#The greatest miracle of the 21st century

[thesorcererpoet]

A meditation on the nature of miracles

Hello friends. Lately I have been deeply considering the nature of miracles. As a practicing magician, I have seen and been a part of many things I do consider to be miraculous but I am a rational person with both a creative and analytical mind. I need to know what makes a miracle, what constitutes a miracle, and how a miracle can be performed. I want to understand this in a rational and useful sense.

The first thing that always comes to my attention, as a person living in the 21st century, is the scientific method. How can something be understood? The greatest tool we can leverage for our understanding is Occam's Razor: The simplest explanation is usually the best one.

To give context to what I am about to reveal, I need to first explain what brought this discussion to the forefront of my mind. At the moment I am working on researching The Queen of Cups tarot card to come to an understanding of something I am going through. This card talks about the nature of illusions (although in a very specific way). I am also undergoing some financial hardship, and I have been hoping and praying for something to come through for me to make things better.

Among the many events that have led up to this writing, I also had a dream about being on a tropical island, which turned out to be a real island that I have never even conceived of visiting because I am far from wealthy enough to spend my money like that. I had a dream which followed where a Goddess spoke to me and told me to make offerings to her. I later discovered a large region of this island was named after her. As a result of this dream, I came to believe that it might be possible for me to come into a fortune when I need it most. The rational part of me however, needs to work out the real world method of digging myself out of this hole. Nevertheless, I made the offerings and I bought a lottery ticket just in case.

In lieu of actually being able to perform a miracle, I have gone in search of answers which will help towards solving my problems. The answer pointed to the parable of Jesus turning water into wine.

To understand this we need to look at the source of this idea, however I do not speak Aramaic or Coptic Greek so I cannot review the material at it's source checking for mistranslations, if such a thing is even available but I do have access to the Holy Bible, which is the first English translation of the bible.

So what does the bible say about this miracle? For this we need to look to John, Chapter 2, verses 1-12.

"And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. 12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days."

To begin with, we have a pressing need. Jesus was told there was no wine. He expressed in verse 4, "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come". This looks a lot like him saying, "what am I going to do with you?", and "mine hour is not yet come" as in, this is not the time.

In a pinch, Jesus had the servants bring him water vessels that were for bathing, specifically for spiritual purification. He sent the servants out with water in these spiritual vessels and sent them first to the governor of the feast. Two things here are apparent to me, firstly, the governor is influential, people usually fall in line when they see what their leader is doing; the second thing is that these are spiritual vessels.

Since the governor of the feast didn't know who sent them, it could perhaps be implied that these vessels were a reminder not to overindulge, of a religious nature. The water then being superior to wine, would suggest that they valued spiritual purity over indulgence, especially since most people there had clearly partaken of plenty of wine already. The water may even have come as a relief, as it would help the guests at the wedding feast to sober up and thus not have to tackle the next day with a headache.

In my opinion, the miracle here was that Jesus took a leap of faith. He did hide that it was he who did it, which suggests he feared a harsh rebuke, but equally implies that whoever sent the wine anonymously could have potentially been a spiritual leader who wanted to be spared embarrassment at outright stating what he wanted of the governor and of the guests. A spiritual leader would have been someone that no one would have dared to rebuke. The miracle then was a leap of faith that Jesus would pull this off.

So how does this apply to me?

One of the things I can actually do about my difficulties is to stop indulging. I smoke and I do occasionally (but not problematically) drink. Simply put, I must stop doing these things, I have to give up smoking altogether and I have to try to make cuts to the comforts in my life and take a leap of faith that doing so will help me manage things better.

With this in mind, if you have enjoyed my work and you wish to help me out, any donations made will help me out dramatically at this stage. If you want to help out, please donate to paypal.me/thesorcererpoet

All proceeds will go towards clearing my debts.

A giant thank you to everybody who has spent the time to read.

[blogger360ncislarules]

Talk about a 21st-century miracle. The faith-based series has converted a mass of impassioned viewers to rival any Yellowstone or The Walking Dead fanbase — without marquee stars or aggressive marketing. We’re of course talking about The Chosen, the first multi-season series to depict the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth (played by Jonathan Roumie) and his most fervent followers. The show’s first three seasons have been available for free via theChosen app and the Angel Studios website, as well as on streamers like Netflix and Prime Video, but you can now watch the series’ broadcast debut on The CW as it airs 24 divine weekly episodes from Sunday, July 16, through Christmas Eve.

“Over 100 million people have seen at least one episode,” creator Dallas Jenkins tells us after a busy day shooting a Season 4 episode in Goshen, Utah. (The series also films outside Dallas.) But he’s grateful for the boost of being on network television, noting that it helps the show “cross the chasm into audiences that have heard about it but haven’t known where to watch it.”

Elizabeth Tabish in The Chosen

The tale of how The Chosen came into existence is nearly as compelling as the greatest story ever told. “It was born out of failure,” Jenkins says with a laugh. After a feature film he directed didn’t do well, he dusted off a short film script about Christ’s birth from the perspective of the shepherds. The video went viral and, though Jenkins didn’t love the idea of crowdfunding to make a series, he had nothing to lose. At the end of the video, he gave viewers the opportunity to invest (not donate, he specifies), “and over 16,000 people around the world invested over $10 million for [what became] Season 1.” From there, he adds, “the word of mouth went crazy.”

The Chosen begins in 1st century Galilee with adult Jesus and introduces familiar Bible figures like the compassionate Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish), unsure tax collector Matthew (Paras Patel) and bold fishermen brothers Simon Peter (Shahar Isaac) and Andrew (Noah James), depicting how they become the Son of God’s loyal followers. In the first episode, for example, a distraught Mary Magdelene, using the name Lilith, fights personal demons and contemplates ending her life until she meets Jesus, who somehow knows her real name. “I was one way and now I am completely different,” she calmly tells curious religious leader Nicodemus (Erick Avari) in the second episode (July 23). “And the thing that happened in between was Him.”

In adapting stories like that, Jenkins knew merely retelling Scripture wouldn’t give it the “uniquely timely” perspective he was hoping to achieve so that it “doesn’t feel like a stiff melodrama. It feels like actual humanity.” He found inspiration not in other religious productions, but in long-running contemporary dramas that created an intimacy between characters and viewers over many episodes. (Seven seasons are planned for The Chosen.) “I’m not only a lover of the Bible, but I’m also a lover of television,” Jenkins notes. “I’m watching Succession at the same time that I’m writing the show. I’m watching Friday Night Lights, This Is Us. You look at these shows and you realize the time they take to build these characterizations, that’s their secret sauce. They don’t rush it.”

Filling the pivotal role of Jesus was thankfully not a problem — Roumie had worked with Jenkins before in shorts done for his church. But strapping on the sandals is a big responsibility. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around playing Jesus,” the actor admits. “There’s so much depth and layers and mystery to him.” But Jenkins has faith, noting that “casting Jonathan was the easiest decision in the world.”

[dan6085]

The top 20 sports moments in history, encompassing a range of iconic events, include:

1. The Red Sox, 2004 - A historic moment in baseball.

2. WrestleMania XXVI, 2010 - A significant event in wrestling history.

3. Muhammad Ali, 1996 - Highlighting the legendary boxer's career.

4. Joe Montana to Dwight Clark "The Catch" - A defining football moment.

5. Michael Jordan's "Last Shot" - A pivotal basketball moment.

6. 1980 United States Men's Hockey - The "Miracle on Ice" victory.

7. Chicago Cubs, 2016 - Breaking a 108-year World Series drought.

8. Tiger Woods, 2019 - His remarkable Masters comeback.

9. Jens Voigt, 2011 - Notable for cycling achievements.

10. Kurt Angle, 1996 - A significant wrestling moment.

11. English Premier League, 2012 - Memorable soccer achievements.

12. World Series, 2001 - Featuring historic baseball moments.

13. Top 20 Best Sports Moments In The 21st Century (2000 - 2020) - A modern compilation of sports highlights.

14. Top 20 Best Sports Moments of the 2000s - Capturing memorable sports events from 2000-2009[1][2][3][4].

15. Usain Bolt, 2008 - Setting the world record in the 100m and 200m sprints.

16. Serena Williams, 2017 - Winning the Australian Open while pregnant.

17. Michael Phelps, 2008 - Achieving a record-breaking 8 gold medals at the Beijing Olympics.

18. Jesse Owens, 1936 - Defying Hitler with his four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics.

19. Brandi Chastain, 1999 - Securing the Women's World Cup with a memorable penalty kick.

20. The Rumble in the Jungle, 1974 - Muhammad Ali's victory over George Foreman in Zaire, showcasing his "rope-a-dope" strategy and resilience.

These sports moments have transcended their respective disciplines, leaving a lasting impact on sports history and inspiring generations of athletes and fans alike.

Sources

[1] History's All-Time 20 Greatest Sports Moments (According To Y'all) https://www.cracked.com/article_30377_historys-all-time-20-greatest-sports-moments-according-to-yall.html

[2] The 8 Most Iconic Sports Moments in American History - ONE37pm https://www.one37pm.com/sports/most-iconic-sports-moments

[3] Top 20 Best Sports Moments In The 21st Century (2000 - 2020) - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmLX9b8PEPc

[4] Top 20 Best Sports Moments of the 2000s - Bleacher Report https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2193794-top-20-best-sports-moments-of-the-2000s

[canoncompanions]

UPDATE: New Playlist: Musical Gems

After two years of resisting watching Steven Universe followed by four years of not being able to find the whole thing, I finally watched it in 2020 and that is what solidified my choice to resurrect Canon Companions. Yes, it inspired me that much. This is also the fifth playlist to reach over 100 songs as well as the first time two works of the same medium type have had over 100 songs.

Note: For the next several playlist updates, I will not be including artists that passed a 10 and new duplicates in the note section, but I will compile a complete list of each after getting through them all.

SU Season 1

Smalltown by Chumbawamba [Tubthumper]

The Middle by Jimmy Eat World [Bleed American/Jimmy Eat World]

Seven by Tijuana Sweetheart [Public Display of Infection]

Bad Reputation by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts [Bad Reputation]

Lesson Number One from Mulan 2

Got My Own Thing by Liz Phair [Somebody’s Miracle]

Foil by Weird Al Yankovic [Mandatory Fun]

I Don’t Understand You by They Might Be Giants [Apollo 18]

Bitchin’ Summer by Avril Lavigne [Avril Lavigne]

Walk and Chew Gum by Optigonally Yours [The Powerpuff Girls: Heroes and Villains]

The Simple Things from Hey Arnold [The Best of Nicktoons]

Overjoyed by Matchbox Twenty [North]

Dirty Little Secret by the All-American Rejects [Move Along]

Nobody’s Home by Avril Lavigne [Under My Skin]

Oceans by Evanescence [Evanescence]

Unaffected by Hoobastank [The Reason]

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk [Discovery]

Invader Zim Theme Song from Invader Zim [The Newest Nicktoons]

Harlow’s Song {I Can’t Dream Without You) by Good Charlotte [Cardiology]

Hit the Floor by Linkin Park [Meteora]

Something Else by Good Charlotte [Good Morning Revival]

In My Eyes You’re a Giant by Sonata Arctica [The Days of Grays]

Your Guardian Angel by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus [Don’t You Fake It]

SU Season 2

Perfect by Simple Plan [No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls]

I Don’t Like You from Galavant [Galavant: Season 2]

Oops!... I Did It Again by Britney Spears [Oops… I Did It Again]

Broken Hands by Bright Light Fever [Bright Light Fever Presents the Evening Owl]

For the Sake of Revenge by Sonata Arctica [Unia]

2 Minutes to Midnight by Iron Maiden [Best of the Beast]

Open Your Heart by Crush 40 [True Blue: The Best of Sonic the Hedgehog]

Dreaming by System of a Down [Hypnotize]

Ruby by Kaiser Chiefs [Yours Truly, Angry Mob]

Tyranny of Normality by Papa Roach [Getting Away with Murder]

Do It Again by the Chemical Brothers [We Are the Night]

SU Season 3

On the Run by 3 Doors Down [The Better Life]

Shame on Me by Ryan Cabrera [Take It All Away]

Perfectly Perfect by Simple Plan [Taking One for the Team]

Smoothie King by Bowling for Soup [A Hangover You Don’t Deserve]

I Push Her Buttons by Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives [Second and Eighteen]

Happy (Without Me) by Resident Hero [Look]

Stronger by Britney Spears [Oops… I Did it Again]

Know Who You Are from Moana

She’s So Mean by Matchbox Twenty [North]

Wisk by Bowling for Soup [Rock On Honorable Ones]

Had Enough of You by Breaking Point [Beautiful Disorder]

A Reunion by Gentle Giant [In a Glass House]

Always Creating by Shoeless Revolution [From the Inside Out]

Architects by Rise Against [Endgame]

Road to Bloodshed by Sanctity [Road to Bloodshed]

Do What You Have to Do by Sarah McLachlan [Surfacing]

Without a Fight by Hoobastank [Every Man for Himself]

Never Walk Away by Breaking Point [Beautiful Disorder]

Holy Mountains by System of a Down [Hypnotize]

Hero Takes a Fall by the Bangles [The Bangles Greatest Hits]

Peacemaker by Green Day [21st Century Breakdown]

Take It by Staind [Break the Cycle]

SU Season 4

Hero of War by Rise Against [Appeal to Reason]

Lacrymosa by Evanescence [The Open Door]

Lost in Space by PressureHead [Sci-Fi Café]

The Land of Do What You’re Told by Chumbawamba [A Singsong and a Scrap]

Shiny Happy People by R.E.M. [Out of Time]

Stranded by Julien-K [Death to Analog]

Don’t Cry Out by Shiny Toy Guns [We Are Pilots]

Torn by Natalie Imbruglia [Left of the Middle]

Outsmarted by the Hives [Veni Vidi Vicious]

I Will Deny by Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives [Second and Eighteen]

Strange by R.E.M. [Document]

When It Rains by Paramore [Riot!]

SU Season 5

Worthless from the Brave Little Toaster

Broken by Bad Religion [The Process of Belief]

Bring Me to Life by Evanescence [Fallen]

Just a Taste by Scary Kids, Scaring Kids [The City Sleeps in Flames]

Hello Heartache by Avril Lavigne [Avril Lavigne]

I’m Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band) by the Moody Blues [Seventh Sojourn]

Everything Had Changed by Barenaked Ladies […Are Me]

Never Go Back by Evanescence [Evanescence]

Secrets by Mission of Burma [vs.]

Let Me Go by 3 Doors Down [Seventeen Days]

Lucky by Britney Spears [Oops!... I Did It Again]

Inside by Vertical Horizon [Go]

Marry You by Bruno Mars [Doo-Wops and Hooligans]

Final Wars by Buckethead [The Elephant Man’s Alarm Clock]

The Damage in Your Heart by Weezer [Make Believe]

Home by Daughtry [Daughtry]

Welcome to the Machine by Pink Floyd [Wish You Were Here]

Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-IX) [Wish You Were Here]

Now or Never by Stagehands [The Silent City]

The Time Has Come by Roger McGuinn [Back from Rio]

SU The Movie

A Real Life, Happily Ever After from Galavant [Galavant: Season 2]

Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye [Making Mirrors]

Amnesia by Chumbawamba [Tubthumper]

The First Cut Is the Deepest by Sheryl Crow [The Very Best of Sheryl Crow]

SU Future

Whenever You Need Somebody by Rick Astley [Greatest Hits]

Farewell to Arms by Five Iron Frenzy [The End Is Near Here]

Never Leave by Seether [Karma and Effect]

Life Changes by Good Charlotte [Youth Authority]

You’re the One by Hoobastank [For(n)ever]

Scars by Papa Roach [Getting Away with Murder]

Problem Child by Simple Plan [Taking One for the Team]

A Killer Inside by Bleed the Dream [Killer Inside]

Reprehensible by They Might Be Giants [Long Tall Weekend]

Do or Die by Papa Roach [Getting Away with Murder]

We Are Broken by Paramore [Riot!]

Al’s War by Less than Jake [Hello Rockview]

New artists: Mulan [in-universe], Optigonally Yours, Hey Arnold, Daft Punk, Invader Zim, Galavant, Bright Light Fever, Kaiser Chiefs, Chemical Brothers, Sanctity, PressureHead, Brave Little Toaster, Bruno Mars, Buckethead, Pink Floyd, Gotye, Rick Astley

Formerly unique artists: Tijuana Sweetheart, Ryan Cabrera, Resident Hero, Moana, Shoeless Revolution, Bangles, Natalie Imbruglia, Mission of Burma

Welcome to the Club!

[acourseinmiracles82]

For Miracles to Occur

During his personal ministry upon the earth, the Lord Jesus Christ, also known as the Word and the Savior of mankind, performed numerous miracles in the presence of many people to confirm his power as the Son of God. He continually referred to the scriptures that he had given to Old Testament prophets to write when he was the Spiritual Jehovah, and presided in Spirit-form over Adam, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Moses, and the Hebrews, his chosen people. As the Apostle John wrote, in John 1:1-14 (NIV), "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." As Jesus repeatedly reminded his apostles of the divine promises he had made to his children from the very beginning of creation, we should also, today, remind ourselves and others of those same divine promises, and the miracles that they hold. And it would seem that the promises he repeated over and over, from the advent of Adam, would be the ones upon which we should focus and give the greatest regard. God almighty has told us, his mortal children, over 800 times in the Holy Bible, to be happy, to rejoice, and be grateful unto the Lord for the blessings that he has bestowed upon us. He has also instructed us over 1,000 times, from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation, to obey his commandments without regard for the consequences imposed by other human beings who oppose us in doing so. Accompanying these prophetic admonitions and exhortations are his comforting words repeated in scripture over 365 times verbatim, and in context, not to fear when we do his will; that he will stand by our side to support and sustain us during all of our conflicts. It's good to remember the 23rd Psalm, where David, the chosen of God, sang, "… Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for though art with me… " When David had total faith in the power of the Lord God, and followed his divine instructions completely, he feared no evil, for the Lord was with him. But David fell from his close contact and dependence upon God through disobedience and loss of faith, and thereby lost his strength; as Sampson lost his strength when he disobeyed the commandments God had given him, and when he allowed himself to be beguiled and shorn by Delilah.

The promises that Jesus has made to Christians in the 21st Century are the very same promises that he made to Abraham, Moses, and David. Miracles, in this day and age, are the direct result of taking the Lord's promises seriously, trusting in his power to keep his promises, and doing the Lord's will; that is a combination of faith and obedience. Does Jesus speak to his disciples today? Of course he does, and the main thing to remember is that he can speak to us, or intervene in our lives, in any manner in which he sees fit to do it. He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change, nor has he ever changed the doctrines and commandments he has given to his children. But he is unbound, and has no limitations. As an example, Jesus can intervene directly in our lives, as he did in the life of Saul of Tarsus, while he was on his way to Damascus, resulting in a veritable miracle, the making of the Apostle Paul, the great lion of God. Or Jesus can come to use in dreams or visions, as he did with the Apostle Peter when he was told, in no uncertain terms, that Cornelius, the gentile Roman, was to become a Christian. Hence, God has all power in heaven and on earth to make his will come to pass. The Bible says that there is one God, and that the devils know it; and because they know the reality of God, they fear him, and they tremble.

So, Jesus has commanded us to be happy and to rejoice. Why? To put it simply, he has all power to make us happy. And how do we stay happy? Simply put, by having faith in Jesus' power to deliver us from all evil and to perform miracles in over lives, and by doing his will. Yet, according to Shakespeare the bard, that is the persistent rub. While many Christians don't see the important connection between faith, works, and miracles, I believe that the Apostle James was saying something very vital to Christians when he wrote, "faith without works is dead." You see, James had clearly seen his fellow Apostle, Peter, walk on water, until Peter started fearing the waves of the stormy Sea of Galilee much more than he trusted, and had faith in, the power of Jesus to keep him walking. And James clearly remembered the Lord's admonishing words to Peter, "Oh, ye of little faith." As the turning of water into wine, by Jesus, at the marriage at Cana was a miracle, the Lord's first of many, so was Peter's brief, but sure, walk on water. It was a short-lived miracle during the time Peter had sufficient faith in the Lord. Simply put, Peter lost his faith, and sank in the water because of fear. So Peter's successful work of walking on water died when Peter's faith died. Yet, after Jesus ascended into heaven, Peter's walk with the Lord became steadfast, and the miracles that came into his life were abundant because Peter had become converted to the fact that with God all things are possible if his followers have faith and don't fear. More here a course in miracles

Many Christians, and many more unbelievers in Christ, continually wonder why they fail in accomplishing important things in their lives if there is a real God who wants all of his children to always to be happy. Some of these Christians meet with fellow Christians, every Sunday, and during that time act and talk as though they have all faith in Jesus; but when they go home and begin another busy week on Monday, their actions and behaviors don't show that they have the same enduring faith that they had professed on Sunday. Surely, only God knows the content of a person's heart and mind, but true inner faith is shown and demonstrated by a person's outward devotion to God, just as devotion to God is predicated on inner faith. As such, when bad things happen to good people, such as the lingering, painful death of a small child, or a major business failure, or the inability of a married couple to have a baby when they want one so badly, is it God's will that these unfortunate, and very sad, things happen? Or is it because of a lack of faith in God's power on the part of the believer? We are told not to judge others in such situations, but to love them, and pray that their faith in Jesus will increase. For we are promised, in no uncertain terms, that if we have the pure faith of a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Now, of course, the unbelievers will rebut this promise of God by asking, "Where was the last mountain that was moved? Surely, the answer to this sarcastic question lies completely in an understanding of God's holy will. Perhaps there has been no human purpose, or need, for the removal of a mountain; but, however, most faithless people never attribute the removal or creation of a mountain during an earthquake to the will and purpose of God. Those things for which we wish or, rather, our priorities in life, determine how we use our time and energy. Jesus knows what is best for us, even when we don't know, but pridefully think we do.

[leakstime]

The greatest miracle of the 21st century | Muhammad bin Salman's new controversial laws

This latest video/Vlog live streamed/telecast today on ” Imran Khan “ full hd. Today’s video clips / Vlog Topic: ” #ImranKhanExclusive #Imrankhanofficial The greatest miracle of the 21st century | Muhammad bin Salman’s new controversial laws “ this is different form yesterday topic. After watch this short video clips/Vlog please share your thoughts here about the latest fresh watching on YouTube…

[mogwai-movie-house]

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

A genuine work of art has to feel like a miracle, a magic trick you can't fathom, can't understand why it affects you as much as it does, because it seems to do more than words or brush strokes or melodies should be able. Actual "art" really only begins once this has been achieved.

A Streetcar Named Desire has this quality - every detail in it is placed there with intention, to evoke an emotion, convey a deeper meaning. Every casual sentence overheard by a passer-by adds colour and widens the world, every glance between two people has something to say about life. No moment is there just to fill up space, to get from point a to point b. Every observation breathes with thought and feeling.

I can't help but think how far we've fallen in the 21st Century, in that a remake of this film now would be so different. Instead of the animal magnetism of Stella and Stanley Kowalski being shown to burn brighter than any outside morality, he would have to be only an abuser and she would have to be only a victim - one of the solitary flaws of the movie is the clumsy ending, changed by the censors to have Stella express resolve to not go back to him, whereas in the play she is in fact comforted by Stanley himself.

That blip aside, here life is shown as it is, rather than the way some utopian political ideology would like it to be. Every character is sympathetic, all viewpoints are valid, and hence forgiven, made understandable to the audience through the artistry of all involved. Blanche (Vivien Leigh) is shown to be deluded, vain, repressed, aloof and even racist, but she is also the tenderest human heart of the piece, who we the audience most identify with and feel for. Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando) is shown to be brutish, vulgar, cruel and dumb, but he's also damn, damn sexy, and far more liberated, wild and free than his hoity-toity sister-in-law.

By the end of the film, we are led to assume that Stanley rapes Blanche, but by then of course, we may have forgotten that Blanche is a (statutory) rapist herself, having seduced her underage student, the scandal of which drove her out of Mississippi and down to New Orleans on that streetcar.

In this film, no-one is wholly wrong, and no-one is wholly right: everyone's actions make sense according to how they are themselves experiencing life. And it's made clear that if you were to live any one of their lives, you would see the world their way too. This space without judgement, that only the greatest works of art open up, is what I look for most of all in the collective creative works of man. Because it's only in true art that can we see with the mind of God.

* * *

A Streetcar Named Desire is one of the most strongly sexual films you will ever see, but it's sexual in its implications, in the subtext of almost every interaction in almost every scene. In almost any other film of the time, the character of Stella would have been played as an innocent, virginal Doris Day type, sexless and bright-eyed and dead inside. Whereas here, in the scene of her descending the staircase to go to her lover, she almost looks as if she is being physically led by her sex, and in the scene in bed the next morning, she looks so unmistakably, and unashamedly, carnal.

Of course, Tennessee Williams was gay, and his plays can't help but be gay plays in drag. The sexuality of the women in Streetcar is the sexuality of 1940s gay men projected onto legal surrogates. The miracle is that it all somehow still works and lights upon something universally recognizable and of use to everyone, in the process creating one of the most unforgettable female characters in all of stage and screen, and here Vivien Leigh puts not even a syllable wrong in her portrayal of her.

It's a film of flawless performances, but for me, one of the best in the entire film is that of the boy who calls on Blanche, going door-to-door from 'The Evening Star': he has hardly any lines at all, says nothing about himself, and is on screen for just a little over three minutes in total, and yet in those three minutes he communicates so much more innocence, nervousness, arousal, bewilderment and sadness than anyone would otherwise have thought possible. At the end of those three minutes, he is visibly older, and we see he is changed by his encounter with this crazy old lady, quite possibly forever. It's an amazing, perfect scene in an amazing, almost perfect film.

★★★★★★★★★½

[spidernerdsblog]

Love Is The Biggest Spell : Chapter One

A/N: Chapter one is here. Two opposite worlds, two opposite lives what happens when fate brings them face to face again? Hope you like this chapter . Feedbacks and suggestions are always welcome.

Pairing : Warlock Tom Holland x half mortal reader

Summary : Witches are forbidden to fall in love with mortals. But what if your long lost love returns to you as a mortal, can you defy your heart? Any spell any magic seems useless in front of the magic of love. Let's join our lovers in their magical conquest beyond life and death as they fight for their love unravelling dark mysteries of the past along their way.

Warnings : language, adult humor.

"Good morning!" You greeted everyone cheerfully at the breakfast table as you pulled out a chair to sit for breakfast. 

"Good Morning to you too Madeleine!'' you cooed to your pet cat who was hovering near your feet. You picked her up and placed her on your lap whilst brushing her soft black furry coat. 

"Honey how are you feeling?" your mom asked. 

"I'm good. Why do you ask?" You bite into your toast.

"Y/N how many times I have told you that whenever you have those nightmares you need to inform me?"

"Really?!" You glanced at your cousin bewildered. 

"I had to." Erica shrugged. 

"And thank you Erica for letting us know."

"Mom it's just a stupid nightmare!"

"Yeah which is not letting me sleep." 

"I didn’t ask you to sleep with me." 

"Y/N don’t talk to your sister like that. She is worried about you just like us moreover she is five months pregnant she needs rest too." 

“Sorry” you mumbled. 

"We are going to the church today to get Father Boris's blessing." 

"Mom not again! Moreover I have to help aunt Rose at the coffee shop since Erica is taking a leave for the next four months.'' you whined. 

"I think your aunt can handle it on her own for today."

"Yeah Y/N listen to your mother, Jane and I can manage it for one day." your aunt reassured you. 

"Why do you and your aunt want to keep that coffee shop in the first place I don't understand. We literally own the Runeshire Daily and after you finish your degree course on journalism  you are going to take my place as the chief editor." You father remarked. 

"Dad, that is our family coffee shop which has been there for ages. And I love working there utilizing my free time. And after uncle Dan that is all aunt Rose has."

After breakfast as it was decided in the morning you were on your way to the church accompanied by your mother. The church was mostly empty as you both approached Father Boris. 

"Good morning Father" you both greeted. 

"Good morning. How are you Y/N?" He asked. 

"I'm good Father." You gave a tight lipped smile. 

"So again that horrible dream I suppose." 

You looked down and nodded in reply. 

"Father, why is this still happening to her?" 

"Mrs Warren God works in his own mysterious ways, maybe he is trying to send a message and we are mere humans. How can we decipher what he has in his mind? Just have faith in him and everything will be fine." 

He then turned to you. You lowered your head as he sprinkled some holy water on you and began reciting. 

"O God, who for the salvation of mankind hast appointed water to be the foundation of the greatest mysteries, graciously hear our prayers and fill this element of water, which has in manifold ways been purified, with Thy power and blessing; so that this creature of Thine may be used in Thy mysteries and endowed with Thy divine grace to drive away devils and to cast out diseases; that whatever in the houses or possessions of Thy faithful shall be sprinkled by this water, may be freed from everything unclean or hurtful. Let no spirit of pestilence or baleful breath dwell therein. Let all the snares of the enemy who lieth in wait for us, be driven forth, and let everything that threatens the safety or peace of the dwellers therein be banished by the sprinkling of this water, so that the health which they seek by calling upon Thy holy Name may be guarded from all assaults."

After the rites were completed you and your mother lit some candles near the altar and prayed for a while. You turned to leave but stopped in your tracks when you noticed your mother not coming along. 

"You aren't coming?" 

"No I want to spend some more time here you go or else you will be late for your class." 

"Okay then bye. See you in the evening" after you left the church your mother went up to Father Boris. 

"Umm Father I wanted to talk to you about something else too." 

"Please do not hesitate Mrs Warren" he reassured. 

"I think it's time to give her this. So can you bless this too?" your mother held out a ring in her hand it was a metallic ring with intricate celtic patterns etched out on its surface. 

"I understand what you are going through Mrs Warren. I have been seeing Y/N since her childhood and she is definitely a miracle child. But as her mother you have to stay strong, she will be needing her family's support to battle whatever is coming her way after she turns 25." He took the ring from her hand.

“I’ll have this purified and blessed. Don’t worry everybody here is God’s children he will surely look after her.”

You practically ran through your campus to reach your class. As you reached the hallway you stopped for a moment to catch your breath when across the hall you caught sight of the most hot and happening man in your life Cole Sprouse. You have known each other since childhood going to the same highschool and now the same university. In no time your  relationship transitioned from best friends to lovers. You were the 'it' couple of your class. Strangely you both never actually said those three magical words to each other but everytime you look at that raven haired blue eyed boy your heart skipped a beat. Cole was chatting with some other guys and his face lit up when he noticed you. He waved at you as you jogged your way towards him and threw your arms around to hug him. 

"Hey!" 

"Hi babe." He pecked your lips. 

"Hey you are late today!" Tony tapped your shoulder.

"Yeah sorry"

"C'mon hurry up or we will get late for the class. Let's go!" Jane came running across the hall.

After the class ended you were hanging out with your friends in the library. You were snuggled close to Cole as his hands lazily wrapped around your shoulder.

"So why didn't you come to the cafe today? It was quite a rush today." Jane asked. 

"Don't ask.. Mom took me to the church to get blessed." you scoffed.

"Mrs Warren finally came to know about the carnal sins you two commit in your bedroom." 

"Oh shut up!! It's nothing like that." You scorned. 

"Then what is it?" 

"Nothing it's just I get this stupid recurring nightmare once in a month where a group of men are chasing after me." 

"Oooooh interesting, are you sure it's a nightmare not one of kinky sexual fantasies?" everyone laughed. 

"Fuck off!! I'm not telling you anything." you grimaced.

"I'm joking.. I’m joking, come on now tell us." 

"So these men are trying to kill me because I'm a witch. Then someone shot me at the back and there's blood everywhere. And I don't have any fucking clue to why I get this horrible dream." 

"So do you know these men?" 

"No, their faces were all blurry. But according to Father Boris and my mom believes it too that I'm having visions of my past life and that’s insane! right?" 

"So you mean to say you were a witch in your past life that's awesome! Do you have a witch mark?" Jane joked

"Seriously? You deadpanned 

"it's the 21st century, not the mediaeval era. All this witch, magic and past life are utter bullshit!"

"See men were and always will be a dick." you added.

"Ouch!" Cole pretended to be hurt. 

"Sorry honey but that's sadly true." you pouted

"But you can't live without this dick can you?" you elbowed him hard giving him a playful glare.  

"Oww!" he winced as you continued 

"So as I was saying, men have always enjoyed superiority in the society and the time these witch trials began coincided with the time when women were finally finding their voice and demanded equal rights. 

And it's clear as the daylight in those times a strong opinionated woman was always looked down upon as a threat to the society so what's better than tagging them as witches and slaughtering them to shut them up.'' you ranted. 

"But there are reports of male witches being killed too." Tony pointed out.

"That's just to deceive people because the majority were women who have been killed." 

"You are just getting emotional with this." Cole said. 

"Your grandfather was a witch hunter right?" 

"Yeah sure he was." Cole admitted rather proudly.

"And you are proud of that?" 

"No not proud but kind of awesome too. 

" He killed innocent women, how's that awesome?!" you both started arguing. 

"How can you tell they were innocent? What I have heard is that they used to practise black magic to harm people." 

"Those are just lame superstitions." 

"You are forgetting that your grandfather was a part of that witch hunting group too." 

"And I'm so ashamed of him. I wish he rots in hell." 

"Okay that's enough of the discussion on witches and hunters. Can we focus on tomorrow's field trip to the mystical woods?!" Jane scowled. 

"Oh yeah thanks for reminding me about that." 

"Uggh! I hate historical field trips!" Cole groaned.

"It's part of our assignment on the research we are doing on the town's history." 

"I regret taking history as my elective man!" 

"Professor Brown will be so disappointed to hear this from his favourite student." Tony jokes. Cole rolled his eyes. 

"I really like the mystical woods though." You said absentmindedly. 

"What's so special about that place?" 

"I don't know. I just feel a sort of connection with that place. That place just calms my mind."

………………….. 

"Give this to her a month before she turns 25."

These particular words echoed in Martha's mind as she fiddled with the ring in her hand. 

"Honey, do you know where my glasses are?" Your father asked your mother as he searched for his glasses. But she was engrossed in deep thought. 

"Honey, is everything okay?" your mother was broken from her thoughts. 

"Hmm yeah-yeah." 

"What is that in your hand?" 

"It's this" she showed him the ring. 

"I think it's time to give her this as I was told to do so and maybe tell her the truth." 

"Not again, we are not telling her anything." 

"What if something bad happens to her Fred?" 

"Martha you're just being paranoid." 

"Oh am I Fred?! Because deep within your heart you also know that whatever is happening with her isn't just some petty nightmares." your mother snapped. 

"They are petty nightmares!" 

"Then why only on every full moon night does she have those dreams? And you know very well what happened on such a night 25 years ago in that forest." 

"You are just worrying too much and she will be completely fine." 

"I'm her mother Fred! And a mother has to worry when her daughter doesn't have any sensation to anything hot." 

"She suffers from peripheral neuropathy and the doctor himself confirmed that to us."

"Oh for God's sake! Do you believe that? How much you try to ignore the fact but Y/N isn't a normal girl, maybe she isn't a complete human!" she muttered. 

"What do you mean to say that Y/N, our daughter is…is a… Fred lowered his voice

witch?" He whispered. 

"Honey why are you trying to unsee the uncanny resemblance Y/N shares with her. Those eyes, that exact same face… " your mother broke down as tears filled her eyes. Fred hugged her planting a kiss on her forehead and spoke calmly. 

"Honey I know you are scared but nothing has happened all these years and I'm sure nothing bad will happen in the future just relax and let her also live her life peacefully." 

"I'm home!" You chirped as you entered your house. Your parents quickly composed themselves, your mother wiped her tears.

"Oh you're finally back! I need to talk to you about something." your mother exclaimed.

"Me too! But me first" you said excitedly.

"Tomorrow as you know we are going to the mystical woods so can you please wake me up early in the morning."

"Mystical woods what for?!" 

"Field trip I told you earlier."

"Oh! it must have slipped my mind." 

"So what did you have to say to me?" 

"Not say actually I wanted to give you something."

"Here." Your mother held the ring in front of you. 

"What's this?"

"This will protect you from every danger I had it blessed by Father Boris. Whatever happens, never take this off." 

"Mooom! Wasn't the blessing enough? You know very well that I don't believe in this nonsense stuff." 

"Y/N this is the last time I'm asking something from you. Please honey can't you wear this for your mother's sake? So that she can be sure that you are safe wherever you are." 

"Okay.. if this makes you stop worrying about me then I'm going to wear it." You slid the ring in your middle finger. 

"See! now happy? How can I ever say no to my lovely mom anyways?" you hugged her tightly. 

……………………….. 

“I’ll come back Tom. I promise no force of nature can keep us apart.”

"Brother you need to stop now and move on. She is not going to come back." Harry advised Tom. Tom was broken out from his thoughts who was staring at a framed photograph in his hand. 

"No she has to, she promised me that she will come back." he said lowly.

"Brother it's been 25 years you have to understand she is gone forever, she is dead." Tom clenched his jaws. 

"Moreover it was kind of her fault if she would have listened in the first place she needn't had to die such a gruesome death." Tom swiftly raised his hand, rage in his eyes and Harry was lifted in mid air by an invisible hand choking him around his neck. 

"Choose your words wisely Harry!" Tom growled. 

"Tom, even if you kill me, reality will never change those pesky humans killed her!" Harry choked. Tom let him down as Harry gasped for air. 

"Why have you even come here, leave me alone!" 

"I just came to inform you that father was looking for you." 

"Why?"

"Don't know may be about you taking the place of the next High Priest of our coven."

"We are deeply honored to establish a relationship with your family Father Holland." 

"It's my pleasure Lady Layman to make your eldest daughter a part of our family." 

"Father, you were looking for me?" Tom interrupted their conversation.

"Yes Thomas come sit."

"Thomas as one of the finest students of the academy and the most eligible Warlock you know you are most likely going to be the next high priest of our coven after me. So your mother and I want you to get married to Lady Layman’s eldest daughter Zendaya."

"Father, what has me being the High Priest has to do with my marriage? And Z is a friend of mine. I can’t marry her." 

"The coven needs a high priestess Thomas."

"Then you should start considering other warlocks like Harrison, I think he will be perfect. I don't think I can share my life with someone else in my life ever again." 

……………………………. 

It was an early autumn morning and a frosty chill hung in the air. The sweet surrendering scent of the morning dew filled the forest with a scent that did not belong on earth. Autumn leaves from the tall trees lay scattered on the forest floor; each of them turning brittle brown; there was a sound like dried cereal being crunched underfoot, pushing their papery remains deep into the soft soil. The dark shadows of the voluminous trees and the surrounding bushes had become the backbone of the forest, standing as passive protectors of a peaceful place. 

"This place spooks the hell out of me." Tony commented. 

"Students, the tree you are looking at is where the witches were hanged to death during the witch trials back then." Professor Brown pointed towards a huge oak tree probably a few hundred years old with a huge canopy. 

"We are going to spend an hour or two here so you all can explore and take pictures for your report. Stay close and don't go too deep inside the forest." Everyone scattered in different directions. 

You were walking behind your group, your eyes went to an abandoned path trailing deep inside the forest. A strange attraction was born inside you. You felt as if the path was luring you towards it. 

"Hey guys look at that road I think we should go there." 

"And get lost or most probably killed by a wild animal." Jane snickered.

"Don't be a pussy nothing will happen, maybe we can get to know something more. C’mon guys it will be fun! You pouted with puppy eyes. 

"Okay let's go." Everyone agreed. 

You all took the abandoned road slowly walking deeper inside the forest. The forest was ancient. The trees are thick and old, roots that were twisted. It's canopy was so dense that you could only see the occasional streak of sunlight that rarely touched the forest floor.

"Well, well, well look what we have here a flock of sheep coming this way." Laura gave an evil smirk as she pointed others towards your group from a distance behind the trees. 

"Guys call me whatever but I don't feel right here. This place is giving an eerie feeling let's go back." Tony cautioned, you all stopped for a moment to decide whether to go on further or not suddenly you heard a faint humming sound. A sweet feminine voice luring you towards itself. You didn't care to look back if others were following you as you walked forward following the direction of the voice. 

"Guys can you hear this faint music coming from the distance?" You turned around to find no one. The place appeared familiar to you as it suddenly hit you that you have seen this place in your dreams. You decided to continue moving forward. The forest was so still you could only hear the tread of your feet and the cracking of twigs and leaves underfoot. A smell of timidness hovers in the air... no clue of what is ahead! You clutch your fists tightly, as you keep moving forward. The bushes and trees of low growth had disappeared, to make room for gigantic mahogany trees, century old cork trees, and the acajou, whose sombre branches formed a vaulted roof of green eighty feet above your head. The path had grown wider, and stretched, in a gentle incline, towards a hillock of moderate height, entirely free from trees. There in the middle of the clearing you saw a platform more like an altar just like we get to see in churches made of big rocks. A big flat piece of rock mounted on two other rocks which were mostly acting like pillars. You went near it to examine it carefully gently brushing your hand over the smooth surface whilst circling around it. It was quite old as moses covered the surface, ferns growing at the bottom of the rock pillars. You heard the rustling of leaves in the nearby bushes. 

"Guys?? Are you there?" You looked around. 

"It's not funny c'mon." 

"Jane?!" You heard the cracking of leaves. 

"Cole is that you?!"

"Scream as much as you want human no one is going to hear your cries." Laura gave out a sinister laugh and began chanting a spell. 

You decided to go back and find your friends. You went to retrace the path you took to go back but suddenly out of nowhere a dense mist started to engulf the forest blocking everything from your sight. You were practically stuck in the middle of the forest lost with no way to go back. You took out your phone to open the GPS but to your dismay there was no network in that area. 

"Fucking piece of shit!!" You cursed at your phone. 

"Let's teach her a lesson shall we?" Remy suggested with a wicked smile. 

"Guys I think we should stop here, that is enough for today. We should not harm innocent people." Jacob advised. 

"No human is innocent, Jacob. Murdering is in their blood." Remy jibed. 

He focused on the branch of the tree you were standing underneath. You were fidgeting with your phone when it slipped off your hands. 

"Shitt!!"you moved forward and bent down to pick up your phone. 

And just then the branch broke with a loud crack missing you by a hair. You jumped aside looking up the tree gasping in shock. 

"What the hell! Really shouldn't have come here" you repented. 

"Good incantation you dimwit" Angourie mocked. 

"This wasn't to happen. How could it miss her?" he frowned. 

"Because you didn't focus properly!" 

"What are you all doing?" Tom suddenly appeared from nowhere. 

"Nothing Tom." Jacob said. 

"How many times do you need to be told that you should not use your powers to harass or create problems for others be it witches or humans?" 

"We were just having a little fun, that's it." Remy reasoned. 

"Throwing a branch of a tree on someone is fun to you?!" Tom snapped at him. 

"These humans deserve this for what they have done to our kind!"

"You are not the one to decide who deserves what and that girl definitely didn't do anything wrong!" 

"Yes Tom is right we can't judge someone for the wrongdoing of their ancestors." Zendaya also appeared at the scene. 

 "But she's trespassing our sacred place!"

"Enough! I don't want to hear anything, go back to the academy right now! I'll deal with you guys later" saying that Tom took off to your direction mumbling a spell to clear off the mist. 

"When did you become such an empathetic witch, sister?" Angourie smirked. 

"I don't have any choice, mother's instructions to try to get inside his heart and convince him for the marriage. Or else if it was me I would have levitated that girl in the air." Zendaya shrugged giving an evil grin. 

Tom slowly walked towards you as you desperately tried to contact your friends. 

"Are you lost love?" He said from behind. You jumped back in fright tripping on a rock and twisting your leg. You lost balance but before you could fall you felt two firm hands catching hold of your shoulders as you felt your back pressed against a broad chest. Your eyes were closed shut as you  clutched onto your phone tightly, your breathing erratic.

"It's okay love I got you." You heard the person reassure you in his thick British accent. He steadied you on your feet letting go of your shoulders. 

You slowly turned around to have a look at the person who saved you from falling down, and as soon as your face became visible to Tom his eyes went wide as a chill ran down his spine. He froze then there as he blurted out. 

"Amber?!!"

.....................................................................

@sleepybesson​​ @sophs-library​​ @spideyparkerstark​​ @itstaskeen​​ @milli86​​ @biebsmylife95​​ @quaksonhehe​​ @hannahholland1811​ ​​ @awhollandx​​ @joyleenl​​  @greatpizzascissorstaco​​ @tomhollandsotherpinkytoe​​ @jjandreidsgirl​​ @brighterthanthesunx​​ @adevilallthetime​​ @panicattheeverywherekid​​ @onewithnomightypowers​​ @itsnotmeh24  @bitchinwpei @astridcommings​ @hollandprkr​​  @hollandsobrien​​ @timotayswriter​​ @kiki-hines​​ @casualprincess77​​ @spideyth​​ @perspectiveparker​​ @thevelvetseries​​ @tempo-rary-fix @onebigolemess  @itsbqueenthings @chingonaconcha @yoongi-holland @l0lmk @itsemohours 

Taglist:To be added send me an ask or message I’ll be happy to add you in the following chapters.

[itsclydebitches]

Please picture, if you will, that Aziraphale gives not one damn about who sees him performing miracles. Oh, you noticed that I repaired this mug I just dropped? Well it’s a trick, you see. I’m a magician ;) 

Every once in a while someone will see something that's just really outside the realm of slight of hand. Dude. You didn’t just fix a mug. You straight up made that asshole disappear with no mirrors, wires, trap doors, nothing, how did you do that? “Ah, a magician never reveals his secrets, dear boy!” And because humans of the 21st century are, on the whole, much more willing to believe they’ve been duped then that the impossible is actually possible, Aziraphale gets away with it. People walk away from these moments thinking, holy shit. I’ve just met the greatest magician ever. Why the hell doesn’t this guy have his own show? 

Sometimes they do work up the nerve to say something. Ask if he’s for hire, but in the resigned way people ask for the price of a boutique dress they already know they can’t afford. These people are absolutely shocked when Aziraphale not only agrees to attend their birthday/holiday party/whatever, but agrees to do so for FREE. I mean seriously, what kind of jackpot did they just hit? This guy magically dried that woman’s outfit, fixed her broken heel, and summoned an umbrella for her out of nowhere. If he puts even half that effort into a show my friends will go wild. 

The day arrives. Everyone is pumped. They wait impatiently for this guy who has been hyped up for weeks. 

...and they get this. 

[marunalu]

Disney Movies List

Ok first of all I want to make clear that english is not my first language. I therefore apologize in advance for any grammar or spelling mistakes. Please don't be too strict with me =D

I recently bought Disney+ and I plan now to watch and review every movie, Disney has ever produced or participated in it. And I tell you, this will be a hell of a trip, because my list now contains no fewer than 701 movies. That means if I watch at least one movie every day, it will take me about 2 years to see all of them. And since I will most likely not watch a movie every day, I will definitely need at least twice as long....

For the films on my list, which I marked with a cross at the end, it means that I have seen them already. However, since I last saw most of these movies in my childhood or teenage years (so at least 15 years ago), it will be interesting for me to rewatch them after such a long time. I have probably already forgotten most of the plots.

I also plan to watch them in chronological order and rank them. The movies that I don't find on Disney+ I will watch somewhere else.

Here is the list: (The films follow the chronological order in which they were published. However, it is quite possible that I accidentally swapped a few. But I think most of it is accurate).

1930:

Academy Award Review of Walt Disney Cartoons (X)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (X)

1940:

Pinocchio (X)

Fantasia (X)

The Reluctant Dragon ( )

Dumbo (X)

Bambi (X)

Saludos Amigos ( )

Victory Through Air Power ( )

The Three Caballores ( )

Make Mine Music ( )

Song of the South ( )

Fun and Fancy Free (X)

Melody Time ( )

Seal Island ( )

So Dear to my Heart ( )

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (X)

1950:

Cinderella (X)

Treasure Island ( )

In Beaver Valley ( )

Alice in Wonderland (X)

Nature's Half Acre ( )

The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men ( )

The Olympic Elk ( )

Water Birds ( )

Peter Pan (X)

The Sword and the Rose ( )

The Living Desert (X)

Bear Country ( )

The Alaskan Eskimo ( )

Prowlers of the Everglades ( )

Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue ( )

The Vanishing Prairie ( )

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ( )

Siam ( )

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier ( )

Lady and the Tramp (X)

The African Lion ( )

The Littlest Outlaw ( )

Men Against The Arctic ( )

The Great Locomotive Chase ( )

Davy Crockett and the River Pirates ( )

Secrets of Life ( )

Westward Ho the Wagons! ( )

Johnny Tremain ( )

Perri ( )

Old Yeller ( )

Navajo Adventure ( )

The Light in the Forest ( )

Tonka ( )

Grand Canyon ( )

Sleeping Beauty (X)

The Shaggy Dog ( )

Darby O'Gill and the Little People ( )

Zorro the Avenger ( )

Third Man on the Mountain ( )

Mysteries of the Deep ( )

1960:

Toby Tyler: Or, ten Weeks with a Circus ( )

Kidnapped ( )

Pollyanna ( )

The Sign of Zorro ( )

Jungle Cat ( )

Ten Who Dared ( )

Swiss Family Robinson ( )

Island of the Sea ( )

One Hundred and One Dalmatians (X)

The Absent-Minded Professsor ( )

Parent Trap ( )

Nikki, Wild Dog of the North ( )

Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog ( )

Babes in Toyland ( )

Wonders of the Water Worlds ( )

Moon Pilot ( )

Bon Voyage! ( )

Big Red ( )

Almost Angels ( )

The Legend of Lobo ( )

In Search of the Castaways ( )

The Prince and the Pauper ( )

Son of Flubber ( )

Miracle of the White Stallions ( )

Savage Sam ( )

Summer Magic ( )

The Incredible Journey ( )

The Sword in the Stone (X)

A Tiger Walks ( )

The Misadventures of Merlin Jones ( )

The Three Lives of Thomasina ( )

The Moon-Spinners ( )

Mary Poppins ( )

Emil and the Detectives ( )

Those Calloways ( )

The Monkey's Uncle ( )

That Darn Cat! ( )

The Ugly Dachshund ( )

Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. ( )

The Fighting Prince of Donegal ( )

Follow Me, Boys! ( )

Monkeys, Go Home! ( )

The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin ( )

The Gnome-Mobile ( )

The Jungle Book (X)

Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar ( )

The Happiest Millionaire ( )

Blackbeard's Ghost ( )

The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band ( )

Never a Dull Moment ( )

The Horse in the Grey Flannel Suit ( )

Guns in the Heather ( )

The Love Bug ( )

Smith! ( )

Rascal ( )

The Computer Whore Tennis Shoes ( )

My Dog, the Thief ( )

Ride a Northbound Horse ( )

1970:

King of the Grizzlies ( )

The Boatniks ( )

The Wild Country ( )

Smoke ( )

The Aristocats (X)

The Barefoot Executive ( )

Scandalous John ( )

The Million-Dollar-Duck ( )

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (X)

The Biscuit Eater ( )

Now You See Him, Now You Don't ( )

Napoleon and Samantha ( )

Run, Cougar, run ( )

Snowball Express ( )

Chandar, the Black Leopard of Ceylon ( )

The World's Greatest Athlete ( )

Charley and the Angel ( )

One Little Indian ( )

Robin Hood (X)

Mustang! ( )

Superdad ( )

Herbie Rides Again ( )

The Bears and I ( )

The Castaway Cowboy ( )

The Island at the Top of the World ( )

The Strongest Man in the World ( )

Escape to Witch Mountain ( )

The Apple Dumpling Gang ( )

One Of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing ( )

The Best of Walt Disney's True-Life Adventures ( )

Ride a Wild Pony ( )

The Boy Who Talked to Badgers ( )

No Deposit, No Return ( )

Treasure of Matecumbe ( )

Gus ( )

The Shaggy D.A. ( )

Freaky Friyday ( )

The Littlest Horse Thieves ( )

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (X)

A Tale of Two Critters ( )

The Rescuers (X)

Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo ( )

Pete's Dragon ( )

Candleshoe ( )

Return form Witch Mountain ( )

The Cat from Outer Space ( )

Hot Lead and Cold Feet ( )

Child of Glass ( )

The North Avenue Irregulars ( )

The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again ( )

Unidentified Flying Oddball ( )

The Black Hole ( )

The Muppet Movie ( )

The London Connection ( )

1980:

Midnight Madness ( )

The Watcher in the Woods ( )

Herbie Goes Bananas ( )

The Last Flight of Noah's Ark ( )

Popeye ( )

The Devil and Max Devlin ( )

Amy ( )

Dragonslayer ( )

The Fox and the Hound (X)

Condorman ( )

The Great Muppet Caper ( )

Night Crossing ( )

Tron ( )

Tex ( )

Trenchcoat ( )

Something Wicked This Way Comes ( )

Tiger Town ( )

Never Cry Wolf ( )

Love Leads the Way (X)

Where the Toys Come From ( )

Return to Oz ( )

The Black Cauldron (X)

The Journey of Natty Gann ( )

One Magic Christmas ( )

Teen Academy ( )

The Great Mouse Detective (X)

Flight of the Navigator ( )

Disneys Fluppy Dogs ( )

The Parent Trap ( )

The Christmas Star ( )

Benji the Hunted ( )

Return of the Shaggy Dog ( )

Mr. Boogedy ( )

Return to Snowy River ( )

Oliver & Company (X)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit ( )

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (X)

Cheetah ( )

The Little Mermaid (X)

Bride of Boogedy ( )

1990:

DuckTales: The Movie – Treasure of the Lost Lamp ( )

The Rescuers Down Under (X)

White Fang (X)

Shipwrecked ( )

Wild Hearts Can't be Broken ( )

The Rocketeer ( )

Beauty and the Beast (X)

Newsies ( )

Honey, I Blew Up the Kid ( )

The Mighty Ducks ( )

Aladdin (X)

The Muppet Christmas Carol ( )

Day-O ( )

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (X)

A Far Off Place ( )

The Adventures of Huck Finn ( )

Hocus Pocus ( )

Cool Runnings ( )

The Nightmare Before Christmas ( )

The Three Musketeers ( )

Iron Will ( )

Blank Check ( )

D2: The Mighty Ducks ( )

White Fang 2: Myth of the White Wolf ( )

The Lion King (X)

Angels in the Outfield ( )

Squanto: A Warrior's Tale ( )

The Santa Clause (X)

The Jungle Book (X)

The Return of Jafar (X)

Heavyweights ( )

Man of the House ( )

Tall Tale ( )

A Goofy Movie ( )

Pocahontas (X)

Operation Dumbo Drop ( )

A Kid in King Arthur's Court ( )

The Big Green ( )

Frank and Ollie ( )

Toy Story (X)

Tom and Huck ( )

Gargoyles – The Movie ( )

Muppet Treasure Island ( )

Homeward Bound: Lost in San Francisco (X)

James and the Giant Peach ( )

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (X)

First Kid ( )

D3 The Mighty Ducks ( )

101 Dalmatians (X)

Aladdin and the King of Thieves (X)

Wish Upon a Star ( )

Susie Q ( )

The Darn Cat ( )

Jungle 2 Jungle (X)

George of the Jungle (X)

Air Bud (X)

RocketMan ( )

Flubber (X)

Mr. Magoo ( )

Tower of Terror ( )

Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas ( )

Under Wraps ( )

Northern Lights ( )

Angels in the Endzone ( )

Mighty Ducks the Movie: The First Faceoff ( )

Pooh's Great Adventure: The Search for Christoper Robin ( )

Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves ( )

The Love Bug ( )

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella ( )

Oliver Twist ( )

Meet the Deedles ( )

Mulan (X)

The Parent Trap (X)

Air Bud: Golden Receiver ( )

I'll Be Home for Christmas ( )

A Bug's Life (X)

Mighty Joe Young ( )

You Lucky Dog ( )

Halloweentown ( )

Brink! ( )

Whoopi – A Knight in Camelot (X)

The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit ( )

Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World ( )

The Lion King 2: Simbas Pride (X)

Belle's Magical World ( )

Armageddon ( )

Don't Look Under the Bed (X)

Genius ( )

The Thirteenth Year ( )

Johnny Tsunami ( )

Can of Worms ( )

Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century ( )

Horse Sense ( )

Smart House ( )

My Favorite Martian ( )

Doug – The 1. Movie ( )

Endurance ( )

Tarzan (X)

Inspector Gadget ( )

The Straight Story ( )

Toy Story 2 (X)

H.E. – Double Hockey Sticks ( )

Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas ( )

Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving ( )    

Annie ( )

2000:

Fantasia 2000 ( )

The Ultimative Christmas Present ( )

Phantom of the Megaplex ( )

Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire ( )

The Other Me ( )

Quints ( )

Ready to Run ( )

Stepsister from Planet Weird ( )

Miracle in Lane 2 ( )

Rip Girls ( )

Alley Cats Strike ( )

The Color of Friendship ( )

Up, Up and Away ( )

Angels in the Infield ( )

Air Bud 3 ( )

Mail to the Chief ( )

Geppetto ( )

The Tigger Movie ( )

Dinosaur (X)

Disney's The Kid ( )

Remember the Titans ( )

102 Dalmatians (X)

The Emperor's New Groove (X)

An Extremly Goofy Movie ( )

Whispers: An Elephant Tale ( )

The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea (X)

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command ( )

Life-Size ( )

The Miracle Worker ( )

Bounce ( )

Jett Jackson: The Movie ( )

The Other Side of Heaven ( )

`Twas the Night ( )

Halloweentown 2: Kalabar's Revenge ( )

The Poof Point ( )

Jumping Ship ( )

Jennie ( )

Hounded ( )

Luck of the Irish ( )

Zenon: The Zequel ( )

Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse ( )

Motocrossed ( )

Recess: School's Out ( )

Lady and the Tramp 2 – Scamp's Adventure (X)

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (X)

The Princess Diaries ( )

Max Keebles Big Move ( )

Monsters, Inc (X)

Princess of Thieves ( )

Air Bud 4 ( )

The Scream Team ( )

A Ring of Endless Light ( )

Gotta Kick It Up! ( )

Get a Clue ( )

Tru>> confessions ( )

Cadet Kelly ( )

Double Teamed ( )

Snow Dogs (X)

Return to Neverland (X)

The Rookie ( )

Cinderella 2: Dreams Come True (X)

Lilo & Stitch (X)

The Country Bears ( )

Tuck Everlasting ( )

The Santa Clause 2 ( )

Treasure Planet (X)

Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year ( )

The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2 ( )

Tarzan & Jane ( )

Mickey's House of Villains ( )

Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time ( )

Air Bud 5 ( )

Full Court Miracle ( )

The Cheetah Girls ( )

Eddies Million Dollar Cook-Off ( )

The Even Stevens Movie ( )

Right on Track ( )

You Wish! ( )

101 Dalmatians 2: Patch's London Adventure ( )

The Jungle Book 2 (X)

Inspector Gadget 2 ( )

Piglet's Big Movie ( )

Ghosts of the Abyss ( )

Holes ( )

Atlantis: Milo's Return (X)

The Lizzie McGuire Movie ( )

Finding Nemo (X)

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (X)

Freaky Friday ( )

Brother Bear (X)

George of the Jungle 2 ( )

The Haunted Mansion (X)

The Young Black Stallion ( )

Stitch! The Movie ( )

Recess ( )

Recess: All Growed Down ( )

Going to the Mat ( )

Pixel Perfect ( )

Zenon Z3 ( )

Halloweentown High ( )

Tiger Cruise ( )

Stuck in the Suburbs ( )

Teacher's Pet ( )

Miracle ( )

March of the Penguins ( )

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen ( )

Ghost in the Shell 2 – Innocence ( )

Home on the Range (X)

Sacred Planet ( )

Springtime with Roo ( )

Around the World in 80 Days (X)

America's Heart and Soul ( )

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement ( )

Mulan 2 (X)

The Incredibles (X)

Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (X)

The Lion King 1½ (X)

National Treasure ( )

Mickey, Donald and Goofy: The Three Musketeers (X)

Aliens of the Deep ( )

The Three Musketeers ( )

Kronk's New Groove ( )

Once Upon a Mattress ( )

Kim Possible Movie – So the Drama ( )

Go Figure ( )

Life is Ruff ( )

The Proud Family Movie ( )

Twitches ( )

Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (X)

Pooh's Heffalump Movie ( )

The Pacifier ( )

Ice Princess ( )

Herbie: Fully Loaded ( )

Sky High ( )

Valiant ( )

The Greatest Game Ever Played ( )

Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie ( )

Now You See It ( )

Buffalo Dreams ( )

Chicken Little ( )

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (X)

Tarzan 2 (X)

The Muppet's Wizard of Oz ( )

Air Buddies ( )

Read It and Weep ( )

Wendy Wu – Homecoming Warrior ( )

Cow Belles ( )

The Cheetah Girls 2 ( )

Return to Halloweentown ( )

High School Musical ( )

Brother Bear 2 ( )

Glory Road ( )

Roving Mars ( )

Bambi 2 (X)

Eight Below (X)

The Shaggy Dog ( )

The Wild ( )

Cars ( )

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (X)

Leroy & Stitch ( )

Invincible ( )

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause ( )

Bridge to Terabithia ( )

Johnny Kapahala – Back on Board ( )

Jump In! ( )

Meet the Robinsons ( )

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End ( )

Ratatouille ( )

Underdog ( )

The Pixar Story ( )

The Game Plan ( )

Le Premier Cri ( )

Enchanted ( )

The Fox and the Hound 2 (X)

The Secret of the Magic Gourd ( )

Pooh's Super Sleuth Christmas Movie ( )

Twitches Too ( )

High School Musical 2 ( )

Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time (X)

National Treasure: Book of Secrets ( )

Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert ( )

Snow Buddies ( )

The Cheetah Girls 3: One World ( )

The Little Mermaid – Ariel's Beginning (X)

Tinkerbell (X)

Camp Rock ( )

Minutemen ( )

College Road Trip ( )

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian ( )

Dasavathaaram ( )

WALL-E ( )

Beverly Hills Chihuahu ( )

Morning Light ( )

High School Musical 3: Senior Year ( )

Bolt (X)

Bedtime Stories ( )

Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience ( )

Iron Man ( )

Race to Witch Mountain ( )

Hannah Montana: The Movie ( )

Earth ( )

The Incredible Hulk ( )

Trail of the Panda ( )

Up ( )

Lilly the Witch: The Dragon and the Magic Book ( )

G-Force ( )

Walt & El Grupo ( )

The Book of Masters ( )

Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie ( )

Santa Buddies Here Comes Santa Paws ( )

Disney's A Christmas Carol ( )

Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure (X)

Old Dogs ( )

Princess Protection Program ( )

The Princess and the Frog ( )

Tigger & Pooh and a Musical Too ( )

Hatching Pete ( )

Dadnapped ( )

Space Buddies ( )

2010:

Alice in Wonderland (X)

Waking Sleeping Beauty ( )

Oceans ( )

Santa Paws ( )

Avalon High ( )

Den Brother ( )

Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam ( )

Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue (X)

StarStruck ( )

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ( )

Toy Story 3 ( )

You Again ( )

The Sorcerer's Apprentice ( )

The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos ( )

Secretariat ( )

Do Dooni Chaar ( )

Tangled ( )

The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story ( )

Tron: Legacy ( )

Iron Man 2 ( )

Geek Charming ( )

Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas! ( )

Phineas & Ferb – The Movie ( )

Spooky Buddies ( )

Anaganaga O Dheerudu ( )

The Suite Life Movie ( )

Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure ( )

Lemonade Mouth ( )

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 ( )

Thor ( )

Lilly the Witch: The Journey to Mandolan ( )

Mars Needs Moms ( )

Zokkomon ( )

African Cats ( )

Prom ( )

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides ( )

Cars 2 ( )

Winnie the Pooh ( )

Pixie Hollow Games (X)

The Muppets ( )

Girl vs. Monster ( )

Santa Paws 2 ( )

Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess ( )

Radio Rebel ( )

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 ( )

Treasure Buddies ( )

FRenemies ( )

John Carter ( )

Chimpanzee ( )

Arjun: The Warrior Prince ( )

Brave ( )

The Odd Life of Timothy Green ( )

Frankenweenie ( )

Let It Shine ( )

Secret of the Wings (X)

The Advengers ( )

Wreck-It Ralph ( )

Teen Beach Movie ( )

Super Buddies

Oz the Great and Powerful ( )

Wings of Life ( )

Monsters University ( )

The Lone Ranger ( )

Planes ( )

Frozen ( )

Saving Mr. Banks ( )

Iron Man 3 ( )

Thor: The Dark World ( )

How to Build a Better Boy ( )

Zapped ( )

Cloud 9 ( )

The Pirate Fairy (X)

Muppets Most Wanted ( )

Bears ( )

Million Dollar Arm ( )

Maleficent ( )

Planes: Fire & Rescue ( )

Khoobsurat ( )

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day ()

Captain America: The Winter Soldier ( )

Guardians of the Galaxy ( )

Big Hero 6 (X)

Into the Woods ( )

McFarland USA ( )

Cinderella ( )

Monkey Kingdom ( )

Tomorrowland ( )

Inside Out ( )

ABCD 2 ( )

Ant-Man ( )

The Good Dinosaur ( )

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (X)

Teen Beach 2 ( )

Tinkerbell and the Legend of the NeverBeast (X)

Bad Hair Day ( )

Descendants ( )

Avengers: Age of Ultron ( )

The Finest Hours ( )

Zootopia (X)

The Jungle Book ( )

Tini: The Movie ( )

Alice Through the Looking Glass ( )

Finding Dory ( )

BFG ( )

Pete's Dragon ( )

Queen of Katwe ( )

Moana (X)

Captain America: Civil War ( )

Doctor Strange ( )

Rogue One. A Star Wars Story (X)

Growing Up Wild ( )

Dangal ( )

 L'Empereur – March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step ( )

Beauty and the Beast ( )

Born in China ( )

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales ( )

Cars 3 ( )

Ghost of the Mountains ( )

Jagga Jasoos ( )

Coco ( )

Lillys Bewitched Christmas ( )

Descendants 2 ( )

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ( )

Spider Man: Homecoming ( )

Thor: Ragnarok ( )

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (X)

Expedition China ( )

A Wrinkle in Time ( )

The Incredibles 2 ( )

Christoper Robin ( )

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms ( )

Ralph Breaks the Internet ( )

Mary Poppins Returns ( )

Zombies ( )

Black Panther ( )

Avengers: Infinity War ( )

Solo: A Star Wars Story ( )

Ant-Man and the Wasp ( )

Dumbo ( )

Penguins ( )

Aladdin ( )

Toy Stor 4 ( )

The Lion King ( )

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil ( )

Lady and the Tramp ( )

Noelle ( )

Frozen 2 ( )

Descendants 3 ( )

Captain Marvel ( )

Avengers: End Game ( )

Spider-Man: Far From Home ( )

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker ( )

One Day at Disney ( )

Togo ( )

2020:

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made ( )

Onward ( )

Stargirl ( )

Dolphin Reef ( )

Elephant ( )

Artemis Fowl ( )

Hamilton ( )

Mulan ( )

The One and Only Ivan ( )

The Beatles: Get Back ( )

Soul ( )

Secret Society of Second-Born Royals ( )

Magic Camp ( )

Howard ( )

Urgh! Wish me luck, that I survive this....

[alchemical-adept]

“It’s not that I have an issue with her having sex, per se,  it’s just that it should mean something.  You know?”

That’s what a parent I met years ago said about his suspicion that his teenage daughter was having casual sex in his home while he and his wife were away on a brief trip. That sentiment, that ‘it should mean something’, is what I’m thinking about as Pesach is coming to a close. It’s not that I’ll miss Passover exactly, it’s that its message is so important that I don’t want to forget about it for an entire year. “It should mean something. You know?”

We are suppose to feel as if we ourselves have been taken out of a dangerous and narrow place, Egypt, and have been liberated. To make this come alive, at our seder tables we recounted the 10 plagues.  For each plague we took out a drop of wine, reminding ourselves that while each plague was indeed a miracle for the Hebrews, the opposite was simultaneously true for the Egyptians. We cannot enjoy a full cup of joy while others suffer, even when it was due and coming to them. So what are plagues that exist today that inspire in me an sense of freedom should I be able to imagine a life without them?

What are the Plagues of the 21st Century that upon the close of this festival of freedom we will still need to contend with?

Blood. It is preposterous to me that in a time and age when we know what is happening in almost every inch of our globe that we have grow so numb as to allow so much war and bloodshed throughout world, but especially the African continent. “In a free society, some are guilty, all are responsible.”

Frogs. The incessant croaking of the frogs made it nearly impossible for the Egyptians to even think a clear thought.  Such are many of the TV pundits, who, in the guise of informative journalist, are mere partisan bloviators who confuse partial truths with good policy positions.

Lice. Lice, like the spots in Cat in the Hat, lice are little things that once you turn your attention to them, they seem to multiply.  It’s as if they were specially designed to piss you off.  What are the little things in your life that are multiplying and seem to be taking over?

Wild Beasts. “Who do those animals think they are?” In the realm of animals, we often think of humans as the pinnacle power and control.  During the plague of the wild beast, that was turned upside down. Hate crimes, such as the one perpetrated in Overland Park, Kansas remind us that it’s not all peace and manna here in the monkey house. When there is a lack of order, when our protections fail, we are fearful, and we know the topsy turvy plague of the wild beasts.

Cattle Disease.  Cattle stock was a measure of value and of security in the ancient world.  Some people put their stock in the  stock market, but so many others, the overwhelming majority of humanity on this planet, have no savings, or are half a paycheck away, or one hospitalization away from being wiped out.

Boils.  Private indiscretions, no matter how well concealed, find a way to come to the surface. If they’ve been hidden from view, if we’ve tried to hide Truth, perhaps especially from ourselves, the Truth tends to boil over.  This is true for the NSA, for the CIA wiretapping Guantanamo Bay hearings.  When a Truth once hidden comes to the surface, it’s ugly and it disfigures precisely those who tried to hide the truth for personal gain. It’s true for those who post maliciousness on the internet and its true for cheating Congressmen who run on a platform of “religious values”.

Hail.  In each ball of ice was a tar ball, all aflame.  We can no longer ignore our environment.  When it’s cold, it’s colder.  When it’s hot, it’s hotter. And, it’s not even hot or cold in the right season any more.  Nature in no longer playing by her usual rules. It’s disorienting. The environmental impact of global warming are multi-factorial and so monumental as to seems beyond human ability to correct.

Locust.  Like lice, locust swarm. There are too many things that need our attention. The digital age isn’t helping much with this.  There is so much that we can pay partial focus to. Have you ever missed your stop on the subway?  Or your exit on the freeway?  Have you ever read a page of a book, blinked, and than wondered if you had really read that page?  Now, add in Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and some Candy Crush (of Flappy Bird if you still have that app.).  It’s not all bad, in fact, much of it is good, but our digital life can turn into such a time-suck.  Our bifurcated lives have the potential, much more than any age before ours, to make us less attentive when we should be more mindful. I see people quickly feeling swamped, overwhelmed, so much so they see only two choices, caring less (F’ it) or pushing on and living with greater and greater anxiety (this really leads back to some level of F’ it, so just one choice).

Darkness: The darkness of the 9th plague was palpable. Egyptians were physically stuck in the think slosh of the darkness.  This is not the “good darkness” of Barbara Brown Taylor, this is depression. Depression is a thick tar that coats everything with darkness. There in no joy, there is no motivation, there is just stuck-ness, meaninglessness, and for some, deep pain.

Death.  The final plague is a culmination of the previous nine as well as a return to the first, bloodshed. When we ignore bloodshed, when we’ve let our trouble rise and rise such that the world feels upside-down, and all that we can see is darkness, we will have suffocated hope. Without hope, there is only death.  There is no opportunity to change, no ideal with which to steer a new generation toward.  In the face of any and every obstacle, the greatest plague is the death of hope.  Without hope we sink into absurdity. Without hope, there is no love, no beauty, and no meaning.  Without hope there is only death.

[davidmann95]

Thoughts on this week's comics?

Once & Future #1: On the final day of my local comic book store’s operation (don’t worry, I’ve I think found a new place close to where I work) they finally got the sixth and last printing of this baby, and what an odd comic. I absolutely dig it, but just in terms of pacing and the rhythms of the dialogue, this feels much more to me like a Morrison joint than Gillen? Maybe it’s just because I associate Dan Mora with Klaus. Anyway, I’m late to the party on this one but yeah, it’s good.

No One Left To Fight #4: It hasn’t been as good as the first issue got me to hope, and I don’t think it’s going to change that with apparently just one issue left, but this is still solid and definitely worth a look once it drops in trade for DBZ fans.

DIE #8: Gillen’s always been a guy who works best for me on reread, but between this and Peter Cannon he’s working overtime lately to jump a few notches even further upward in my estimation. And I cannot believe a monthly comic, even one with breaks built in, can look this gorgeous.

Marvel Comics #1001: God what a shitshow! I repeatedly referred to Marvel Comics #1000 as nothing short of a minor miracle, and I’ll stand by that. But while that was an exceptional if by no means perfect realization of its intent as a celebration of Marvel’s history, this is a truly shameless dumping ground, with only two teasing story-lite bookending Ewing pages to lure in chumps like me. I think there’s something like 3-4 notably at least *okay* other stories in here, with everything else ranging from empty calories to bizarre to total crap. Worst I’ve spent about dropping my money on a book in some time.

Fantastic Four #15: I’ll admit to being a little perplexed about the strength of the negative reaction to the title right now. I’d be the first to admit it’s a complete embarrassment in the context of being the Richards families’ grand return, but it’s perfectly fine superhero comics, even if I’ll likely drop it after this arc.

Absolute Carnage: Immortal Hulk #1: The gold standard of event tie-ins - it fits well with the event, with the main book (even if Ewing’s assured nothing plotwise here is going to feed back into the main title...though honestly, I’m a touch skeptical depending on how Absolute Carnage proper goes, I could see something in here playing out in Immortal while requiring fairly minimal explanation), and it hits us with an extra little dose of seeing how the current status quo plays with Marvel at large since it’s typically in isolation without diluting the flavor of either side. A+.

Bizarre Adventures #1: Actually really good but it should be a federal crime that the initial solicit promised a Chris Onstad story and this didn’t deliver, without even at least some sort of formal apology.

Daredevil #12: Oh, Willie. WhatEVER are we going to do with you?

House of X #6: Okay, I’ve tried to avoid blanket “anyone who doesn’t like these books just doesn’t GET IT, MAN” statements, but I haven’t been subtle in finding a lot of the criticisms of how the X-Men are changing up how they operate/express themselves as a minority metaphor...charged. I’ve already had reason recently to think I was being too broad even with that though, but with this issue? The idea that Professor X was psychically manipulating people into going along with this seemed like a dumb, boring as shit way of reckoning with the new status quo, but maybe that merits a rethink, because holy shit. Anyway this is still fire and I can’t believe I give a fuck about the X-Men now, one issue left until this run properly starts. Jesus.

The Immortal Hulk #24: I’ll admit I’ve been finding the conclusion of the General Fortean story merely excellent rather than mind-blowingly transcendent recently, and while I wasn’t disappointed I was ready for things to properly kick back into high gear. THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT A PROBLEM ANYMORE, TRUE BELIEVERS.

Batman #80: I’m still down for it, both this bit in isolation as the triumphant comeback lead in to the finale, and the run as a whole. And while I think he’s been doing his best work in a VERY long time recently and I’m glad to see he’ll be joining Tynion, I’m glad Daniel is taking a backseat to Mann, Romita Jr., and soon Janin for concluding City of Bane, given it’s now also the ending of King’s time on Batman proper even if he’s still finishing his story elsewhere.

Lois Lane #4: It’s extremely weird that this is a Renee Montoya book co-starring Lois Lane but if Greg Rucka wants to write a Gotham Central/52 followup I’m not gonna...question it.

Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #2: DANG! Taken as a whole with the first issue given it clearly should have been a big one-shot, this is easily the best thing Bendis has done since the DC jump outside the Superman books, and I’m properly pumped for Legion now. Jeff Dekal and Ryan Sook in particular take my breath away once apiece in here.

The Green Lantern #12: With the season finale on the stands, I’d say it’s now more than fair to call Green Lantern Morrison’s weakest superhero output of the 21st century. Which doesn’t mean it’s not a hoot, it’s still Morrison, but again, I’ve yet to see anything at all that convinces me Morrison isn’t doing this on autopilot in-between his TV commitments. Admittedly Morrison on autopilot has its own unique charms, just spraying odd archetypal superhero concepts and sci-fi jargon at you to fill up space; this feels like one of his ad-hoc superhero teams such as the Status Quorum or the Cometeers or one of the throwaway Multiversity Earth ideas slouching to a sort of independent pseudo-life and throwing off neat ideas like an isotope bursting radiation, not fully-formed but perhaps in its own way all the more beautifully off-kilter and primally iconic in the process. Not enough to make up for the absence of him actually trying, you understand, but certainly unique and still an experience I enjoy every month. Please god though, don’t let this and Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 3 whenever that happens be his last major superhero works. One last Justice League story, Arkham Asylum 2 like he said, Superman Squad, something.

Doom Patrol: Weight of the Worlds #4: Venom exists in the DCU and it’s an evil speedo, this is objectively a perfect comic book. I liked the original Way run a lot even if I could never remember what was going on, but I’m stunned with every issue what a level-up this second volume has been, at least for my money.

Justice League #33: I think the book’s sagging a bit at the moment, since Justice/Doom War is clearly a feint for whatever the real finale is going to be in 2020 and I don’t think Snyder/Tynion work quite as well as an apparently full-on writing team as they do when simply trading off issues and letting their individual strengths shine. Still the best straight-take capeshit on the stands though, make no mistake.

Young Justice #9: If Namoi was the return of the Bendis who tried writing sincere stuff near the end of his time at Marvel but was too burned out at that point to make it work anymore, this is the Avengers guy who’s freewheeling and kinda screwing around where he should be getting to brass tacks but still has his moments. I might end up dropping this book, but it’s still at least got me through the end of this arc.

DCeased #5: This book’s been disappointing me more than a bit the last couple issues given how good it SHOULD be with how much it plays into Tom Taylor’s greatest strengths. The ending on this one, however? Is one I’m going to remember forever, and Trevor Hairsine sells the absolute hell out of it. Propelled to my favorite of the week just on the back of that.

[usesewingmachine]

Best  Sewing Machine Reviews 2020

Improving to a cutting edge sewing creator might be difficult, as demanding as disentangling a spindle of string coming from a bobbin. If you have in fact had your aged tool for a lengthy opportunities, it is actually also a lot more screening.

If you recognize our provider really show, the possibility of relocating to a new one might set off a lot of psychological soreness as properly as anxiousness. Hi, the possibilities are in fact affecting, and also our staff require the upgrade our devices, carry out certainly not our staff?

As right listed below is in fact where you will certainly find the best needlework tools that the world requires to provide. For you to delegate your out-of-date devices as well as likewise update along with 21st-century technology.

As people that possess observed the sewing along with helping make bedspreads area change swiftly over current years, our experts ensure you that these 5 versions are actually the premier, noticed by means of 11 possibilities that are in fact effectively for details private types (extensive cloths? No worry.). Crowded via ideal companies like Performer, Sibling, Janome, as well as additionally Juki.

You could be an expert quilter along with a little bit of team working out of a boutique in Los Angeles or even a specific stylist in Brooklyn that requires to possess the price and also convenience that is actually vowed alongside contemporary adornment devices.

Creators are in fact pushing out functionalities much more typically than ever, includes that support you focus much less on real stitching and also added on the production.

The styles examined right here are in fact all enriched embroidery makers, our specialists have actually provided unique factor to consider to the price. As a result of the truth that strengthening executes surely not regularly must be in fact an expensive relationship.

Today, authorization's jump right in to it: a check-list of the top-selling types along with detailed sewing device evaluations. Tried for respected quilters, designer, expert sewer, as well as additionally garments pipelines pros.

Stitching Equipment Reviews 2020

There are really appointed recommendations of the leading sewing tools through our internal pros.

As people that possess discovered the sewing as effectively as helping make bedspreads industry modification swiftly over latest a lot of years, our team guarantee you that these 5 versions are actually the premier, noticed with 11 alternatives that are in fact properly for details personal types (enormous cloths? No concern.). Crowded via greatest brand names like Performer, Bro, Janome, as well as additionally Juki.

Singer 7258

Intermediate and also amateur clients that definitely yearn for an easy gadget that is really straightforward to deal with along with maintain.

Function Emphasizes

Needed to have to present a simple producer to your youngster? And even would like to bulk investment a creator that is actually incredibly quick and easy to take care of for your needlework program trainees? And even would love to acquire a whole lots fundamental tools for your channel suit makers?

Appear say goodbye to and also place your hands on the Performer 7258, possibly one of the most successful rookie's digital embroidery device it positions the others on the to-do list to compassion.

Certainly, there are in fact detectable setbacks like a scarcity of Liquid Crystal Displays (it as a substitute possesses an 8-bit show) and also a tough electricity motor, but it is really undoubtedly mosting likely to be in fact an upgrade for those that have in fact been in fact using 10- or even 20-year-old producers.

The parts that our firm are really referring to are actually the automated needle threader, the strand cutter machine, one hundred incorporated stitches (76 of which are actually artistic), a translucent bobbin scenario to guarantee you may conveniently watch on the string level, as well as likewise LED lighting fixtures for those late-night creativity-induced stitching touches.

It is in fact whatever you are going to wish for a needlework devices to perform in 2020 as well as it very properly is in fact, our specialists certify. If our evaluation files go via, this one are going to be actually necessary also in the following years.

If you are really a person that requires to possess a posh unit for functioning on your ensemble, this are actually going to be in fact a wonderful possibility. It is actually inexpensive, consists of vital alerts as well as additionally whistles, along with has world power to sew by means of most of components. Utmost for creating garments seem better.

Decorations about that specific apparel you got coming from Marks & Spencer in 2014? Heck yeah!

Opinion

The Singer 7258 is just one of some of the best inexpensive embroidery producer on this checklist so far as well as it executes undoubtedly not trade nearly everything main for that. Adequate to help your suit makers get the job done, your pupils start finding out, along with your little bit of female enter the globe of embroidery as well as making quilts.

Required to present a simple creator to your youngster? Or also really want to bulk investment a creator that is actually really effortless to deal with for your needlework program trainees? Or also will just like to acquire a whole lots essential tools for your channel suit makers?

This are actually going to be really a wonderful possibility if you are really a person that requires to possess a fashionable tool for running on your attire. It is actually budget friendly, consists of vital alerts as well as additionally whistles, as properly as has globe energy to sew by means of the a large number of products.

SINGER Quantum Stylist 9960

Advanced as well as additionally advanced clients that choose all the best reliable functions.

Connect Features

On the leading of our listing is this Performer 9960 type, all provided along with numerous of the best fascinating functions our specialists have in fact looked at in any kind of type of current time stitching device.

The automated needle threader is actually, definitely, a lifesaver for those that have problem finding the needle eye or perhaps putting the chain right in to it and even untangling/winding the bobbin.

This element just eliminates the problem coming from the method that you might straight begin to expel your miracle.

That is actually necessary in 2020, thereby what in fact gotten our eye was really the auto-pilot, a blessing for people that handle along with various tasks at a singular option as well as prefer their equipment to acquire a little bit of sensible.

It is really concerning opportunity that attribute was actually contemplated as well as additionally the resilient Singer 9960 is your robotic that is going to undoubtedly sew in pre-specified when you are really frantic with that said new individual that possesses really just fell straight in to the electrical outlet.

You may effortlessly decide on among the integrated 600 stitches, 5 alphanumeric font style designs, as well as likewise thirteen buttonhole types counting on what you are in fact doing: making quilts, property design, children' ensemble, as well as additionally design adornment.

The back-lit Liquid Crystal Displays and also control panel is really quick and easy acceptable to deal with making it think that you are actually functioning a keypad-based cell phone.

The automated contrary, big development dining table, as well as additionally a ton of extras including shoes for all significant use happened corresponding utilizing this best-rated sewing devices.

One key trouble, nonetheless, is really that the walking shoe may effortlessly definitely not be in fact alongside the producing covers nightclub. This is actually an extreme issue for professional quilters. If you are actually one, our crew strongly advise choosing our 2nd selection, the Juki HZL-LB5100.

Consider-- This is actually the impressive design of Curved 8770, Tradition C440, as well as likewise Lightweight C240.

Choice

The Singer  9960 has every thing a qualified drain will definitely prefer in a modern stitching maker. As well as likewise, a whole lot a great deal extra. If that has actually certainly not urged you of the specific long-term economic expenditure, enable our provider finish the consumer testimonial with pointing out that Performer supplies 25 years of maker's service warranty on this concept as well as likewise extremely most others.

One major misfortune, however, is really that the wandering shoe may effortlessly definitely not be in fact along with the producing comforters nightclub. As well as likewise, a great deal a whole lot much more. If that has actually certainly not promoted you of this certain long-term economic assets, enable our provider finish the consumer evaluation via claiming that Singer gives 25 years of supplier's service warranty on this style as well as additionally extremely most others.

Juki HZL-LB5100

Advanced and also intermediary customers that need to have to possess a portable/travel-friendly as well as solid producer.

Element Emphasizes

When you consider improved sewing devices, you think about sturdy, heavy-weight models that require to come to be passed on a place in your building or even retail store certainly never to end up being transferred again.

Certainly Not the Juki HZL-LB5100. It is really very successful as well as tough, yes, yet it is actually also some of the lightest in addition to travel-friendly stitching tools our crew have really evaluated, aside from Sibling XM1010.

Realized for its very own "divinity in a peaceful equipment", this Juki commercial needlework maker gets its personal electricity coming from lead-in Oriental contemporary innovation that has actually been actually around due to the fact that 1938. Taking into consideration virtually 15 extra pounds, this Juki giant advantages you round the clock without giving up.

The most effective part?

There is actually no hum or even vibrations arising from the power motor or maybe a few other unneeded noise. It just works in muteness based upon the creates that you have in fact decided on.

It in addition has one hundred included stitches (this is in fact where the Performer style over excels), automated needle threader, flexible cost override, and also one-step buttonhole.

The quality of a premium quality sewing creator hinges on merely exactly how professional its very own greatest attributes are actually as well as likewise our evaluations have in fact affirmed that the Juki LB5100 handles whatever fully.

Opinion

This Juki LB5100 is really one of the very most counted on sewing device if you find your own self taking a journey a whole lot along with your jobs or even need to have to possess a mobile one. It is in fact merely unwinding and also astonishingly easy to work together along with; which is what most of our provider choose.

As individuals that have monitored the sewing and also creating covers industry adjustment quickly over the previous many years, our specialists assure you that these 5 layouts are actually the premier, observed through 11 options that are in fact effectively for particulars personal designs (significant components? Crowded by means of leading labels like Performer, Bro, Janome, as well as Juki.

If you are actually one, our specialists advise picking our second option, the Juki HZL-LB5100.

The Performer 9960 possesses whatever an expert drainpipe will want in a modern-day adornment equipment. If that has actually definitely not encouraged you of the lasting resources, enable our business complete the testimony through claiming that Vocalist supplies 25 years of service manufacturer's warranty on this variation along with many others.

Janome JW8100

Intermediate individuals that desire the complete very most worth for their buck

Element Emphasizes

After that this model through Janome is actually exploring be your pal if you lug out a heap of research study only prior to receiving one thing off the planet vast internet or even typically.

Crammed together with several cutting-edge attributes like built-in needle threading, just management, reverse bar, and also a user-intuitive start-stop tool where the tool starts slow-moving as well as afterwards takes the price to prevent passing up, the JW8100 is actually clever enough to conduct extremely most sewing and also making quilts jobs, regardless of the item.

If the product is actually extra strong than one thing you would certainly take advantage of for a jumble, our experts have actually observed it skips stitches. Focusing on froth as well as additionally string might be actually complicated, because of this.

It is in fact an excellent unit for intermediary customers as effectively as happens along with a money-saving cost tag that creates it affordable for people that currently have a carrying out stitching unit.

If you like complete order over the price as properly as also want a counted on producer that you might regularly count on no matter of what, this one might be actually picked.

Janome possesses in fact consistently showcased its own items as long-running and also depended on, as well as in addition to 25 years of supplier's manufacturer's warranty, this merely outshines the prices: one of the most efficient sewing maker for the money you acquire it.

Opinion

Janome performs certainly not enable you down and also if you prefer an equipment that sticks to you throughout, this Janome JW8100 is actually the one to acquire. It completes the best high-rated models on our list.

Brother   XR9550PRW

Intermediary as well as likewise newbie clients that actually prefer a budget-friendly, cost effective manufacturer.

Connect Emphasizes

They mention when you are in fact beginning to discover a brand-new skill-set you require to preferably go throughout with the very most economical version. This Bro design listed here is really the best money-saving sewing producer on the market that simply relaxes there as well as likewise finishes the job that you mark to it. No doubt spoke with.

It blunders to depend on a powerful built and even a quiet functionality arising from this entry-level concept however it still loads a strike as for routine embroidery is really regarded.

If this is in fact desired for a younger amateur like your kid, she is in fact mosting probably to possess a field day from it, as Sibling is in fact mainly acknowledged for its very own easy to use user interface along with an also easier source (manual).

It generates sewing much less made complex along with bit-by-bit. Ensure you opt for the guideline information along with video clip audios in comprehensive just before placing the manufacturer to run.

It has the usual nonpayments: automated needle threader, 8-bit program, straightforward control panel, hard case along with a sizable expansion work desk (for those extensive gowns), along with over one hundred included stitches. This last one are going to absolutely suffice to acquire any kind of sort of first-timer right into realizing exactly how an embroidery tool projects.

Valued just under $200, this is actually without a doubt the most effective relied on device that matches a starter's funds. Distinguish it along with the Performer design over as well as likewise select your option.

[cruger2984]

La Corda d'Oro and its Saints Part 2: July to December

Here’s the second part of some of the characters from La Corda d'Oro, and here they are!

July 5th - Mari Tsuzuki

St. Anthony Maria Zaccaria: Italian confessor who was an early leader of the Counter Reformation, promoter of the devotion to the Passion of Christ, the Eucharist and the renewal of the religious life among the lay people, and is the founder of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul aka the Barnabites. Canonized as a saint by Pope Leo XIII in 1897, his major shrine can be found at San Paolo convent in Milan.

July 8th - Shiro Hozumi

St. Grimbald (Grimwald): Abbot and confessor from the Benedictine order. Although of dubious historical accuracy, the life of Grimbald was recorded in several volumes, of which the main source is referred to as the Vita Prima of St. Grimbaldi. King Alfred met Grimbald before his reign, and after his coronation invited Grimbald to England around 892. After he died in 901, he was venerated as a saint and confessor, and some altars were dedicated to him. He also figures in a number of legendary tales of Oxford.

July 25th - Ryoutaro Tsuchiura

St. James the Greater: One of the twelve apostles of Christ and is described as one of the first disciples to join Jesus. The Synoptic Gospels state that James and his brother John, were with their father Zebedee, by the seashore when Jesus called them to follow him. He is the first apostle to be martyred at the hands of King Herod Agrippa according to the Acts of the Apostles. The traditional pilgrimage to the grave of the saint, known as the ’Way of St. James’, has been the most popular pilgrimage for Western European Catholics from the Early Middle Ages onwards. An even later tradition states that he miraculously appeared to fight for the Christian army during the legendary battle of Clavijo, and was henceforth called Santiago Matamoros (James the Moor-slayer).

August 21st - Housei Toki

Pope St. Pius X: 257th bishop of Rome who reigned for 11 years, and is known for vigorously opposing modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting liturgical reforms and orthodox theology. He directed the production of the 1917 Code of Canon Law, the first comprehensive and systemic work of its kind. He was devoted to the Marian title of Our Lady of Confidence; while his papal encyclical Ad diem illum took on a sense of renewal that was reflected in the motto of his pontificate and he was also advanced the Liturgical Movement as the only Pope to favor the use of the vernacular language in teaching catechesis, he encouraged the frequent reception of holy communion, and he lowered the age for First Communion, which became a lasting innovation of his papacy. After his death, a strong cult of devotion followed his reputation of piety and holiness.

August 26th - Keiichi Shimizu

St. Alexander of Bergamo: He is the patron of Bergamo, North Italy, as well as Capriate San Gervasio and Cervignano d'Adda. He may simply have been a Roman soldier or resident of Bergamo who was tortured and killed for not renouncing his Christian faith. Details of his life are uncertain, but subsequent Christian stories consider him a centurion of the Theban Legion commanded by St. Maurice.

September 3rd - Yukihiro Yagisawa

Pope St. Gregory the Great: 64th bishop of Rome who reigned for 13 years and is the last imperial Roman Pope. He is the first formally to employ the titles Servus servorum Dei (‘Servant of the servants of God’) and Pontifex Maximus ('greatest priest’). He is also establish the Gregorian chant and is known as 'the Father of Christian Worship’.

October 1st - Chiaki Tougane

St. Thérèse of Lisieux: French virgin, mystic, and nun from the Discalced Carmelites and is known for the monicker, ’The Little Flower’. She has been a highly influential model of sanctity for Catholics and for others because of the simplicity and practicality of her approach to the spiritual life. Together with Francis of Assisi, she is one of the most popular saints in the history of the church and she is called her 'the greatest saint of modern times’ by Pope Pius X. She is well-known throughout the world, with the Basilica of Lisieux being the second most popular place of pilgrimage in France after Lourdes. According to the Apostolic Letter, Divini Amoris Scientia (The Science of Divine Love), Pope St. John Paul II declared her the Doctor of the Church on October 19th, 1997.

October 17th - Shinobu Ousaki

St. Ignatius of Antioch: Early Christian writer, bishop of Antioch, martyr and one of the Church Fathers alongside St. Clement and St. Polycarp. He may have known the apostle John directly, and his thought is certainly influenced by the tradition associated with this apostle. En route to his martyrdom in Rome, Ignatius wrote a series of letters which have been preserved as an example of the theology of the earliest Christians. He is the second after Clement to mention the Pauline epistles.

November 3rd - Shoko Fuyuumi

St. Martin de Porres: Known for his monicker, ’Saint of the Broom’, he is a Dominican lay brother from Peru and is noted for his work on behalf of the poor, establishing an orphanage and a children’s hospital. He maintained an austere lifestyle, which included fasting and abstaining from meat. Among the many miracles attributed to him were those of levitation, bilocation, miraculous knowledge, instantaneous cures, and an ability to communicate with animals, hence his attributes that is saw in his holy card. He is the patron of hairstylists, mixed-race people, innkeepers, public health workers, and all those seeking racial harmony.

November 12th - Aoi Kaji

St. Josaphat Kuntsevych: Archeparch of Polotsk who martyred by an angry mob in Vitebsk Voivodeship in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (now in Belarus). Beatified by Pope Urban VIII and canonized as a saint by Pope Pius IX. He is known as the patron saint of Ukraine.

November 14th - Leiji Myoga

St. Lorcán Ua Tuathail (Laurence O'Toole): Irish archbishop at the time of Ireland’s Norman invasion, and is played a prominent role in the Irish Church Reform Movement of the 12th century and mediated between the parties during and after the invasion. In 1225, Pope Honorius III canonized him as a saint.

December 3rd - Arata Mizushima

St. Francis Xavier: Along with Ignatius of Loyola, he is the co-founder of the Society of Jesus (aka Jesuits). Known as the ’Apostle to the Far East’, he is one of the first seven Jesuits who took vows of poverty and chastity at Montmartre, Paris, in 1534, and led an extensive mission into Asia, mainly in the Portuguese Empire of the time and was influential in evangelization work, most notably in India. He also was the first Christian missionary to venture into Japan, Borneo, the Maluku Islands, and other areas. In those areas, struggling to learn the local languages and in the face of opposition, he had less success than he had enjoyed in India. Canonized as a saint by Pope Gregory XV in 1622, he is the patron saint of foreign missions. Pope Pius XI published the decree ’Apostolicorum in Missionibus’, naming Francis Xavier, along with Thérèse of Lisieux as co-patrons of all foreign missions.

December 12th - Kazuki Hihara

Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe): A Marian title that is associated with a venerated image (in the form of a tilma by St. Juan Diego) enshrined within the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. On October 1895, Pope Leo XIII granted the image a Canonical Coronation. Since then the Virgin of Guadalupe has been proclaimed ’Queen of Mexico’, ’Patroness of the Americas’, ‘Empress of Latin America’, and ’Protectress of Unborn Children’. On July 16th 1935, she was also proclaimed ’Heavenly Patroness of the Philippines’ by Pope Pius XI both witnessed and signed by Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, a designation he later rescinded in 1942 upon becoming Pius XII.

December 29th - Daichi Sakaki

St. Thomas Becket: English Archbishop and martyr who was well educated and quickly became an agent to Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury, who sent him on several missions to Rome. Becket’s talents were noticed by Henry II, who made him his chancellor and the two became close friends. When Theobald died in 1161, Henry made Becket archbishop. Becket transformed himself from a pleasure-loving courtier into a serious, simply-dressed cleric. In 1170, four knights, believing the king wanted Becket out of the way, confronted and murdered Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.

[guylty]

Apart from Michele lobbying for this film in the wake of the horror of Hannibal, I wouldn’t have considered 2014 disaster flick Into The Storm for a rewatch, had ITS not been on Irish free TV at the end of January. That already preempts my verdict to some degree.  You see, I don’t think that it is what we call “ganz großes Kino” in German [great cinema]. To stay with the metaphor, it’s probably more along the lines of “ganz großes Damentennis” [great women’s tennis]. Ok, those are in-jokes for those who can speak German. Very bad form, Guylty, very bad! What it means is: ITS is not a triumph of early 21st century cinema. And this is why:

Recap

It’s an ordinary day in Silverton, Ohio, where single-parent assistant principal Gary Fuller herds his teenage sons Trey and Donnie to school. Trey is documenting the day with his camcorder; Donnie, the elder of the two, is pissed off with his dad. Daddy Gary at the same time is distracted by the preparations for the afternoon’s graduation ceremony. Meanwhile, a motley crew of ‘storm chasers’ have come into the area because they expect a strong hurricane to landfall. And it does – but it’s the mother of all hurricanes, a monster storm that wreaks havoc in Silverton, scatters the graduation, and, worst of all, traps Donnie Fuller together with love interest Kaitlyn in a disused mill where they nearly drown – if it hadn’t been for Daddy Fuller, the quirky brother, and some unexpected help from the storm chasers. But all’s well that ends well: daddy comes to rescue, the youngsters are saved at the last minute, the nasty career-storm chaser gets his comeuppance but simultaneously redeems himself, and the Fuller lads are one happy family again.

So, we’ve got the ingredients for a regular summer blockbuster here: (natural) disaster with opportunity for big time CAD, vaguely topical issue (global warming), family dynamics (dad vs son), small little love story (Donnie & Kat, Gary & meteorologist Allison), nasty slave-driving boss getting what he deserves, single-parent mother separated from her child because of work, two country-bumpkin eejits for light relief, major, nail-biting drama and a happy ending. Maybe some of what is wrong with the film is already visible in that list: There is too much in it, and it doesn’t *quite* know what it wants to be. It takes on too many things, and instead of just being content with being a two-dimensional, silly disaster movie along the lines of Sharknado, it wants to take itself seriously, attempting “issues” in order to attract viewers. The strength of disaster movies is usually the special effects or the computer design of the catastrophe. So why obscure that silly fun with serious issues? Global warming as the cause of intense weather phenomena? Of course, we know that. But do I look to a summer movie to learn more about the effects of climate change? Eh, no! Just as much as I don’t want to get into a subtle subplot about single-parent issues and the strains of having to separate from your child in order to earn money. Just get on the with the disaster, throw around a few 10-ton-trucks and jumbo jets, and I’ll be happy.

Not sure where this gif comes from – credit to the maker

In that sense, the strongest scenes in the movie are the action/disaster sequences. When Gary runs across the street after his car is inadvertently crashed, and a pick-up truck smashes into the pavement about ten feet beside him, then that is great (disaster) cinema. Armitage clinging on to a car door for dear life – and to save met lady Allison from being sucked up into the tornado: predictable but essential ingredient to a disaster movie. And bonus: wet bum shot. Of Armitage! Not the woman! *That* would be sexist! A whole group of helpless humans, huddling in a massive drain for shelter against the storm, being thrown around by mother nature – great both in terms of providing scale as well as giving more opportunity for heroics. But all that sentimental crap about Allison not being with her daughter, Gary and Donnie’s relationship being strained, and Pete the storm chaser pressuring his underlings into risking their lives – unnecessary and not believable.

  Cardboard Cut-outs

Not least because the characters are mere cardboard cut-outs, stereotypes, and as such just a cheap trick to offer a quick n easy way to identify or engage with one of the characters. Yet I found it strangely difficult to get invested because the characters were just too stereotypical: The hard-working father who is trying his best to bring up his sons; elder son has an issue with dad being over-protective. Young son OTOH is happy-go-lucky popular kid. Met lady has small daughter who lives with grandparents because mum has to travel for work: I should’ve latched on to these people immediately because I share one massive characteristic with them – I am a parent. (Happy mother’s day, btw.) But that one facet in a person is not enough for me to connect and engage with a character. I understand that ITS is a film that is basically telling a story in real time. So there is no opportunity for massive insights or for character set-up. Or maybe there would’ve been if the film had concentrated on fewer characters. Apart from Pete the head storm chaser, did we need Allison and the other storm chasing crew? We certainly didn’t need the town eejits, and we probably could also have done without the burgeoning love story between Donnie and Kaitlyn. If Gary Fuller was the main character, then the film should’ve focussed on him – and his heroics. That would’ve done the trick.

As for Armitage in the film: No complaints as such. His performance is solid – as it always is. You can sort of tell that this is basically his first time playing an American character. The accent doesn’t sit well with him – it just doesn’t sound right imo: When he speaks, his whole voice changes. It’s deeper in tone, and not as melodious as usual. Which is a pity, because his voice (and his vocal talents) are always an asset to any show. Otherwise he gets away with portraying the great looking, fit and healthy athletic All American dad, right down to those beautifully regular white and shiny front teeth. I do buy his act as a dad – in fact more so than his act as the vice principal of a small town high school. The man just is too gorgeous for such an existence. Casting fail *grins*.

The effects in the film work well – once you suspend your disbelief, everything is possible, and the fire tornado or the monster hurricane that bounces jumbo jets around as if they were matchbox toys, look reasonably real. The climactic storm scene – with Pete’s (literal) comeuppance – OTOH is designed straight from baroque altar pieces (see right).  Towering clouds fading into white… You almost expect the eye of providence to pop up on top of the screen. And so sickly sweet with its bright clouds and shining light and predictable that it spoils the otherwise hair-raising disaster porn.

For me, the greatest regret of the film is that its concept obviously changed at some point. The initial idea of basing the majority of the film on “found footage” – was actually a great idea, both in terms of aesthetics as well as story telling. But that concept eventually is thrown out of the window even though little brother Trey, who executes the concept at the beginning of the film by shooting a ‘time capsule project’, continues to carry the camera with him. From the middle of the film found footage is not happening anymore – which makes the film strangely asymmetrical. One wonders whether the film was significantly reshot after screen testing? There definitely were reshoots, as can be seen as early as the first scene of the film when Gary’s hair is definitely shorter than a scene later…

#gallery-0-4 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-4 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-0-4 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-4 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Miraculous hair growth. Well, RA has mentioned before that he has won prizes for growing his beard faster than anyone else… Looks as if the Armitagean follicles are stuff of legend and miracle!

Final verdict

Unfortunately, the second time ‘round, the film doesn’t improve. When I watched it in the cinema – summer evening, teenage son with me, bag of pop corn at the ready – it really did what it set out to do: It was a meaningless summer flick, more aimed at the boys than the girls, easily whiling away 89 minutes with lots of rain, thunder, assorted farm equipment flying through the air and the occasional jumbo jet twirling across the airport concourse. Four and a half years later, the film hasn’t exactly become a cult classic. And it’s easy to see why: It’s neither excruciatingly bad, nor exquisitely good. Maybe the audience wants to see even more extreme effects – or the opposite is true and in light of global warming the audience *doesn’t* want to be reminded of the havoc that the climate can play with us. And without any particularly exciting human interest story in the film, ITS has been laid to rest in the mid-week movie graveyard. That’s not what Richard Armitage deserves – who gives his best as he always does. Maybe all it was for him, was an elaborate screen test. He certainly comes across well. And at least he has ticked another genre off his list.   

What about you? What do you think about the film? Comment below or write a post on your blog and link back to me so we can discuss! 

PS: April is coming! And we need a new re-watch. Suggestions?

Re-Watching Into The Storm – Not Much of a Twist Apart from Michele lobbying for this film in the wake of the horror of Hannibal, I wouldn’t have considered 2014 disaster flick…

[consultingsister-aa]

PROFESSOR JAMES RICARD MORIARTY. aka jim moriarty. FIFTY-SIX. MATHS PROFESSOR + CRIMINAL. LONDON, ENGLAND. DIVORCED / SINGLE.

James Ricard Moriarty was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to Irish-born Patrick Moriarty and his Danish mother, Anja Jensen. James was described as their ‘miracle child’ as both parents were in their early forties when he was born and had struggled with infertility for years. After his first four years in Denmark, James moved with his parents to Dublin, where his father accepted a position at Trinity College as a lecturer in History. After he started school, his mother returned to work as a maths teacher at a private high school. It was from his mother he inherited his love of maths, which he eventually went on to study at university, moving back to Denmark to study at the University of Copenhagen. His childhood was a relatively happy and settled one, until he was thirteen and his father lost his job at the university due to a sexual assault charge. The Moriarty’s ha grown accustomed to a certain lifestyle, and it was hard for all three. They had to downsize their house and take James out his private school. Patrick was shunned by his academic colleagues and even Anja felt she had leave her school in search of other employment. James resented his father’s actions and they way they had to live then, supported only on his mother’s high school teacher salary. His parents divorced when he was fifteen and he moved to London with his mother in hopes of starting afresh; he has not spoken to his father since leaving Ireland but did decide to keep his name. 

At university he was described as a charming and likeable young man, who prefered subdued dinner parties and intellectual conversation to clubbing and drinking. However it was mentioned by some that he never seemed to be overly close to anyone, and while he had a circle of friends, they knew more about his views on the war in Israel than they did about his personal life. A few lecturers pegged him to becoming one of the 21st century's greatest social critics and philosophers if he put his mind to it. 

After his graduation he returned to England to study a mathematics masters at Oxford, while supporting his mother who by this point, was dying of ovarian cancer. She saw her son graduate however died within three months. James returned to Denmark after his mother’s death and began teaching at the University of Copenhagen, publishing mathematics papers, as well as essays on culture, politics and literature. At twenty-six he married fellow Dane, Sabina Frandsen however they marriage ended seven years later due to their differing opinions on having children. For a while James continued teaching in Denmark before eventually moving back to London after his divorce. It was around this time he began working as a 'numbers man’ for a criminal organization based in London. 

James’ criminal inclination do not come from a great evil or desire to cause pain but instead from a fear of once again feeling powerless and lack financial stability. The trauma of losing everything in his teens shook him to his core and he worked to avoid this once again. However it should be stated that James had always shown some psychopathic tendencies, feeling himself superior to those around him, using his charm and intellect to be incredibly manipulative and having increasingly ‘shallow emotions’. While James did not outwardly seek violence or a criminal lifestyle, he was not bothered by what needed to be done to achieve their main aim. It was a means to an end. 

By the time that Sherlock Holmes strayed across his path in 2011, James was working at a mathematical professor at Oxford University but only as a cover for his criminal exploits. His closest advisor is ex-colonel Sebastian Moran and although there are rumours of a romantic/sexual relationship between the two, they have never been verified. Professor Moriarty considered Sherlock as a impressive opponent but didn’t think much of his younger sister; marking her only as possible weak point. He was then surprised by her effort to bring down his organization, and even more so when his loyal dog Moran took an interest in the woman. To say he regrets what happened to Charlotte Holmes would be a garve overstatement, what he regrets if the irreplaceable trust lost between himself and Sebastian Moran. He never intended for the child to be hurt and did step away from the Holmes family as a result. Moriarty has very few lines he would not cross in pursuit of his goals, however sexual violence is not tolerated. Not for the sake of the victim of course; while most other violent crime has a purpose, sexual violence is only to indulge an animal desire that should be controlled and after what his father did to his family with his ‘animalistic urges’ he has no patience for it or those who commit it. 

Prof. Moriarty lives between London and Oxford and is now coming into his late fifties. He is described as having an odd ‘unplaceable’ accent, a mix of Danish and Irish but very understandable English. He enjoys walks in the park, museum visits, intellectual dinners with colleagues and hearing the blood curdling screams of his latest victims.