Blind Spot: Hitler’s Secretary
Andre Heller and Othmar Schmiderer, documentarians, rolled their cameras and 81-year-old Traudl Junge recalls for some 95 minutes her life as Hitler’s secretary.
We see, through her life and experiences, a unique view of Hitler, the Nazi regime and the German peoples mind set at the time. “I never got the idea he [...]

The mother stood there terrified, trying to hush her baby by nursing it as her children gathered close around her. The bayonet came at her several times, her children screaming, “Do not stab my mommy!” she finally fell dropping the baby, who wailed in frustration. The solider speared the baby through its buttocks and chucked [...]

This film beautifully recalls a glorious time in our nation’s history, a time of my youth that I fear we will never see the likes of again.
These are the stories of the hero’s who went to the moon the story of a time when all Americans indeed the world, were proud to be able [...]

In 1984, in a gross miscarriage of justice and law enforcement Darryl Hunt was convicted for the kidnapping, robbery, rape and murder of 25-year-old Deborah Skyes, a copy editor at the local paper in Winston Salem, N. Carolina. He served 20 years for a crime he did not commit. After his conviction, the perpetrator repeated [...]

After watching this relative unknown, at least to us here in America, win the Oscar for best actress, I knew I had to watch this film. Always intrigued by Billy Holiday and other unique voices, one name stands alone for me… Edith Piaf. Even with no understanding of French, some voices cross all language barriers [...]

The big blue bus whisks us down Hwy 1, past the Jack Nicklaus Golf course, currently under construction ~ a mere $350 to play we learn. Going past small concrete houses, villas and many hotels we embark at Melia Cabo Real, greeted by friendly Company big wigs, our choice of water, Mai Tai, Mango Margaritas [...]

We meet at a fellow travelers home around 4 am for a round of Bloody Mary’s, except our driver, toast in memory of my son Christopher (who died this very morning 4 years ago), and then make it to Meadows Field or The Bill Thomas Airport as 1 in 10 people call it. Bill has [...]

The summer of love was buried Oct. 6.1967, the funeral “Death of a Hippie” conducted by those left in the Haight, signaled the end of the grand experiment. The next year 1968 would demolish any remnants left and encase them in cement.
Beginning on Jan.5th Dubcek is elected as leader in Czechoslovakia, John Cash records “Live [...]

The Lives of Others

This one won an Oscar for best foreign language film in 2006, with a highly nuanced and intelligent script this political yet very human film grabs you and does not let go. I cannot say enough about these actors, not a bad one in the bunch .Yet Ulrich Muhe, who plays the [...]

This week has been a brutal one for me, my community and especially two local families. A tragic accident occurred, two young warrior boys out doing what such boys do and one was instantly killed in a dirt cave in. The survivor using the logic skills of a young child could only think to protect [...]

Others will better dissect the politics of this mess, with greater intelligence and whit than I will. I have already written about the disservice we do to our returning vets in regards to mental health care~ in fact our disservice to all vets. What more can I say? What can I do to make hearts [...]

Heraclitus ~ a.k.a. “The Obscure” He was an heir to a throne, a student of life who gave up all for the path of wisdom, and one cantankerous old coot. He lived in Ephesus, on the Asia Minor coast around 535-475 BC. His writing survived the Persian Empire, the Greeks and then the Romans. Plato, [...]

This is a movie only a cinematographer, a movie buff or accolade could love. We all give ourselves over to obsession, be it to prove 1+1 =2, or the illusion of the dollar and the safety we hope it provides, or to religious belief. This documentary explores those whom “God has seduced, and who have [...]

This weeks post is a bit disjointed, as that is how I am feeling and how the world appears to be right now. Yet there is always sinew, some type of connectivity… the trick is to puzzle it out.
The chorus harmonizes the economy is “fine”,but is offset by the falling stock market, a barrel of [...]

I am sure you have been as annoyed by them as I have.They always seem to come at the exact wrong time,at my door,invading my space.After watching Independent Lens the other night ,right before I politely tell them “no thanks” I am going to add a “Thanks”~ here is why you may wish to [...]