Worldzilla Journal

The silent film era is notable for one person in particular and that is Charlie Chaplin. The comic actor went on to make talkies and Charlie Chaplin films made an important contribution to the development of movies. Born in London in 1889, Chaplin had many other talents apart from acting and he was also involved in directing, producing and writing films. He even wrote music for films too. He was awarded two Honorary Oscars and a belated Oscar in 1972 for Best Musical Score for Limelight, released in 1952.

Chaplin’s greatest character, which featured in many of his movies, was The Tramp. His was one of the most familiar images and the derby hat, walking cane and moustache became his trademarks. In common with other films of the day, films with Charlie Chaplin in employed slapstick and visual humor, particularly in the silent days. He was slow to embrace talkies, believing that silent films were the true cinema. However, his characters were more than slapstick and he managed to convey a range of emotions, obtaining the sympathy of the audience.

After a start in music hall, his first film appearance was in a one-reel comedy called Making a Living in 1914. His film credits included more shorts and then went on to feature length productions. Chaplin had ambition and wanted to take control of his career. He achieved this by co-founding United Artists production company in 1919, along with Douglas Fairbanks, D.W Griffith and Mary Pickford. It was a shrewd move on Chaplin’s part, as the Hollywood studio system would soon end any thoughts of independence for actors. He had the influence to use his many talents in Charlie Chaplin films, making some classics that have stood the test of time.

Three movies with The Tramp character stand out and are still enjoyed by modern audiences. In the 1925 feature, The Gold Rush, The Tramp searches for wealth in the Klondike and strikes gold. In City Lights in 1931, he has a romance with a blind, flower girl. A Charlie Chaplin film can have a message too and Modern Times from 1936 is a funny attack on the soulless environment of an assembly line in a busy manufacturing plant. In 1940, Chaplin played an eccentric dictator in The Great Dictator, a thinly disguised portrayal of Adolph Hitler. As World War II was underway for Great Britain, it was a good morale boost for audiences there.

My favorite Aquarius monthly horoscope is actually a column written in the local newspaper. It isn’t a nationally syndicated columnist, and some of his horoscopes are actually not very good. For some reason, however, his Aquarius monthly horoscope always seems to be pretty spot on. I’ve been reading it for years, and have noticed a number of the astounding coincidences. When he tells me that new opportunities are on the way, something important always happens. When he tells me that change is about to enter my life, it does. I’ve never met the Aquarius monthly horoscope writer, but I feel almost as if he knows me personally.

For some reason that I have never been able to fathom, some star signs are more popular than others. Even though there are just as many Cancers as Capricorns, just as many Pisces as Leo’s, and just as many Geminis as Aquarius, for some signs it is just easier to get a good reading than for others. Fortunately, I am an Aquarius. Maybe it has to do with the fact that we’re supposed to be at the beginning of the Aquarian age, but for some reason my sign is extremely popular. There are plenty of good Aquarius monthly horoscopes out there for me to consult.

I actually read multiple horoscopes, but I don’t take all of them seriously. The local news has an Aquarius monthly horoscope that I like, but I also read one on the Internet that I’m not that crazy about. What I like about it is how far off it is. It almost always tells me the opposite of the truth. It is so good at giving bad advice, as a matter of fact, that I can reliably use it to tell me what not to do. I find it endlessly amusing, because it seems so unlikely that someone could be wrong all the time. Still, it’s even more amazing to find a horoscope that is right all the time.

Of course for some purposes, an Aquarius monthly horoscope isn’t sufficient. Sometimes, it makes a lot more sense to get a personal astrological reading. Most Aquarius horoscopes are good to give you a basic idea, but they don’t cover your whole astrological chart. All they discuss is your star sign. Astrology has much more to it than that. If you believe in astrology, you will always get the best reading from a consultation with a qualified psychic. Nonetheless, your horoscope can start you off on the right track.

Game board that is known all over the world…

The Parker Brothers Monopoly game is not currently my favorite, but it was my first love. If there is any Parker Brothers game board that is known all over the world, it is Monopoly. Families who can’t sit through a TV show together still manage to spend hours playing a single Monopoly game. Sometimes, they go on for days, but people keep at it. Everyone is so determined to make a killing that the game doesn’t stop for hours. Even if you have never played a Monopoly game to completion, you have to admit – it is exciting while it lasts.

Number of Parker Brothers game sets…

Throughout the years, Parker Brothers games have been at the forefront of the board games industry in general. I’m not a person who is particularly conscious of brands, so it took me a while to notice. Nonetheless, when I looked at my boardgame collection, I was struck by the number of Parker Brothers game sets. Monopoly, Risk, my Ouija board, Scrabble, and even my Clue game had all been put out by Parker Brothers. Although not all of them originated with the company, it is still neat to see how much effect one company could have on the boardgame business. Most, if not all, of the classics were made by them.

Adults like it…

Of course, Clue is also a great Parker Brothers game. What is so great about it is that it works for all ages. Adults like it because it is a murder mystery, but the strategy is simple enough for a child to do reasonably well. The fact that it is just a little bit ghoulish only makes it that much more fun to play! All in all, it is a treasure of a game in my opinion. That is why it is still around today.

Risk is so simple, but the strategies involved are so complicated….

Of course, my current favorite Parker Brothers game is Risk. I have been a big fan of strategy board games for a long time. I play them in person and online, but you really can’t beat having a board in front of you and people to talk with. Although the most elaborate strategy games are now on the computer, there is just something about getting all your friends together for a night of global war or world conquest that is pretty appealing. Risk is so simple, but the strategies involved are so complicated. A game can be over in 20 minutes, or it can take three hours. It is all up to you and the way you play.

An impressive past…

The building opened its doors back in 1921 and it was then called the Hennepin Theater. The restoration was started in 1993 and revealed the craftsmanship of the original with its elaborate plasterwork in the auditorium, garlands and other decorative features. The Orpheum Theater Minneapolis has an impressive past, presenting numerous concerts, musicals and plays over the years. In recent years, there has been popular productions of Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast and Disney’s Lion King.

The audience can enjoy the productions…

To see an historic theater go into decline is very sad and so it is good to see the restoration work of the Orpheum Theater Minneapolis. It is one of three theaters to be restored on Hennepin Avenue, the other two being the Pantages Theater and the State Theater. The Orpheum seats 1,500 people on the main floor and 1,100 on the balcony. Now, the audience can enjoy the productions as they were meant to be seen, in a theater brought back to its full glory.

These three theaters all practice an inclusive policy, welcoming everyone from the community…

This theater district is an important part of the cultural life of Minneapolis. Patrons can also enjoy special deals at local participating restaurants. The area has many fine eating houses, including Italian, Asian, Spanish tapas and a grillhouse.On the last Saturday of each month, there is a walking tour of the Orpheum Theater and the other two theaters in the district. These three theaters all practice an inclusive policy, welcoming everyone from the community. There are seating arrangements, suitable for people with mobility problems. The hearing impaired can view productions with an American Sign Language interpreter and the visually impaired can listen to an audio commentary description. The Orpheum Theater Minneapolis will continue to be a part of the community, offering a varied range of entertainment to local residents and visitors.

A new version of an old favorite…

The future for the theater seems assured with productions lined up for 2008 that are bound to draw the crowds. Old favorites and new entertainment is planned for the Orpheum. February sees the run of the classic musical, My Fair Lady. Jesus Christ Superstar, the hit from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, is scheduled in for May. It will feature Ted Neeley as Christ, a role he played in the movie version. A new version of an old favorite will also be featured in May. Spamalot is a musical, created by Eric Idle, based on Monty Python’s Holy Grail movie. It has already enjoyed success in London’s West End and on Broadway.

Whenever I had a chance I would read the adult version….

I remember one National Geographic magazine article in particular that really stuck with me. My parents bought me a National Geographic for kids, but whenever I had a chance I would read the adult version. This was the first article I ever saw that actually scared me. It was about lemurs – those strange, primitive monkeys with long bony fingers. It contained a local legend. Tribes people said that, if a lemur pointed its finger at you, you would die. Because of their long bony fingers, it is easy to see why this idea started. At the time, I found it frightening and somewhat fascinating. It stuck with me for a long time afterwards.
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National Geographic Magazine movies, however, were by far the best….

I used to love National Geographic movies when I was a kid. I loved anything having to do with nature and with strange cultures that I had never been exposed to before. National Geographic Magazine movies, however, were by far the best. They had spectacular scenic vistas, close-ups of wild animals, strange tribal rituals – all the stuff that fascinates children. The only thing that I liked better than the movies was National Geographic magazine proper. I was one of those kids who really loved looking at maps of foreign places and imagining what it would be like to explore them. National Geographic maps were pretty top-notch. They would combine details of the vegetation, political information, topography, and geography all into one seamless whole.

For kids…

Even if things had changed, that article is still a part of a people’s history. You are still seeing a glimpse of history from times gone by.Nowadays, my own child loves to read national graphic magazine. He is a little bit too young for the adult version, but he loves National Geographic for kids. He actually did some research into one for an article about conservation in school recently. He was the one who came up with the idea for the project. I am so proud of him!

The articles didn’t seem to get outdated…

When I got to the age of 15, my dad gave me his collection of National Geographic magazines. He had been an avid reader of the publication ever since he was 15, so he had amassed quite a store of National Geographics. What’s so cool about it was that the articles didn’t seem to get outdated – at least most of them didn’t. You can read a National Geographic magazine article written 20 years ago and, if it was about a remote enough part of the world, assume that not much had changed.

The story is not too complicated…

Carrey plays Joel who has a relationship with Clementine, (Winslett). They get involved in an experimental procedure that erases memories. When the relationship flounders, they participate in the procedure, wiping out the memory of each other. This is no simple solution and the consequences lead to a complicated story of time shift as the audience is taken back and forth through different times in their romance. The story is not too complicated however and it never becomes difficult to follow. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a thoughtful movie with moments of humor and pathos.

Directed by Michel Gondry, it starred Jim Carrey and Kate Winslett…

Sometimes, a film comes along of such wonderful complexity that you want to see it more than once. In 2004, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was released. Directed by Michel Gondry, it starred Jim Carrey and Kate Winslett and an excellent supporting cast. It can best be described, as a romantic drama but there is nothing sentimental about it. It is a study of modern relationships and the importance of memory is central to the plot.

The Special Edition 2-Disc Set of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind…

The Grammy Awards gave a nomination for the Best Score Soundtrack Album. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind became something of a cult and even received attention from the writers of The Simpsons TV show, who wrote a parody surrounding it.The film is available on DVD in full screen and wide screen editions. The Special Edition 2-Disc Set of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind includes an audio commentary by Gondry and co-writer Charlie Kaufman and interviews with Carrey, Winslett and Gondry. The extras also include various documentaries, deleted scenes and extended scenes. The movie also appears on DVD with Lost in Translation and with Vanity Fair. The CD soundtrack is also available for sale and includes songs by Beck, The Polyphonic Spree, Don Nelson and Electric Light Orchestra

The title…

British actor Tom Wilkinson plays the doctor responsible for the experiment, Dr Mierzwaik. The cast also includes Elijah Wood and Kirsten Dunst. All the actors are impressive and Carrey, still associated with his zany, comic roles, gives a very subtle and moving performance. The title, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, is a quote from a poem by Alexander Pope. It was shot on location, mainly in New York City and Long Island.French director Michel Gondry is well known for producing music videos and his movie credits include Block Party from 2005 and the recently released Be Kind Rewind with Jack Black. The film won the Best Original Screenplay Academy Award and Kate Winslett was nominated for Best Actress.

Plots involve romantic complications, including love triangles, and mysterious situations…

The show’s plots center around two main families, the Bradys and the Hortons. The part of Alice Horton is still played by original cast member, Frances Reid, who appeared in the very first episode. Plots involve romantic complications, including love triangles, and mysterious situations. The drama is sometimes punctuated with humor too. Continuity is provided by Executive Producer, Ken Corday, who is the son of husband and wife Betty and Ted Corday, co-creators of the Days of our Lives soap opera.

The NBC show first aired in 1965….

Daytime television in America would not be the same without its soaps. The long running Days of our Lives soap opera is one of the most popular and continues to grip audiences with its dramatic storylines and is watched by people of all ages. The NBC show first aired in 1965, beginning with half hour episodes and moving to hour-long episodes when ten years had passed. The show is filmed in Burbank, California but the story is set in a fictional town in the mid-West called Salem.

Joey Tribbiani, takes a major role…

The soap was in the peculiar position of being featured in another hit show when it was brought into the storyline for Friends. Matt LeBlanc’s character, Joey Tribbiani, takes a major role in the Days of our Lives soap opera. He plays brilliant neurosurgeon, Dr Drake Ramoray, and several scenes depicting the soap opera set are filmed. Other actual cast members of the soap appear alongside LeBlanc. The Friends show depicts the soap, having bizarre plots and melodramatic scenes. All this is done with good humor and affection for the real Days of our Lives soap opera. One cultural icon paid tribute to another.

Several awards over the years….

The familiar theme and opening image of sand falling through an hourglass is seen in many countries outside of the United States. The show is syndicated in the UK and several European countries and in Australia and New Zealand. The writers have been praised for introducing controversial issues in the 1970s, not tackled in other soaps at the time, such as interracial relationships. The Days of our Lives soap opera and its cast have won several awards over the years. It was voted Best Drama in the Daytime Emmy Awards for 1978. The late Macdonald Carey won Best Actor in 1974 and 1975 for his role as Dr Tom Horton and Susan Flannery, as Laura Horton, won Best Actress in 1975. There have been other trophies won for Soap Opera Digest Awards and People Choice Awards.

Stephen Fry as its narrator…

One of the titles on the 2005 list is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. The story has gone through different mediums from novel to radio adaptation to television series. This example of best selling audio books has comic actor, Stephen Fry as its narrator. The science fiction story is a cult classic and Fry brings an authoritative tone to the text. Another popular book captured in audio form is the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. An astonishing proportion of the world’s population has already read the thriller.

A variety of genres…

Books are more popular than ever but it is difficult for a lot of people to find spare time to read. The answer is to pop the earphones on whilst someone reads to you or to listen in the car. The Best selling audio books list from 2005 includes a variety of genres, including thrillers, humorous books, period fiction and self improvement titles.Some books are narrated by the author but most are read by famous actors or actresses. They may be abridged or recorded in their entirety. It’s possible to download digital audio files onto a PC and then burn them onto a CD or download directly on to a portable audio player or Mp3 or similar system. Most car stereo systems will play the material too.

Running for over ten hours…

An abridged audio version is available on eight CDs, running for over seven hours. The unabridged version can be obtained on eight cassettes. Another title by Carnegie, called How to Stop Worrying and Start Living is available on nine CDs, running for over ten hours. Such is the popularity of audio books these days; some authors are producing their work onto that format alone. The actor and playwright, Ron McLarty narrates his own work, The Memory of Running and it has entered the chart for best selling audio books.

An earlier novel by Dan Brown…

It’s a real page turner and the exciting world of hidden messages and secret societies is brought to life by the narrator, Paul Michael. An earlier novel by Dan Brown, called Angels and Demons, is also on the best selling audio books list. This is another story concerning religious works of art and it is set in Rome and Vatican City.Non-Fiction is popular too and Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold solidly since it was published in 1936. It is a bible for a lot of people, especially those hoping to advance themselves in the world of business and politics.

A great subject to introduce to your children…

Online it’s a cinch to get involved with the astronomy for beginners website. Yes indeed, there is a website that allows you to educate yourself from home. Learn all about the nine planets, falling stars, meteors, nebulas, the power of the sun and more. This is a great subject to introduce to your children. Virtually all kids are instantly fascinated by the stars, moon and outer space. There are numerous astronomy for beginners books found in web stores such as Amazon.com, if you prefer to learn all about space without having to pull up websites.

There’s much more out there to relish…

Is there something vast and amazing that lies beyond the realm we know as earth? Of course there is! Just because you can’t always see something with the human eye, doesn’t mean that it isn’t there. Ponder all the things that lie beyond our atmosphere. Sure you can see oodles of stars and even the craters of the moon at night, but there’s much more out there to relish. Everyone should give an astronomy for beginners program a shot. This is a wonderful way to learn all sorts of valuable information out the galaxies that lie far far away.

Think about purchasing a telescope for beginners as well…

This is a big deal when you consider the notion that scientists aim to build on Mars one day. Isn’t it time you got involved with astronomy and learned more about the stars, planets and outer space? Think about purchasing a telescope for beginners as well. This way you can get a more in-person view of space and the moon.

You can always see new and exciting space shots…

An excellent aspect of websites focused on astronomy for beginners is the constant updates. While a book from Barnes and Noble or Amazon can provide all sorts of spectacular pictures captured by satellites, the web can show you these photos and more. You see, online the astronomy for beginners websites are literally updated for your convenience. This means you can always see new and exciting space shots and acquire updates on Mars.

A large potato takes just eight to ten minutes in the microwave…

The microwave baked potato provides the base for your dinner. Rather than wait 45 minutes to an hour for an oven-baked potato, try the microwave baked potato. Some purists claim that a microwave baked potato doesn’t stand up to the oven baked potato because the texture of the finished potato is a little different. Don’t believe it! A large potato takes just eight to ten minutes in the microwave. Be sure it’s fully cooked - that’s the trick to simulating the oven baked potato texture.The microwave baked potato must be punctured with a fork all around, top, bottom and sides. This allows the potato to steam and cook just as its oven-baked counterpart.While your potato is cooking, assemble your dressings. Much like a salad, you can pile leftovers and gourmet goodies to make this meal both a completely tasty and nutritious dinner.

Tasty, filling, nutritious and quick to fix…

It’s just a couple of days before payday and your cupboard is looking pretty slim. The last time you shopped for groceries, every single item on your list had gone up substantially and you had to trim your list accordingly. So what’s for dinner? As the old saying goes, when times get tough, the tough get going. Here’s an idea for dinner that fulfills all of your objectives. Tasty, filling, nutritious and quick to fix. A single large potato, bits of this and that and your microwave will provide a satisfying meal in just minutes.

The neutral flavor of the potato….

Your frig probably holds lots of bits of food that can complement your microwave baked potato meal. Herbs and spices can make this meal more than satisfying. The neutral flavor of the potato makes it a perfect partner for just about anything you want to add.So when you think there’s nothing to eat, get that potato out and build yourself a tasty meal. Your microwave makes it quick and your seemingly bare cupboard will fill in the blanks. Eat hearty!

How about some sliced olives?

A slice of bacon or ham contributes protein. Butter is a necessity. A bit of grated cheese provides calcium. Do you have some parsley, chives or onions? Throw them into the mix. How about some sliced olives? Your microwave baked potato is coming into its own now. Look through your leftovers, too often going to waste. What about that little bit of corn, begging to be used? Pile that on your burgeoning microwave baked potato meal. One mushroom, sliced and sauteed adds a gourmet touch. Hmm. What else? Aha! There’s a spoonful of sour cream. More calcium, with the added bonus of a delicious tasting topping