Seagal as the main starring actor. The only other two actors in the film that I had heard of was Kurt Russell and Halle Berry (BEFORE she was an academy award winning actress).

The basic plot of the movie is an American airplane is high-jacked by Arab terrorists who say they will crash the plane unless their leader is released from being held in an American prison . If he isn’t released, the terrorists are going to blow up the plane with it’s 400 + passengers and crash it into the continental United States in an attempt to kill as many Americans as they can.
  Since Americans NEVER negotiate with terrorists, they have to come up with a Plan ‘B’ very quickly. In walks Steven Seagal, who is the military expert and Kurt Russell, who is an expert in international politics and the intelligence community. Several “head-honchos” around a table dream up an idea to rescue the people on the plane and neutralize the terrorist threat. They attempt to take a prototype stealth plane, secretly fly it under the belly of the big jet, hook up the two planes with a type of pressurized tube and then have a bunch of soldiers crawl onto the passenger plane and rescue everyone and capture or kill the terrorists. Simple, right?  Of course you know that it isn’t going to play out that smoothly. While Steven’s character is crawling from one plane to the other, all manner of chaos ensues and he sacrifices his life in order to get all the other soldiers onto the passenger plane. Steven gets sucked into the atmosphere and it’s “good-bye, Steven”.
  I found it most upsetting that Seagal apparently dies less than 15 minutes into the movie.  I immediately thought, “He must be coming back later. He’s got top billing. He’s probably grabbed onto the wing of the plane and he’ll burst into the main cabin of the plane and save everybody right at the moment when we viewers think all hope is gone and we have totally forgotten about poor Steven who's hanging onto the plane’s tail at 600 mph,  10,000 feet up in the sky”.
Well, I must warn you that when Steven is whisked away into the clouds, that is the last we see of him for the remaining 2 hours and 10 minutes of the movie. HOWEVER, … after about 5 minutes of pouting and feeling completely cheated, I was so sucked into the story that I forgot all about Steven Seagal. (Sorry, Steve).

I’m not going to tell you anything more about what happens in the film after those first 15 minutes, because I don’t want to wreck even the smallest part of it’s plot line. “Executive Decision” is one of the most compelling, thrilling and interesting movies I have every seen. (and I’ve probably seen thousands of movies so far). At the end of the film when the credits rolled by it was the first time I even thought of Steven Seagal since his unfortunate-unexpected-freak stealth jet accident.
 
If you want a movie that has Steven Seagal kicking EVERYONE’S butt for a couple of hours, then this is NOT the movie for you! However, if you are seeking a recipe for a truly exceptional story, with intelligent writing, filled with suspense and  thrills, peppered liberally with great dialogue and wonderful acting, all melted into a tight and clever story, then this is the movie just right for your emotional and mental taste buds. (CAUTION: This would probably be defined as a ‘guy’ movie, but don’t let that scare you off ladies. A good story is a good story. Case closed!.) Kudos to the creators of the film, “Executive Decision” who not only created 2 1/2 hours of fascinating story-telling, but who also made me think that it’s worth sitting through 90% of crappy films for the mere hope of seeing a good movie like this one.  I was left wishing and begging  for more. MORE!

If you have some free time and you don’t want to simply vegetate into a summer movie coma,  you couldn’t do better than watching the film, “Executive Decision”. As for Steven Seagal leaving the movie and nobody caring or even noticing all I can say is, “Sorry, Charlie”.

Link:  EXECUTIVE DECISION: Film Theatrical Trailer

Executive Decision(1996)

133 min - Action | Adventure | Thriller - 15 March 1996 (USA)
When terrorists seize control of an airliner, an intelligence analyst accompanies a commando unit for a midair boarding operation.

Director:

Stuart Baird

Writers:

Jim Thomas, John Thomas

Stars:

Kurt Russell, Halle Berry and Steven Seagal

"BRAVE" Film is BEAUTIFUL

PIXAR has done it again. Their new film, "Brave" was released in theatres on June 22, 2012 and is now another official notch on their sword hilt or an arrow in their quiver. I haven't seen it yet, but I dare anyone to view the trailer, any commercial or a promo for this film and NOT want to see it.

 I surmize that this story must be "grrreat" due solely to the caliber of actors and artists involved in the making of this film. Academy award winners and nominees aplenty. These people don't spend a couple years of their time working on a film unless it has captured their interest and their hearts.

 I must make another observation. I have become tremendously awe struck at the level of talent that goes into the visual aspects of creating an animated film these days. If you freeze any frame of the movie you will be looking at a work of art worthy of hanging in any museum or gallery. From graphic novels (aka. comic books to us old-timers) to animated films (aka. cartoons to us old-timers) there is practically nothing a person can conceive in their imagination that cannot be brought to fruition on a movie, TV or computer screen. It's a "Brave" new world and I'm happy to see that something of lasting quality is being created by it's people.

Please follow the links below to check out the film, "Brave" and don't be shy to comment at the end of this post.

BRAVE LINKS:

DISNEY - "BRAVE" Official site
DISNEY site
PIXAR Official Site

Also, watch this space for further blog posts, news and comments about "Brave" and related issues.

Thomas Kinkade: The Sell-Out

(THOMAS KINKADE DIED APRIL 6, 2012)

Thomas Kinkade Official Site

Thomas Kinkade first came to my attention in the early 1990’s when I worked for a Christian organization called, “Focus on the Family” at their Canadian offices in Vancouver, Canada.
I was immediately drawn into his use of light in his paintings and was not surprized that he became known as “The Painter of Light”. His actual paintings were a little too expensive for what I could afford, but I got a calendar for Christmas that year which featured his paintings. So as each month passed, I would tape the picture from the previous month to my bedroom walls until I had 12 copies of his paintings hanging all over the place. At the end of the year I was hoping I would get his next calendar for the following year.

As the years passed it seemed like Thomas Kinkade was EVERYWHERE! As well as his paintings adorning everything from tote-bags to coasters, he had written a myriad of books and seemed to be selling, selling, selling everything that had even the merest connection to him. I read his entire “Cape Light” series of books and watched his “products” grow and spread throughout the world. 
I read one of his books that I still have to this day and have read and re-read it several times. It is called, “Lightposts for Living: The Art of Choosing a Joyful Life”. (1999) It was titled perfectly because it  gave practical advice on how to bring joy into your daily and sometimes hum-drum life. He proposed that “joy” was not something that simply fell out of the sky into your lap, but you had to work at in order to have it part of your life. As I read the circumstances surrounding his death and the last years of his life, it seemed that he had stopped taking his own advice about joy somewhere along the line.

No doubt you will hear in the next months all the bad things that were going on in Kinkade’s life. He claimed to be a Christian which means he had a bulls-eye on his back to be aimed at by every person who has an axe to grind with Jesus. His passing will only enhance that desire in some people. Especially because he will not be here to defend himself.
Perhaps Thomas lost sight of what God wanted him to do with his talent …
Perhaps he became caught up in the money …
Perhaps it was too important to him that he become famous …
Perhaps he lost sight of how important his family is …
Perhaps he let his relationship with his wife slide until it was too difficult for him to repair …
Perhaps he wished to follow his own path more than the path that God had marked out for him …
All that may be true but I do know this: when Jesus died on the cross he paid the price for every one of Thomas Kinkade’s sins (as well as all of mine and yours too). In all the years I knew of Thomas Kinkade, I never once heard him deny that he was a Christian or that he loved Jesus. His soul was a sell-out for Jesus, regardless of the sins he committed along the way. And if he accepted Jesus, then I know Jesus accepted him!
Simply put, Thomas Kinkade is in heaven with Jesus and all the problems he had here mean nothing to him now. He is seeing God in the “splendour of his majesty” and many other things that he could probably never accurately paint, even if he had been the greatest artist to ever walk this planet.

But I wonder that, even with all the critics he had throughout his career, he still sold huge amounts of his paintings. I don’t believe all of that was just because he was clever with his use of light. He had a way of freezing a moment in time that had passed or maybe had never existed except in his mind. But in that frozen moment we found something we were drawn to. Something that we rarely or cannot find anymore. The beauty found in quietness and simple things. Each of his paintings or books had a gentleness to them. They depicted a time or place when people cared for one another and most people knew that God was watching out for them. And because of their faith in God, they had reserves of strength beyond humanity and encounters with compassion that is missing in our daily lives now-a-days.

So I thank God for the works of Thomas Kinkade which remind me WHO made me, WHY I am here, and WHAT I have to look forward to. And to Thomas Kinkade for making me pause and remember that, the way God was in the “olden days” is the way he is right now. Today.
And I won’t forget to say a prayer for his family that has been temporarily left behind and remember that the “painter of light” is now standing beside the “Creator of Light”.

“ And God said, ‘Let there be light.’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.”
(GENESIS 1:3)

“ In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.”
“ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.”
(JOHN 1: 4-5, 7) 

“ When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘ I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ “             (JOHN 8:12)