I wonder if the museum has an ice-cold flag pole you can put your tongue on? Go ahead, I triple-dog dare you!

There were some real eye opening moments in the film. One in particular made me angry. Mr. Gore was convincingly illustrating the point that it’s a false choice when some say we can either fight against global warming, or have a strong economy. He displayed this graph:

(source: http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-in-depth/all_reports/fuel_economy/)

Look at the fuel economy standards for the United States! Japan and the European Union currently have almost double the MPG standards we do! Seeing that chart makes me embarrassed to be a U.S. citizen. Oh, and guess which automobile manufacturers makers are making the highest profits? The Japanese. The U.S. automakers have been experiencing the worst losses in the industry. Higher standards lead to innovation which leads to more sales, which makes the economy stronger.

Another eye opening point for me was that fact that we already have the means to combat this problem. It sounds simplistic, but if everyone did just little things (like use efficient compact florescent light bulbs, turn down the heat a degree or two, use less hot water) it actually can make big difference. It’s also so very important to let your representatives know how concerned you are about the rising levels of CO2, and the subsequent increases in global warming.

It was said in the film that future generations will see the state the planet is in and might very well ask, “Why didn’t they do something about this?”

Let’s do something now and eliminate the possibility of the question.

Movie: Grease
Thirty year old actors portraying high school students? Campy pop songs with trite lyrics? A plot with more clichés than a post-game sports interview? It’s all there and I watch it every time it’s on.

Music: John Denver
When his song “Annie’s Song” was on the charts I was in 7th grade, smack dab in the middle of my first crush. To this day when I hear that song, I can see the girl’s face as plain as day and I’m back in junior high. The very first concert I ever attended was a John Denver show. I was 13 years old. Not long after that concert, he released the live album, An Evening With John Denver. It’s still one of my favorite albums, although my guilt prevents me from putting it on my list of favorites [edit: page no longer available]. In 2001 RCA released a remastered, deluxe, two CD edition of that album. Guess who bought it?

Television: Survivor
It’s a stupid show and I’ve never missed an episode. I want to see who wins the million. I want to see how the alliances form and fall apart. I want to see the surprises and twists the producers throw into the game. But most of all I don’t want to like it.

Why is it my favorite? Well, first there’s the American Indian aspect of the story. There is an air of authenticity to the way the movie portrays the Lakota People (right down to the Indians speaking the Lakota Language). I also enjoy the theme of the main character (John Dunbar, a.k.a. Dances With Wolves). He seems to be struggling with the question that so many of us also wonder about: to find out who he really is. His discovery begins when he starts to encounter the Indian People. Through that discovery, he does seem to get his question answered.

What’s so special about the new special edition DVD? It includes scenes originally cut from the theatrical release. The movie now clocks in at about four hours. Yes it’s a long movie, but the formerly deleted scenes do bring essential background and character development that I think is critical to the story. The two disc set also includes a few extra features, including a documentary on the making of this Academy Award winning film.

Do yourself a favor and check out Dances With Wolves.