A Different Christmas Poem

I got this via Email - Please share

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

Transforming the garden to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,

Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,

But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the

sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,

A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,

Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,

Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

What are you doing?" I asked without fear,

"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,

Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light

Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."

It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,

That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Grandfather died in France ' on a day in December,"

Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gran always remembers."

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of Burma

And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,

But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,

The red, white, and blue... a Union flag.

I can live through the cold and the being alone,

Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,

I can sleep in a trench with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,

Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..

Who stand at the front against any and all,

To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."

" So go back inside," he said, "harbour no fright,

Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,

"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you've done,

For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,

"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.

To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,

To know you remember we fought and we bled.

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun - Katharine Hepburn

Around a month ago a Swiss research company published a report on how console Games cause players to commit virtual crime. The basics of the report compared popular games against Human Rights Laws including the 1949 Geneva Conventions and its predecessor 1907 Hague laws.


It focuses on First Person Shooters (FPS) from various historical conflicts demonstrating that story lines do not show the players a correct way to fight a war.

It decided to include World War 2 and modern scenarios together then beat them with the same yard stick as it states that most players do not have in-depth awareness of the laws so they could compare them with broad strokes (they would be applying the 1949 and 1907 acts where appropriate though). It did differentiate between player and Computer Controlled Players (CPU) however it did count CPU imagery as it demonstrated the law incorrectly

However reading the report you can see the how heavily is forced in to making sweeping statements on the usual issue of “CONSOLE GAMES ARE BAD”. Click on the Link to read it,

http://trial-ch.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Evenements_et_manifestations/Playing_by_the_Rule.pdf

I’ve played these games and want my side aired on the thin “violations”

Battlefield: Bad Company
Violations

1) Destruction of Civilian Property.
The law states that in a war zone civilian property should not be directly targeted however may be inevitable. However in Bad Company there are no civilians. Each hamlet is a stronghold that you need to clear and thus making it a military target. The report makes out your running through houses and blowing down Granny Clampet’s living room as she watches countdown with a grenade launcher and then stepping over the cat to shoot a mercenary. No you don’t. Houses are empty, no furniture. Presumably cleared by the enemy and thus breaking another law.

2) No assessment of proportionality.
True. But would a game be exciting when the level starts off with a risk assessment. Let’s just pretend that we had that meeting and it was deemed an appropriate response.

3) The stealing of Gold from Civilian Houses
Looting is prohibited in modern law however what the report fails to pick up is that the gold isn’t civilian it’s actually the enemies. Yes that breaks the law too but the report hints that you are robbing Ma Dingle of her pearls once you have blown a hole in her wall.

The premise of the game is that your team have gone rogue from the army (so probably not following any rules as your now wanted) and you are now trying to get rich from stealing gold paid to the mercenaries as wages, who have taken over an eastern European state. This gold is scattered not just in houses but on woods and islands.

Brother in Arms: Hells Highway
Violations

1) A woman is captured and turns up later to be hanged and you attack a church which is in use as a military target.
Yes these do happen in the game and is a violation. But what it fails to mention is that it’s not by you but the CPU player in the back ground. Yes that is a horrible crime to execute civilians. However the report failed to mention is historical context when applying historical laws. This is my problem – you can’t pick out historical law violations without applying the context.

The CPU player is in fact the SS, which were not famous for there rules of engagement and Geneva abiding. Are we to pretend these things never happened? Surely reminding of us of why we fought for the liberation of Europe is a good thing?

Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare
Violations

1) Helicopter attack does not take into account of civilians.
Well there one reason for that – there are none. Like Battlefield it does not place civilians in the way of danger during the attack.

2) Civilian Property in towns destroyed
Again like battlefield the down is deserted (I assume cleared by enemy forces). However in call of duty you cannot destroy building and only go in ones that are objectives. Eg a TV Station

3) Introduction Movie includes killing of civilians
This is slightly interactive in the sense that you can move your head however contextually it does set out what is happening in a coup.

4) Killing of interrogated informant.

Yes these are definitely illegal but the report fails to mention that this section is not interactive but a movie sequence. The reason why the report focused on human rights violations in games and not movies was that they were more interactive. The scene itself does not require you to interact at all merely watch. So really they were scraping the barrel at this point.

True Crime Streets of LA
Violations

1) Brutal Police interrogation
Again this isn’t an interactive part just a movie your see

So really that’s all I have to say on the subject. Yes they do portray what technically be deemed as virtual crimes however the report leaves out massive detail and fails to realise contextual background theatrics. Whether the games industry takes note is really up to them but I’m guessing its already in the bin. Keith Vas however is probably wetting his pants.

Additional

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8373794.stm

One of our dinosaurs is missing ?

How do you lose a 1.5m tall mechanised Dino ?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8400962.stm

Answers on a Postcard to the Mexico Police department although they have drafted Disney in as advisors

I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own.

I have been very busy this week so I’ve not been able to update my blog. However found a few interesting articles. The first been the new picture of the A team. I have to admit I am slightly apprehensive about the film as the TV series in my opinion should never be touched. Just so they don’t destroy my fond memories of those Saturday evenings watching the A team and Robin of Sherwood. But hey it looks like it’s shaping up to a similar vision although I am not sure if it was such a good idea to try and make Liam Neeson’s look so much like George Peppard. However we all know the proof will be in the pudding. Fingers crossed it’s not another Miami Vice.

The second bit of news is that the Coen’s are remaking True Grit and that Jeff Bridges (Playing John Wayne’s Rooster), Matt Damon (As Roosters Side kick La Beouf) and Joss Brolin (As the bad guy Tom) are all set to star. Even Spielberg is sticking some cash in.

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=26136

Following on from the Coen’s and including there next film serious man is this article highlighting the death of real drama in cinema and that the industry like to make films that fit in to a nice demographic box. I’ll not go in to detail as I won’t be able to do the article justice, but please read it here - http://www.filmcrusade.com/tough-sell/

For the Sadists is a link to the new Saw films promo site where u can load up pictures of your friends in to a Saw like trap then decide which one gets to survive. 

http://www.saw6deathcarousel.com/

When you’re doing this please ask yourself – do u need therapy?

And now after a bit of sadism you can relax with a bit of humour. Yes the following link is pictures of what Stormtrooper’s do on there days off. Pure genius and I wish I had time to waste to do this kind of thing http://www.virginmedia.com/movies/movieextras/top10s/stormtroopers-day-off.php?ssid=1

That is all !

Family Guy - Something Something Darkside

Out on

28th December

Next contestant, Mrs. Sybil Fawlty from Torquay. Specialist subject - the bleeding obvious. - Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers

As a Cineworld card holder I pay £13 quid a month and basically get to go to any film, any showing as many times as id like for no extra charge. But not any more ……

Apparently now they have revitalised the 50’s one trick pony (Not Christiano “Sausage boy” Ronaldo) they have deemed that these showcases will cost an additional fee of £1.50. Why? Is it cause of the special 3D glasses? No it’s apparently because it costs them more to show.

Even if I keep my 3D glasses and re-use them I cannot wave this additional tax. Which brings me on to Piracy (Not of the high seas kind) but film downloads. With the sheer number of releases at the cinema and the number of screens everyone is limited to picking a few films a month to watch. Unlike in the earlier days where you would either have less choice as the cinema had only 2 screens or that u got 2 films for the price of one ticket.

Now through multitude of choice and subsequent high cinema ticket and DVD prices many people have chosen to download illegally. There have been many debates – the film industry want ISP providers to monitor internet usage and stop people downloading, personal prosecutions for copyright law and so on.

Well this is my view on the subject

1) Most 3D films are aimed at Children which means for the average family its nearly £30 of entrance fees before you even get to the popcorn stand. Make it cheaper!

2) Stop paying Multimillion pounds to really bad actors – fair enough give them a bonus for winning an Oscar but can any one really say Sienna Miller earned her money for GI Joe or that Nicole Kidman has made a decent film in the last decade.

3) Make less films but of higher quality Hollywood. Lets face it 75% of scripts that get made could have been written in crayon

4) Realise that it’s not ISP providers who should police the Piracy but the film industry. Instead of trying to put your finger in a damn – build a new damn. Re invent the Hollywood platform that is still stuck in the same model that Charlie Chaplin encountered when he stepped off the boat pre Great War

5) Give the right for Cinema viewers to demand a refund if the film was rubbish. Cause there nothing worse than paying money in to see a film and getting to the end only to realise it was pants. (Never ever allow Clive Owen to be a leading Man as this will reduce refunds)

6) We have warning for violence what about warning of artistic ambiguous endings? Nothing is worse than the credits role and you hear a murmur of WTF???

However a knight in shining armour from the film industry has emerged today to say exactly everyone not in the film industry has been saying for year – make it Cheaper!!

Yes Danny Boyle of 28 weeks later and Trainspotting has stated the obvious and told the industry make it cheaper so people can go often.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/oct/16/film-piracy-danny-boyle

Lets Hope this is the shot that starts the revolution

Viva La revolution !!

You will find, young man, that the future looks rosiest through the bottom of a glass – Athos, Three Musketeers (1973)

Saw this today; it’s a link to one of the people in my Hall Of Fame - Oliver Reed

http://www.dangerousminds.net/index.php/site/comments/in_praise_of_oliver_reed/

I recommend you read his biography Evil Spirits detailing his career and problems with the bottle. It’s a shame people remember him more for his drinking than his acting.

However I suppose they do make better anecdotes such as smashing up a restaurant and then giving a large cheque for the damages next day, building a pub on an island in his lake so he could row over to it and removing all the doors in his house as he kept walking in to them.

But we should remember the controversy in his career with daring roles such as The Devils and of course Castaway. A head of there time and rarely shown on TV (Compared to the Musketeer trilogy) these were not easy roles for a man who could have been a main stream actor. Then there was his iconic role as Bill Sykes in Oliver!

Oliver Reeds acting career started in 1958 and worked until his death in Cyprus in 2000 (allegedly in a drinking competition) while filming Gladiator. I’d like to think after such a performance as Proximo his career would have reignited to his glory days in the 60’s and seventies rather than the drunken image on The Word he seems to be more famous for. But we’ll never know.

Further detailed biography can be found at the following links

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001657/bio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Reed

http://www.oliverreed.net/

All Hail Oliver Reed !!!

No, Jesus God Man that's just what they want us to do. Trap us in a steel box - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Found this article on indie wire regarding the demographics of movie goers and the future vision for 2010. I don’t like the way they have pigeon holed everyone esp. seen as my age band all have DVD recorders. Bugger bet get down to curry’s and get one.

http://www.indiewire.com/article/gordon_paddison_moviegoers_2010/

Put the good news is that "Peer group feedback trumps critics". That’s a relief; I thought it was only me that despises snooty film reviews. I can remember when Alien Vs Predator came out and a critic actually complained it lacked plot depth. Really? Isn’t the entire plot in the title?

My hopes for 2010 will be less 3D gimmicks and less franchise/remakes. One good thing is that there won’t be a Transformers film pheww. Although rumours are abound that a new Indiana Jones film be in the works for future release.

However (I know this is going to sound a bit hypocritical) I am looking forward to the new Iron man movie. Yes the first one was cheesy but I am impressed how Robert Downey Jnr has turned his career around (well apart from Tropic Thunder). If you've not seen it I recommend Kiss Kiss Bang Bang for a light easy Friday night film. I was quiet impressed.

Speaking of impressed, I’m currently watching the Second season of Damages on DVD. It’s a good bit of TV. I can’t understand why the BBC slapped it on so late. It seems the thing for terrestrial TV to but US TV on late these days. Sopranos finished at 12.45am every Wednesday and the same applied for Generation Kill.

Its no wonder my age bracket all have DVD recorders - we have to get up for work and can’t get some decent TV unless we record it. Because lets face it I'm a celebrity xfactor jungle Love Island doesn’t float my boat

The Rolling Stones say "You cant always get what you want" - They obviously went to Starbucks

The thing that bemuses me about Starbucks Coffee Shop Empire is the failure of staff to comprehend what a normal coffee is. Or maybe it’s the fact I don’t understand half the stuff on the board. So i appraoched at Leeds Train Station. What can I get you? The Woman behind the counter asked. Just a coffee, milk two sugars please. Cappuccino?

Errr No a normal coffee? I replied

Oh an Americano with milk?  ahh further questions. To clarify this is that just coffee? i asked. Yes what size? (On the home run) Can i have a Large?. Thats a Venty? (Fell at the final plate) Is that large? Yes (I wonder if this is what happens in an interrogation). Needless to say I got a medium cappuccino. What’s bizarre is that if I asked for a triple de-caff latte with skinny milk and a twist of badger I think I would have got what I wanted. What happened to just coffee?


The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who dont know what the hell theyre doing or who on earth they are, can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall! Decaf! Cappuccino!" - Joe Fox to Kathleen Kelly in email - You've Got Mail (1998)

People say do you want to go for a coffee? Not do you fancy going out for a chat and a triple de-caff latte with skinny milk and a twist of badger. So why is it called an Americano? Now surly the Americans aren’t the only people to drink black coffee so why do they get a name. If black coffee is an Americano them what is an Americano with milk?

Caffè Americano, Café Américano or simply Americano (the name is also spelled with varying capitalization and use of diacritics: e.g. café Americano, cafe americano, etc.) is a style of coffee prepared by adding hot water to espresso, giving a similar strength but different flavor from regular drip coffee. The strength of an Americano varies with the number of shots of espresso and the amount of water added. - Wikipedia

Im not going to ponder on the sizes of coffees as this was a running Joke in the poor comedy I Love You Man starring “When you cant get Vince Vaughn or Ben Stiller” Paul Rudd.

No mayo? This is bullshit! - Leonidas on eating a subway sandwich in Meet the Spartans (2008)

In Subway, I never get what I want i.e. a Ham Sandwich. I never know what costs more (Which Bread? Do they cost the same? Is one better hot? Do I really want it toasted if it’s got salad on it and why is cheese an extra option surly that’s a cheese and ham sandwich?).  Mind you, I went to a Subway when I was in Florida and my mate asked for a BLT, The bloke behind the counter didn’t know what it was despite the sign behind him saying BLT at the price. Maybe if I’d asked for a foot long sub on rye with meatballs salad but hold the lettuce and onions grilled with cheese, he might have understood a bit more. Mind you at the look of him he’d probably been brought up on Road kill.

The Un-Magnificent Muppets in there Martyr Machines.

Cyclists! What a bunch of Tw*Ts.

Now I’m not annoyed at them from the angry man in a car point of view as I don’t drive. To be fair I’m a pedestrian which galls me even more to have sum tit in lycra pants ring his bell shouting at me to get off the cycle path. Here’s a suggestion get on the road with the other traffic, get sum insurance and pay road tax you sanctimonious tree hugging git.

Oh and another thing – You weren’t wearing a helmet dip s**t so don’t quote bylaws at me!

Oh you don’t like roads cause of your fear of buses and trucks been unable to see you. Well guess what f*ck nuts (This is aimed especially at the cyclist this morning who called me a pr*ck) I can’t see cyclists billowing down the inside of a traffic jam cause there’s a bus there blocking my view. Maybe if u waited in the cue with all the other things on wheel or not cycling at a speed akin to the Tour De Snooze I wouldn’t have nearly been run over.

Rant Over :)

The Greatest Film never made in to a Console Game

With the vast amount of WW2 shooters out these days from the 1st Wolfenstien and Medal of Honour to the current Call of Duty : World at War it amazes me that no one has ever thought of making Where Eagles Dare into a full 3D shoot’em up.

For those not in the know Where Eagles dare is a daring-do boys own adventure about an English Officer (Richard Burton) and an American Ranger (Clint Eastwood) parachuted in to Axis occupied Europe to infiltrate a castle on a mountain top with a splash of back stabbing and a Gestapo officer with ridiculously blonde hair that is border line fluorescent.

****Warning Spoilers****

It’s got everything – stealth in the village and infiltrating the mountain, booby traps, guns going off left right n centre while fighting there way out the castle, fisty cuffs on the top of a cable car and a break neck race to the airfield in a bus under fire. Even a satisfying bit of getting the traitor to through himself out of the plane at the end,

Now there’s about 6 different games in there already – slap a multiplayer on there and you’re laughing all the way to the bank.

If you don’t like that idea perhaps some one can make Kelly’s Heroes although it’s a very slim hope. Ah wellaAs Oddball says “Have a little faith Crapgame …. Have a little faith”

Mind you he also said “Woof Woof that’s my other dog impression”

Films that never made it to screen

A nice link to Films that got the axe before they were even close to been made. Kubrick's Napoleon has to be a great loss to the industry esp asfter the amount of research  http://entertainment.uk.msn.com/movies/galleries/gallery.aspx?cp-documentid=13969863&imageindex=1

The American Movie Dream – Repackaged and Resold

I’ve always loved the cinema since I was little. I have fond memories of watching a double bill of Empire strikes back and return of the Jedi as a child. The excitement of getting the Radio Times to see what the Christmas Movie was on ITV or BBC and the wait for the next Spielberg movie to come to the screen. Even in my teenage years and twenties reading all I could about what was going to be my celluloid fix. I immersed myself in the news and wonder of film and still do.

Yesterday saw the announcement that Halloween 3-D is now delayed so the director can finish a further project and today saw the statement of further cast signing up to the US remake of the brilliant Norwegian film Let the Right one in (Bizarrely its going to be named Let Me In??)

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=25966

It seems to me a day doesn’t go by in the movie industry when a remake (well re-imaging as it’s preferred as they prefer to call it), Sequel or franchise is declared as the next big thing. After a summer of absolute cinema toss has just passed us I have been reflecting on what has gone wrong in Hollywood.

The films tasting the Hollywood Glitz this summer has failed to excite me. I can truly say that the only movies that I have enjoyed are District 9, the Hangover and the one day release of the scrubbed up “High Def” version of the Thing. Check them out on IMDB.com as I’m not here to review each film in turn.

All 3 films had originality and a kept the importance of story over FX. Watching each of these restores my faith in why I love the cinema.

However the flip sidesequels and franchises like Transformers 2. I have to say I have not seen this amount of dross since Pearl Harbour or more recently Australia. I went to see Transformers 2 when I was ill as i didn’t mind the first one. However I imagine the crayon snapped at the final draft of the first one and when it came to writing the second the script writers drool was the only available ink.

Often I walkout of movies as the credits go up thinking “Well that was ok-ish” and yes I even did that for The Dark Night. I think its because although many people rave about blockbuster I somehow know I’ve seen it all before.

Dead ringers do a fantastic sketch were all the characters from Lord of the rings, Star Wars and Harry potter all get confused as the story lines are far too similar and this is how I see main stream movies these days.

Don’t get me wrong I won’t rave about bizarre Art House films or experimental cinema. I like a movie with a story and a comprehensible ending. What I don’t like is to be treated like a money paying zombie that will be impressed by bright lights and big bangs.

I have one saviour though and that is European cinema. I implore anyone who will not watch a film because of subtitles to get over it as they are missing out on some of the finest movies ever made. This brings me to the other film (Well films as it was in 2 parts) I loved this summer – Mesrine

It’s a true epic set over 4 hours and 2 films detailing all you could need to know about France’s Public Enemy number 1 in the seventies. Compare this with Public Enemies with Depp and Bale in and there is only one winner

Le cinéma à jamais français