I thought the word for 2016 was CHANGE.
I’m beginning to think it’s really LOSS.
RIP Alan Rickman.
Posted in Celebrities, Death, Entertainment, Humor, Movies, New Years
Tagged Alan Rickman, celebrities, change, death, entertainment, Galaxy Quest, Harry Potter, loss, Movies, RIP, Snape
Ever thought, “I wanna go out with a bang?”
Now you can. Literally.
Ask your family members to have your cremated remains ‘scattered from within a beautiful fireworks display’ by Angels Flight.
The company, based in Castaic, California, places you (or your loved one’s) ashes into a specially designed fireworks shell and shots them skyward during the lights show. You select the color, brilliance and pattern of the fireworks used; Angels Flight transports your remains from the mortuary to the service site and takes care of all licenses, insurance and permits.
You can also choose to hold your final fireworks display over the ocean — from a yacht, no less — on the beach or on a lake…at prices ranging from $4,250 to 5,500. (Still photography or video is extra.)
I gotta admit — the more I think about it, the more I like it. Who wants to shoot for the heavens?
Posted in Death, Humor, Life, Technology
Tagged Angels Flight, beach, Castaic California, cremation, death, fireworks, fireworks shell, go out with a bang, heaven, Humor, insurance, lake, life, mortuary, ocean, permits, photography, scattering ashes, seen the light, skyward, technology, video
For just one day…
…wouldn’t it be nice?
Posted in Advertising, Commentary, Death, Environment, Health, Life, Love, Philosophy
Tagged advertising, commentary, family, friends, Health, home, life, love, May 31 World No Tobacco Day, philosophy, Relationships, save lives, tobacco, tobacco control, tobacco epidemic, tobacco use, World Health Organization, world no tobacco day
Survived the rapture, did you?
Don’t think of it as ‘being passed over.’ You’re an American — make money from your rejection!
There’s even a common sense guide to help you get started.
Written before the last regularly scheduled rapture, “How to Profit from the Coming Rapture” offers sound — if tongue-in-cheek — financial guidance for those of us left on Earth to fend for ourselves. (If you’re reading this, that means you.)
The writers, while having a bit of fun with the whole notion, apparently quote actual Bible verses and legends to support their economic theories. It all sounds a bit Book of Mormon to me. And since I love that Broadway show, I’m guessing this book will be fun, too!
What, you say? I haven’t read the book yet? Of course not! I had to wait and see if I got called aboard the mothership!
Now…let’s all get RICH!!!
Posted in Astrology, Books, Broadway, Comedy, Commentary, Death, Entertainment, Humor, Life, News, Philosophy
Tagged American, Bible, Bible legends, Bible verses, books, Broadway, comedy, commentary, entertainment, financial advice, how to guide, How to Profit from the Coming Rapture, Humor, life, moneymaking scheme, mothership, philosophy, rapture, rejection, The Book of Mormon musical, tongue in cheek
You know how some days seem to have a recurring theme? Yesterday was like that for me. And the theme was…
OWLS
It began when I was shopping for a good friend who had a baby. Everything that I looked at — receiving blankets, rattles, you name it — had owls on it.
Don’t get me wrong, they’re cute…but they were everywhere. And they were staring at me with their big, googly eyes.
I got t-shirts with devils on them instead. Much less demanding.
Next, I went to the theatre to see Source Code. One of the trailers was for a horror movie called Priest. Wouldn’t you know it — owls were circling overhead during one of the satanic fights!
Thank goodness Paul Bettany is cute, even with a big ol’ cross tattooed on his nose.
I still made it home in time for the season finale of “Mr. Sunshine.” Matthew Perry continued his series-long slam of his own looks…and what animal did he compare himself to in last night’s episode??
Well, who’d have thunk it? He really does.
Posted in Animals, Celebrities, Children, Death, Friends, Humor, Life, Movies, Shopping, transportation, TV
Tagged animals, baby gifts, baby receiving blankets, celebrities, cross tattoo, devils, goggly eyes, Matthew Perry, movie theatre, Movies, Mr. Sunshine tv show, owls, Paul Bettany, Priest movie, rattles, shopping, Source Code movie, tattoo, Television, themes, TV
I saw a movie yesterday in the theater and didn’t have snacks.
Blasphemy, I know.
But 127 Hours didn’t seem like a nachos kinda film. So much has been written about the gross-out factor of Danny Boyle’s latest effort. It may have been nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, but much of the media attention has focused on the audience reaction.
People passing out in their seats. Vomiting in the aisles. Staggering out of the cineplex, mentally scarred for life.
Popcorn didn’t seem prudent.
Nevertheless, I bravely walked into the theater, a super-sized Diet Coke my only comfort, and watched the film. When it was over, I wished I could take off a few arms myself — of the folks who wrote those misleading, alarmist statements!
The bloodshed in 127 Hours is no worse than what you’ve seen in any number of Hollywood action films, and it lasts about 90 seconds. Tarentino fans no doubt will find it lame. It was harder for me to watch James Franco’s face as he made the agonizing decision to cut off his own arm as his only means of survival.
Sure, it’s a bit gutty, but you can always turn away if need be. But that one scene does not set the tone for the entire film.
127 Hours is spiritual and inspiring — the soul searching exploration of a man wrestling between the acceptance of a certain death and his will to survive.
I almost didn’t see 127 Hours because I thought it would make me sick. If someone else misses it for the same reason, I would feel even worse.
Posted in Celebrities, Commentary, Death, Entertainment, Family, Friends, Life, Movies, Philosophy, Walking
Tagged 127 Hour movie audiences passing out, 127 Hours movie, Academy Awards, action film, Best Picture Oscar, bloodshed, celebrities, cineplex, commentary, Danny Boyle, entertainment, family, friends, gory movies, gross out factor, Hollywood, James Franco, life, movie nachos, movie popcorns, movie snacks, Movies, Oscar nominees, Oscars, philosophy, Quentin Tarentino, Relationships
Can I be serious for a moment?
Well, I’m gonna try.
A different celebrity death seems to make the headlines every day — TV and movie stars, sports icons, politicians, you name it. I realize this isn’t a new phenomenon, but the coverage today is so much more saturated. Reports of their demise are on TV and Facebook and Twitter and every single web browser that you open.
You can’t escape death…and now online, people are trying to earn points for it.
Even before the celebrity’s body has grown cold, folks on Facebook are celebrating… ’cause the newly deceased notable is in their Dead Pool! Sometimes their expression of rejoicing is in the same sentence as their expression of sympathy. That’s…efficient.
Now, I usually like sick humor, but I just can’t find the funny in this game. The majority of the celebs listed in these pools are old or seriously ill or both, with a few random youngsters thrown in to wreck the curve.
And folks are betting on when they will die.
Call me old-fashioned, but this reeks of bad karma. I wouldn’t wanna tempt the fates — they might decide to take a swing in my direction.
Sure, these people were famous, but can you imagine the faces of their family when they see their newly departed mom or dad or husband or wife or sibling or child listed on one of these Dead Pools…with a points ranking assigned?
I know it seems like some celebrities ‘sell out’ for fame and fortune. But that doesn’t mean we have to sink even lower when they’re not around to fight back.
Posted in Celebrities, Commentary, Death, Entertainment, Family, Friends, Games, Internet, Life, Movies, Philosophy, Politics, Television, TV
Tagged bad karma, celebrities, commentary, dead celebrities, dead pool, entertainment, Facebook, family, friends, Internet, life, Movies, online pools dead celebrities, politics, Sports, Television, TV, Twitter, web browser
The Sticky Egg 
Twitter etiquette
When Teddy Kennedy died back in August 2009, I was surprised to learn the news via Twitter instead of more traditional news sources.
Today, Twitter breaks most big stories.
Then celebrities from all walks of life began making their statements of sympathy.
On Twitter.
Yet another development many a publicist and PR maven probably didn’t see coming down the information superhighway.
All those carefully worded press releases and statements of sympathy and support that once earned them an extra billable hour or six? Gone. Because now their clients can take to Twitter and, in 140 typo- and emoji-filled characters, sum up their feelings about the dearly departed.
And start a Twitter sh#t storm at the same time.
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Posted in Celebrities, Commentary, Death, Entertainment, Humor, Internet, News
Tagged 60 Minutes, automobile accident, big stories, billable hour, Bob Simon, CBS News, celebrities, client, commentary, dearly departed, death, emoji, entertainment, etiquette, Humor, information superhighway, Internet, New York City, news, news sources, PR maven, press release, publicist, statement, sympathy, Teddy Kennedy, Twitter, Twitter shit storm, typo, Upper West Side, Westside Highway