Amazing Animals~Salty

The animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours they move finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time.
Henry Beston

Omar E. Rivera (who is blind) and his yellow Labrador retriever, Salty, escaped unharmed from the Sept. 11, 2001 disaster with many of his co-workers from the 71st floor office. With one hand on Salty's harness and another on a friend's arm, Mr. Rivera descended into unknown world filled with smoke and sickening smell of jet fuel. “Salty refused to leave my side even when another co-worker tried to take it's leash”, Mr. Rivera said. 

Click to read our previous Amazing Animals Post

Koko

Alex

Movie News

 Feature: Great Movie Quotes~Just a Fun Video

Most Anticipated Book to Film Adaptations

Wuthering Heights

Great Expectations
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Anna Karenina

Life of Pi

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Les Miserables (135 Days Left)

The Great Gatsby

The Host (2013)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2013)    
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Romeo and Juliet (I think 2013)

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And Rumor has it a remake of The Scarlet Pimpernel  (2013)
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Anthony Russo Finally Talks 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'

Though the excitement for Captain America: The Winter Soldier is high (the title alone gets comic book fans all tingly), there's certainly been some skepticism amongst fans about hiring sibling TV directing duo Anthony and Joe Russo (best known for their work on "Community") taking the reins from Captain America: The First Avenger helmer Joe Johnston. Thankfully, an intrepid reporter caught up with Anthony at the Television Critics Association panel and, at great length, talked about how he and his brother landed the job, what they intend to bring to the film (without giving anything away), and much more. Read on!

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Cameron Confirms 'Avatar' Sequel is Not Ready Until at Least 2015

Though we know James Cameron has immersed himself in work on the follow-up to Avatar in 2009, the sequels (there might even be three of them when all is said and done) aren't so easy to get off the ground, despite the knowledge gained from making the first one. Producer Jon Landau was very aware of this fact back in April when he said it would be difficult to meet Fox's projected 2014 release date for the first sequel, and now James Cameron has finally spoken out on that very fact confirming to theNew York Times that Avatar 2 will not be ready until 2015 at the earliest, and that's not even a guaranteed promise now.

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Sunday Social (8)

1. What is your dream job?

I would love to be a Music Supervisor for a Film Company

A Music Supervisor position is difficult to generalize and highly versatile, depending upon the industry and project the role is involved in. Typically, a music supervisor handles the process of choosing, negotiating, and incorporating pieces of music into visual media (such as a television show or movie), acting as a liaison between the creative and business ends of this process. This position is most active within media based industries, including live events, television, film, advertising, theatre, and video gaming. Music supervisors may work within production companies, film studios, networks, music supervision companies, or do freelance work.

Or Choice B would be a pit orchestra. I would love to be a musician for live theatre.

2. If you had just won the lottery and didn't need to work for money, what would you do with your time?

I honestly would probably still want to work to keep myself busy. If I had the money though I would travel like crazy, go to plays and musicals, read a ton, learn a language, start up music lessons again, and maybe cook.

3. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

That’s a tough question. I went through a couple different phases. My family and I all performed growing up. Once I got over my stage fright I thought it would be fun to be a singer. I also thought about being a nurse.

I was always the nerdy one in school who helped the other kids in my class , so the third thing I  thought about was teaching school or teaching music. 

4. What piece career advice would you give to someone just starting out in your field?

I have a Bachelors Degree in Speech Pathology and I am working on another degree in Elementary Education so I can teach school. My advice would be to get as much experience as you possibly can while you are still in school. Go Volunteer, Shadow, find an interniship. It’ll look great on your resume when you graduate and look for a job.

5. What are your biggest pet peeves in life, blogging, or at work?

~People I help at work or that I see out shopping who won’t get off their cell phones.

~Those at the grocery store that don’t use the designated cart returns and then end up blocking parking spots.

~Improper use of Grammar.

~ I also have a hard time with people who criticize constantly and who are generally unhappy who don’t have ever have anything nice to say.

6. What are your biggest fears?

~Spiders, Snakes, Bugs in General

~Heights (sort of)-I am not scared of being up high. I could go hiking in the Grand Canyon and be fine.  I am scared of voluntarily throwing myself off of high places. I don’t think I could ever go skydiving or bungee jumping.

~Injury or Bodily Harm

~Losing Someone in my Family

~Failure

Have a fabulous Sunday!

ARRIVAL

ABBA are Swedens biggest music export ever with over 370 millions record sold. ABBA is the greatest popgroup of all time, only compared with Elvis and The Beatles. Arrival From Sweden is a tribute band, and has became one of the world's most popular and most selling ABBA show band. Since the start in 1995, the band has toured over 35 nations and appeared in several  TV - and radio shows all over the world. If you want to know more about the history ofABBa check out this post from the blog For the Luv of Music. 

 Arrival has come to Utah and we got to see them tonight at the Sandy Ampitheatre, and it truly was a great show. They look and sound just like the original.  If you didn’t know any better you’d swear you were back in 70s at an actual ABBA concert.  

Dad and Jordan and Me

They did all of the classics (pretty much everything off of the Gold Album) and some songs that aren’t so well known (Angel Eyes, Honey Honey, When I kissed the Teacher, Kisses of Fire, and I Do I Do I Do). We had a such a blast and I highly recommend going to an Arrival show. 

 This first video is Mama Mia. I apologize for the horrible camera work. I was trying to show what a party it was with everyone dancing. I also didn’t realize the sound cut out everytime I zoomed in or out. 

The Winner Takes it All

Thank You For the Music

Rodney Atkins

Pioneer Day I was able to go to a Rodney Atkins Concert at the Scera Outdoor Theatre.  It was a fun way to spend a summer night and I even got a 50 % discount on tickets!

Holly and I waiting for the show to start.

I tried to take some pictures of the stage. but they didn’t turn out quite as good as I was hoping.

Here are few of Rodney's songs that I like. . Enjoy!

Watching You

Take a Back Road

Cleaning This Gun (Come on in Boy)

Farmers Daughter

Amazing Animals~Meet Alex

                                   

Alex (1976 – September 6, 2007) was an African Grey Parrot and the subject of a thirty-year (1977–2007) experiment by animal psychologist Irene Pepperberg, initially at the University of Arizona and later at Harvard University and Brandeis University. Pepperberg bought Alex in a regular pet shop when he was about one year old. The name Alex is an acronym for Avian Language EXperiment, but Pepperberg later cited the name as meaningAvian Learning EXperiment to evoke further acceptance in her research field, a then touchy topic (explained in her book, Alex & Me). His successor was Griffin.

Before Pepperberg's work with Alex, it was widely believed in the scientific community that a large primate brain was needed to handle complex problems related to language and understanding and that birds were not considered to be intelligent as their only common use of communication was of mimicking and the repetition of sounds to interact with each other. However, Alex's accomplishments indicated that birds may be able to reason on a basic level and use words creatively. Pepperberg wrote that Alex's intelligence was on a par with that of dolphins and great apes. She also reported that Alex had the intelligence of a five-year-old human and had not even reached his full potential by the time he died. She said that the bird had the emotional level of a human two-year-old at the time of his death. 

Alex died on September 6, 2007, at the age of 31. Alex's death came as a complete surprise; the average life span for African grey parrots is sixty years. He had appeared healthy the day before but was found dead in the morning. Alex's last words to Pepperberg were: "You be good. See you tomorrow. I love you.

Click Here to read about Koko the Gorilla

Movie News

Feature : Stars who turned down Iconic Roles

What Really Happened to Batman at the end of The Dark Knight Rises     

I'm betting I'm not the only one who walked out ofThe Dark Knight Rises with a question on my mind.

Before we go any further-- and it should be obvious from the headline-- SPOILERS FOR THE DARK KNIGHT RISES FOLLOW. Get outta here if you haven't seen it. Skip to the News Section

OK, so we're all alone here? Good.

When I first saw that mushroom cloud go up over the harbor outside Gotham, I couldn't believe it. He'd done it, he'd really done it. Christopher Nolan hadn't just killed Batman, he'd nuked him, with no doubt that both Bruce Wayne and Batman were gone, leaving Alfred to grieve and Wayne Enterprises to figure out how to move forward without him. That certainty didn't last too long, of course-- Lucius talks to some Wayne Enterprises techs who admit that Bruce fixed the autopilot function before he took off with the bomb, meaning the Bat could easily have been unmanned. And then Alfred finds himself in Italy*, just as he'd dreamed, and sees Bruce having lunch happily with Selina Kyle, both of them having escaped their former identities and living freely.

It was a surprisingly happy ending for such a dark series. But I don't think you have to take it that way. As the Bat flies away from Gotham we clearly see Batman sitting in the driver's seat, with 5 seconds left to go on the bomb's clock before it sets off. If he in fact managed to get out of there so fast, how did he escape the bomb radius? And how on earth could he swim back? And while I know Nolan is allowed creative license and a serene spot for dear old Alfred to visit, doesn't it seem bizarrely coincidental that he'd see Bruce and Selina in the one place he'd imagined-- as the very smart Dave Lozo pointed out, is there just one cafe in Paris?

I'm not saying the ending presented to us cannot be true. I'm just saying it's not as simple as it might seem, and I don't think I'm the only one who walked out of the theater saying "Wait, is Bruce Wayne actually dead?" before being mocked by friends who took what Alfred saw at face value. Remember how much the spinning top in Inception drove us crazy for months? I'm confident Nolan was at least going for some dose of that confusion-- something to keep you talking and arguing as you leave the theater. 

So is anyone out there with me? Do you at least think the ending is intended to be a little vague? Vote in the poll below and let me know if I have anyone in my corner-- and keep coming back in the next few days as we continue our editorial coverage of The Dark Knight Rises while also dealing with the film's association with a real-life tragedy. 

LATEST NEWS

Steven Spielberg's 'Lincoln' Lands an Early November Release Date

Briefly: Disney, who is distributing this DreamWorks production, has set Steven Spielberg's new Lincolnhistorical drama for release this fall. Lincoln will first get an "exclusive release", I suppose meaning limited, starting November 9th (same day as Skyfall), before expanding wide on November 16th. Another quick platform release just like Spielberg's War Horse last year. Lincoln is the epic new historical biopic from Spielberg, with a screenplay by Tony Kushner, about the sixteenth President of the United States guiding the North to victory during the Civil War. Daniel Day-Lewis stars, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sally Field, Jackie Earle Haley, Tommy Lee Jones, Lee Pace and David Strathairn. We'll keep any eye out for the trailer.

Branagh Chats About His Villain & Directing 'Fast-Paced' Jack Ryan

We just found out a few days ago that actor/filmmaker/Shakespearean Kenneth Branagh was not only directing Paramount's new still-untitled Jack Ryan movie, but would also be starring as the "villain" - a financial "wiz" who helps the Russian government destroy the U.S. economy. Despite that rather boring (meaning: not-action-heavy) plot, Branagh recently revealed in an interview withCollider that the film would actually be a "very fast-paced, very contemporary, very action-driven thriller." Chris Pine is set to star as Jack Ryan, and apparently they're preparing to start shooting in September for months. Read on!

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Teaser Trailer for  Syder's "Man of Steel" Premieres

Josh Holloway Finds Paranoia Opposite Liam Hemsworth
Paranoia, a corporate thriller based on the book by Joseph Finder, continues to add to its impressive ensemble. Led by The Hunger Games Liam Hemsworth, the story of corporate espionage already features several top line actors including Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford and Richard Dreyfuss as well as Lucas Till, Amber Heard and, now, Josh Holloway.

A Jumanji Reboot Isn't A Bad Idea, Actually
The live-action Jumanji, with the charging animals and the energetic adventure, would be something that would appeal to kids and possibly broader audiences as well, in a way that The Smurfs just can't. And if you look back at the original Jumanji, made back in 1995, the early era CGI effects could use some serious updating

Sunday Social (7)

             

                                                         

       What is your favorite handbag you've ever owned?

I didn’t technically own the purse, but I really loved the Luella Bartley bag my sister let me borrow a few years back. 

What is your dream handbag you lust over?

I love this Valentino Bag~In White and Red

What are the daily essentials in your purse or work bag?

What's in your purse (with pictures)?

My Purse

 My sunglasses, my iPod, keys, thumb drive, and gum. Yes, I still listen to my super old iPod.

 

Wallet and Checkbook

Make Up and Lipgloss and Lotion

Pens and Emergency Tide Stain Remover.

 

Pharmacy

I usually always have a book in my purse: Either a paper book or on my iPad

Party All Day Long

Jordan’s Birthday was on Thursday.  Jordan and I both got off of work early and we  planned out the best birthday celebration ever. We went to see Wicked in Salt Lake. Mom and Dad, Jordan and I, Lindsay, Jake, Olivia, Isabel, Jamie and Faye all came and it was a blast.

I’m really sad we didn’t get a picture of us all together at the theater. Now, a completely thrilling side note about Wicked.

Back in the magical world of movie musicals, two biggies are making news this week: Word is that Stephen Daldry, the Oscar-nominated director of "Billy Elliot," "The Hours," and "The Reader" (and a Tony winner for "An Inspector Calls"), is in talks to direct the movie version of "Wicked," the smash hit that’s been on Broadways since 2004. It will be produced by Marc Platt ("Drive," "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," "Nine" Casting for this one, once they get to it, will be fascinating (and potentially controversial, as I'm guessing the filmmakers won't feel an obligation to cast the Broadway originals); stay tuned.

I’d already talked about casting in an earlier post Here

But I really really really want Lea Michelle to be Elphaba. She has the look and the voice. She’d be amazing.

Glinda is a little harder. After I saw wicked just a day ago, I was reminded of Kristen Bell and how she can actually sing. I think she could do a really good job. This is her singing Let it Snow with friends.

Then we went to dinner at Olive Garden. 

This is Faye and I being silly at dinner

And went to see the Dark Knight Rises at Midnight~Which was great!

It all boils down to expectations and the matching, meeting of same. There will be those who go into The Dark Knight Rises expecting Heath Ledger Part Two, and that’s not this film. There will also be those worn out from the one-two punch of The Avengers and The Amazing Spider-man and feel that Nolan let his creative carte blanche overwhelm everything. Some will hate. Others will overdo the praise. But make no mistake about it - The Dark Knight Rises remains one of 2012’s very best. It symbolizes the sort of rare, refined accomplishment that can only come when a true artist taps into his obvious talents and delivers. Feel very, very sorry for the poor sod who will have to step in a few years from now and reboot this character and his continuing adventures. Nolan has set the bar incredibly high, and it’s hard imagining anyone having the ability to top it. Anyone.