Friday, September 08, 2006

Truth in Cinema

Headline from CNN.com reads: "Clinton to ABC: 'Tell the truth' about 9/11.

First of all, isn't that like some kind of oxymoron or something? Look at the source! Bill Clinton telling anyone to "tell the truth" is like the funniest joke in history. The man who was bought up on charges for lying to a grand jury. Perjury! He was impeached on charges of perjury - not sleeping with his aid - PERJURY! Can you say liar? Bill Clinton is a convicted LIAR. PERJURY! So now who's truth is going to be told? Bill Clinton's? "I did not sleep with Monica". Right!

Come on folks. If I were Jay Leno I would be having a field day with that one. Who is writing the script for CNN? What about ABC?

Second biggest joke in recent history would be - "We expect Hollywood and the movie industry media to tell the truth about anything". It doesn't happen. It doesn't matter if it is about 9/11 or not. It doesn't matter if they are TV movie makers or Theater movie makers. All they care about is ratings. It is about money, money, money. Hey, admit it, 9/11 (especially on the five year anniversary) is going to draw a big crowd. Big crowds mean big ratings, big ratings mean big advertising dollars $$$ cha-ching.

Everything they ever do they do with "poetic license" or what they call "artistic license". Why is that? Because they can't tell the truth either. Or it doesn't make for a good movie. It doesn't sell ratings as much as telling it with a lot of fabrication. That is why they make movies. They do not make truth and we should never, ever believe that what they do - whether they call it a documentary or not - should be considered in any way to the truth. Of course the dialog is fictitious. It will never be accurate because it wasn't recorded at the time it was spoken and if it was we would probably find that it was far different than what we have already been told and what the movie portrays anyway.

So people, get over it. If you're going to watch the movie look at it as a piece of fiction mixed with historical truth.

Five years ago, the day it happened I told my wife that within five years Hollywood would make a movie about 9/11. They can't seem to help themselves. They feed off of the misery of others and the tragedy of the world like a carnivorous predator feeds on the rotten flesh of a fallen corpse.

And those who watch such things... You are no better than the predators themselves. With your mouths you may make a noise that says: "Oh, this is terrible. What a terrible tragedy! How could the movie makers make such a film and not show or tell 100% of the truth?" All the while your eyes are glued to your televisions, drinking your beers, eating your popcorn and waiting for the next grizzly scene. Why? Because you want to be shock. You want to be entertained by the gruesome events that took place that day and you don't really care that it is about real lives. You would sit and watch every "based on a true story" movie that comes on television and in the end - you'll brush the crumbs from your lap at the end of the movie; stand, stretch and go to bed. Because in your mind it doesn't really matter if it was "based on a true story" or not - you have been so desensitized to what is real and what is fantasy that as long as it doesn't happen to you or effect you directly - it doesn't matter.

Oh yes, you might feel a little outraged but in the end you will beat your concious down so you don't have to act upon that outrage and you will get over that feeling and sleep as if nothing happened.

In truth; if half of the world had not watch the tragedy take place live on TV, or via Internet, or listen to it on the radio; if they had not seen lived it and experienced, if they had not lost someone in that catastrophic and evil event, and they had seen it for the first time on TV or in the movie Theater as this movie ABC is trying to present: people would say, "Wow, that was a great movie!", or they might use the words similar to Paul Clinton, CNN: "You'll find yourself totally caught up in this exhilarating adventure.", and you would go home satisfied that you could watch such a movie without feeling guilty, and sleep like a baby.

*** The quote by Paul Clinton, CNN; was taken from a review of another action packed tragedy thriller put out by Paramount Pictures a few years ago. Thousands of people died in that movie and yet the "good guys" saved the day from an even greater disaster and therefor it was a great movie. ***

What a shame.

Shame on Bill Clinton and anyone who listens to Bill Clinton. You, Bill Clinton are a liar and now you have undeniably proven yourself to be a hypocrite again. Do not tell a money driven media to "tell the truth" when you swore an oath to God, stood before men and abused the faith of the American People by lying. You wouldn't know what the truth was if you were struck by lighting.

Shame on ABC for exploiting the deaths and the circumstances of the horrific event of 9/11 for any reason, but as we know it was all for money and no other reason. Because the movie industry does not care about truth. It only cares about feeding its own belly.

And finally, shame on America - for showing so little caring about the lose of those who died and the people who survived that are trying to piece their lives back together. For having such little compassion and for being so dulled that you would show so little outrage that you might even entertain the thought about watching such an explotation of human lives.

You can not honor the dead. They are dead. You can honor those who are still living and who were directly effected by 9/11. You can show respect and honor to the living by letting them get on with their lives. And if you want to honor the living - turn off your televisions, stay home from the movies and spend some silent reflection to the lives that were taken that day. Pray for the living, let them know you care and by strengthing them you will let them know that their loved ones are not forgotten nor are they exploited and disgraced in the eyes of America.

In truth, 9/11 was a terrible tragedy. I have not met anyone since that day who was not effected directly or indirectly by the events that took place that Tuesday morning.

Reflect, Pray, Remember. And may Almighty God give you the grace to keep a humble heart and a sensitive spirit.

M.L. Zupan

Monday, July 17, 2006

Who Blog's ya Baby?

Vegas, the city of lights, gambling, fast cars and even faster women. A city that never sleeps (at least on the strip)! Over filled with indulgance and depravity and every sin known to man.

Why?

What makes a four-and-a-half mile by half mile wide strip of land so desirable? In ancient days it would have looked like nothing more than a desert strip of land. In early pioneer days (just over a hundred years ago) it was looked upon as an "oasis" a "fertile valley". And now, the remnants of this concrete jungle is all about high-rise hotel/casinos, with the 5th busiest airport in the world and one of the largest tourist trades that can be imagined. Or is it?

This year, the city of Las Vegas was one-hundred and one years old. I was here to celebrate its one-hundredth birthday. It was quite an event. Anyway, I plan to write about events here in Las Vegas. Already in my mind's eye I can picture topics that deal with faith and politics - I like to discuss and share views on things most people don't like to talk about. Personally I believe that it is simply the fact that they don't have enough information on those topics to carry on intellectual conversations on those topics. Other topics in my mind's eye are general life and business in Las Vegas. In my six almost seven years of experience living in this city I have discovered that many people believe things about Las Vegas that in reality are not true or are misconstrued.

All-in-all I hope to have fun with this blog and keep it to life in the fast Vegas lane.

Who blog's ya baby - is the title for this first blog in memory of Telly Savalas. His famous line from his movie "Kojak" was "Who loves ya baby?" It is one of those Vegas sounding things that many people believe people like Twenty years ago, when I first visited Las Vegas for a Ballroom Dancing Competition I was staying at the then "Desert Inn" Hotel/Casino and they were having an All-Star Benefit Fund-Raiser with all the stars. For seven days we walked around seeing television stars, movie stars, Astronauts and more. It was a week to remember.

My wife and I run a tour reservation company "FirstTravelTours.com" where we book tours around Las Vegas, helicopter flight to the Grand Canyon, and Horseback Riding Tours in the western mountains outside the city. And I also have a new Las Vegas Tour and Travel Blog which will deal with tours, travel and things to do.

We are very active in business networking with our Network Marketing Company - Isagenix and very excited about it as a product. It is a body cleansing product and after my first nine days using it I lost 13lbs. I am feeling better and have more energy than I have in years. A friend of ours who now lives in the Bahamas introduced us to the product. Not that I am really fat but as a web design, developer, and internet marketeer I have put on about 30 more pounds that I need - especially around the middle if you know what I mean. Anyway, he was about 305lbs when he started Isagenix in January and he has now lost about 60lbs - No Kidding! He looks great! His goal is 100lbs. I personally believe that he is going to make it before the end of this year. My goal is to lose another 15lbs and I will be right where I need to be and feel great about it.

Those are just a few of the things that we are doing here in the fabulous Las Vegas. I know, I know other people spend thousands of dollars to come here and experience this place and I get to live here. I shall share more of the experience with you. Until next time - Listen to more Frankie!

The VegasFox