Saturday, September 26, 2009

Book Review

Kindertransport
Jennifer Childers
Historical romance
Available from The Wild Rose Press
ISBN: 1-60154-522-3 August 2009

In the months before full scale war breaks out in Germany Erika Lehmeier is trying to find a way to help the six children she cares for escape death.
Hitler has decreed that people who have no worth to society, the ones he calls feeders, have to die to preserve the sanctity of the Aryan race. Erika knows the strengths and goodness of the children and can't bear to see them harmed. The only one she can turn to is Rickard Sankt an SS officer. Will he help her or lead them all to certain death?

Jennifer Childers tells a fascinating story of atrocities committed by people who believed in a leader who brought them to prosperity. By the time they realize what is going on they couldn't refuse to follow his demands if they wanted to live.

There are always those, like Gregor, who thrive with a license for cruelty. The writer reminds us in many ways that he and others of his ilk aren't representatives of all German society. Most readers know the history of the death camps where Jews and other unwanted adults were annihilated. This is a heart wrenching tale.

I don't think the plans to destroy a whole generation of adults and children with any kind of mental, emotional or physical defect is as widely known.
Excellent characters and dialogue throughout show the wide variation in the German citizens' reactions to what is going on around them in the world. Erika, Rickard, Father Julian, Olga and many others show the diversity and the love everyday Germans have for their country. Ms. Childers has done an exceptional job crafting this mixture of fact and fiction into a book that will captivate the reader from first page to last.

Overall rating: Sensuality rating: Very sensual

Sunday, May 3, 2009

History's tough mothers

The worlds'oldest profession, err, the other oldest profession.

Motherhood.

We are the cornerstone of society, the building blocks of an empire rest on our shoulders, how we nurture the next generation makes history.This mothers day, I would like to acknowlege some of the tough mothers we might have forgotten.

Anne Boleyn:
Refusal to become Henry VIII's mistrress. Anne kept her eyes on the prize. She became Queen of England when Catherine of Aragon was evicted back to Spain. A key figure in the English Reformation, She gave birth to one of the greatest leaders in England.
Queen Elizabeth I. Sadly the birth of a dughter became her undoing when the king wanted a son. She was beheaded May 1536 for hight treason.
When her daughter became queen, Anne was verated as a marty and heroine of the English Reformation. Her sister ran off with her child and raised her so, Mary Boleyn deserves mention as a tough mom as well.

Olympus of Epirus:
Princess of Epirote, commander of her own army and Queen of Macedonia, Alexander the Great just called her mom.Angry at comments that her son was an inferior hier as he wasn't of pure Macedonian blood, she told her husband Zeus fathered her baby.
They divorced and her husband, King Philip of Macedonia, denied Alexander. At the wedding of his next wife, a toast was made blessing Philip and the legitimate heirs he will have with his new bride. Philip then offered this man the hand of his daughter (with Olympia).
He was found murdered soon after and Alexander took over his father's throne.She supported her son and they were close, afer his death Olympia reared her grandchildren as warriors, plotted against ememies and caused the deaths of usurpers.
Cruel while in control it is said she was denied burial rites after she died.

Elizabeth (Ersébeth) Bathory:
The countess of Hungary, mass murderer, occultist and mother of four.When accused of her crimes against female blood the countess outsmarted her cousins attempt at a land grab and left all her property to her children, assuring thier wealth and title after her death.
She helped fund the war against the Turks and was in line to be queen of Poland. Her son stood up for her in court. Bathory was not executed but bricked up in her room until she died four years later in 1610.

Cleopatra:
Incestuous marriage to her brother yeilded no children. Political alliances (and betrayals) bore a son to Julias Ceasar and a son as well as twins to Marc Antony.Her reign marks the reign of the Roman Era i n the Eastern Mediterranean.
She rebelled against Rome and tried to fend for the best interests of Egypt. Allied with Marc Antony they suffered a final defeat at Actuim. She killed herself.
Her beauty was not as renowned as history proclaims. in the words of Plutarch, what made Cleopatra attractive was her wit, charm and sweetenss in her tone of voice.

Coretta Scott King
After her husband's murder in 1968, the easiest course for this lady might bave been to flee to a more tolerant part of the country and never risk raising public ire again. Coretta might have been critcized for not protecting her children, instead she rose to the challenge of continuing her husbands work with the civil rights movementas as well as the womens movement.
She approached Josephine Baker,an entertainer and activist, to take over her husbands place as leader of the civil rights movemement. she declined stating her children were too young to lose a mother.
Coretta steped up to the plate herself, speaking boldly for human rights, and an end to war and poverty.she founded the Martin Luther King Jr. Center of Non Violent Social Change in Atlanta.
Any threat of violence was superceded by a desire to carve a better world for children, hers and ours.

Does motherhood bestow an occult inner strength or does the power of love transcend all forces both natural and supernatural?

Monday, April 27, 2009

Lt. Nyota Uhura

In 1966 a new show came on the air called Star Trek.
A western set in space, the show gave free thinkers food for thought, in fact, after 79 seasons it was cancelled for being "too cerebral."

As a kindergartener watching this show with my older brothers, it didn't occur to me that white people working with other races, let alone Vulcans, should be unusual in any way.
I loved Uhura.
It was a dark secret I had to keep to myself, as an upper middle class child, growing up in the 70's there were some things not accepted.

In the 70's if there was a black woman on the screen she was a nanny, whore or maid.

Enter Nichelle Nichols.

The bridge of the Enterprise was graced with a woman who was elegant, refined and highly intelligent. Every inch a lady, Uhura shattered the stereotype not only for black women but women everywhere. She did not get coffee, no one referred to her as "the little lady" and she held her own without benefit of a husband.

Her skirt got shorter with the part and Nichelle thought about quitting. She tells about being in her dressing room when Martin Luther King popped in to say hello. He told her don't quit, no matter how small the part becomes, she is a role model to black girls on a show optimistic about the future.

Thankfully, she didnt quit, but Dr. King was only half right. Lt. Uhura was not just an inspiration to black girls. To the little girl ostracized for facial paralysis, Uhura gave me an example of dignity I tried to emulate as I walked down the halls at school. Lifting my head high I wouldn't let anyone see me cry. I read and learned to ignore ugly things I heard. (ok I did backslide and get suspended for fighting once. must have been my inner Kirk)

I look forward to the prequel "Trek XI" comes out next month. In the thirty second trailer you have Uhura stripping off her shirt.
Annoyance began creeping up my spine.
There is rumor she is going to have an affair with Kirk.
I gave an exasperated sigh.

As the release date nears, I am ready for battle. I want to love the movie, but more than that, I want Uhura treated with the class and dignity she has personified for 40 years.
She is nobody's slut and I don't think she needs to shake her money maker for ratings. (Isn't that what the Andorians were for?)

I will become very angry if they sully this refined character and make her ship's trollop. I will resort to coarse language when I rip into my communications board and blast Paramount out of the water.
I hope I am over reacting to a thirty second trailer and the creators of this movie will respect Rodenberry's vision.

It is a vision wrapped snugly in my psyche. Peace, cooperation, and unity made possible through acceptance of others and acceptance of self.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

The Watchmen

I went to see this movie last week. I really can't say I'm a prude of any type as I can make a sailor blush with limited effort and I am a fan of the martial arts, but enough is enough.

I don't feel so guilty when critcizing a work by someone who has enough fame not to be hurt by my comments, and frankly, they don't care what the likes of me thinks anyway, but let me talk about this film and there will be spoilers aplenty.

The story starts with a murder. A character called the comedian is killed in a violent struggle for his life. He was a hero, a war veteran and a real scumbag. By the time you learn more about this character the more grateful you are to the killer.
First, the comedian isn't funny. The irony behind this is told by the other hero in this retired gang of superheroes, Roshack. (more than likely spelled wrong)

You see Roshack is an abuse survivor and moralist, the comedian would be his foil. the final joke is on the people themselves when Roshack points out there is no real good, when the forces of good are willing to do evil in the name of good.

Confused?

I don't blame you. Let me talk about the characters. In the 1940's The Watchmen became such effective crime fighters there was no more need for police. The comedian brutally beats his fellow superhero and attempts to rape her. He is stopped by his fellow crimefighters. (nothing happens to the abuser)
Later you find out the next generation heroine is the child of the rapist and the girl superhero (these characters are so bland I can't remember their names.) seems she let him have a second shot.

Please. If a woman is tough enough to fight off a superman is she really weak enough to let the SOB take a second shot at her? I couldn't find this realistic at all, unless she was a dolt or a doormat, no woman in her right mind would let this masogynist near her.

Her daughter grows up to be a superhero in her own right. Falls in love with some radioactive man with glowing blue skin and an impressive member. He is naked through most of the movie and Mr. Happy is glowing for most of it.
Great. A smurf on steroids.
This romance started after Mr. Blue dumped his lady love for a younger woman then he is devoid of emotion (not to mention morals, personality or sensitivity) and she dumps him for a nice, bland younger, former super hero, whose name I also cannot remember.

The duo rescue Roshack from prison. The one character with depth and likeability, brilliantly played. He is tortured, he is committed to ridding the world of moral disease. Problem is, he works with most of it.

The violence is over the top and unnecessary. When the baddies try to get Roshack in his cell, thug gets his hands tied, then his arms cut off when his boss gets hold of a chain saw and dismmebers his lackey for being in the way of the door. so you are looking at a double amputee with blood gushers flowing from two bloody stumps.

The good guys (after some sex) do save Roshack, though it was hardly necessary. One fight scene focused on the heroines stilletto shoes and long flowing hair. I guess dressing like a slut increases your armor class?

The end was interesting, I liked the twist and if you haven't seen the movie, quit reading now.
I really am trying to save you $10.

The former superhero, (now mega rich) has decided in order to save billions, a few million have to die. He blames Blue member for bombing New York so the world can unite against a new enemy. This sends big blue off to outer space to live out his days and makes a hero out of the hero turned villain so the greater good could be served. Now we have world peace and it only cost a few million lives. This put Roshack over the edge and he allows himself to be killed. His life was a lie, his mission to punish the guilty was made a lie with his team mates actions, and to live would be spitting in the face of truth.

I was sad. He was the only character I could care about.
So the movie ends with a stalemate of sorts. The Watchmen can't punish the bad guy because he is a good guy, yet he just killed off New york to serve the greater good.
err...
Now the world is at peace and the newspapers are bummed. Nothing to print you understand, until the news geek finds Roshack's journal, hope! there is enough dirt in there to win a pulitzer for sure.
This is how the movie ends, not a bang or a whimper just trumped up special effects to cover a weak plot and weaker acting.
Sadly, its a trend.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

manners

I admit it, I did not attend the Emily Post academy of good manners, but I do like Miss Manners column.

Being a charm school dropout, i am not cultivated in all social graces, but for the love of pete would a little common courtesy kill us?

I had to pay a speeding ticket. In line with several people I waited to plead guilty or innocent and have my fee reduced by the kindly DA at the end of the line who took his morning for this purpose.

A gentleman, we are blessed with those in the south, opened the door for a lady carrying a load and the broad says to him "your moms proud of ya"
my jaw dropped, she went through the security door (lucky for her) and I exclaimed
"what the hell was that?"
People looked surprised and I went on to expliain "a thank you is all she needed to say. Why in hell would you be rude to someone offering you a courtesy. what a bitch"

Yes, i've covered my lack of ladylike decorum in these circumstances before. the gentleman in question seemed shocked at my response. Honestly, women complain about men all the time, its a wonder they bother with women at all. To be off the cuff rude to someone who was nice to you is inexcusable. I wanted to box her ears!

Back in the 80's when Cosmopolitan magazine was considered the women's bible (May God have mercy) there was an article listing smart alec responses to men's sexist behaviour. such behaviour including, opening the door, offerein to help with our coats or pulling a chair for us to sit down.

Please. Bring me a time when these are the most serious offenses a man can make against a woman and I will never say another word against chewing tobacco, fart jokes, or the obsession they have with cars.

Anyway I complimented the young man on his manners and apologized for this woman's lack of refinement. So the battle rages between my biker half and the part that remembers etiquette class and dressing in lace.

In closing, be kind to men. They have suffered with woman''s sufferage far longer than they should have with the conflicting ideas and the constant beratement. Give him the remote, make some supper and give him a backrub. He earned it.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Hypocrites

In the workforce, some semblance of manners is expected when dealing with people. We need courtesy, it is a social lubricant. It also keeps us from tossing people from tall buildings, not that they may deserve it.

I thought I was close with a patient. she was about my age and we both have teenagers. I honestly don't remember saying anything out of line to her. I do remember her spawn being in the room.

The subject was Nazi's. Allegedly, I talked about Nazi's and the topic was enough to throw the faux southern belle into a swoon. I don't remember saying anything. Our kids are studying the Holocaust in school and have to read the book "Night". Seeing the book may have prompted a comment, i honestly don't know.

My Uncle liberated a concentration camp and my father fought the Battle of the Bulge. I have no Nazi leanings I promise.

Back to the uproar. Supposedly, due to thier Christian belief (did I mention I was raised Catholic?) the subject of Nazi's is too harrowing for their mindset and they simply cannot abide my presence any longer.

oh dear, my paycheck is now cut in half.
Had I uttered a "sieg hiel" or talked about Hitler's dreamy eyes, I could understand the outrage. What really brasses me off, is the teenager.

More than once she missed the bus and I took her to school (let me also mention the nursing services are paid by the taxpayer, the client pays nothing.) She asked me to take her to a fast food restaurant before we went to school. I said fine.

This budding epitome of Christian womanhood did nothing but talk about how niggers shouldn't be at her school and she wished the county would re-segregate.
I remained a professional and said nothing.

Had I actually held Nazi leanings, I would have explained to the little darling that the handicapped would have been listed among the unworthy and she and mumsy would have a government paid vacation to the detainment center of its choice.

so all I can say is "wow". The crime of sixty years past will be held against a person with a word, while the crimes of 40 years past are celebrated.

May God forgive us.

Monday, February 9, 2009