Hello Everyone,

Radio Talk Show host Dennis Prager said some great things today during his interview with John Gray who wrote "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus." One thing Prager said is "You cannot be politically correct and be wise." Ah yes, I will have to add that to my wall of great quotes. The reason he said this is because he was responding to when Gray said "men appreciate women more than women do men."  This is not PC by any means, in fact for many, these are fighting words. The point of this generalization is to look at the different nature of men and women. Dr. Laura (one of the greatest authorities on relationships and marriage) said that men are easy. And that if the women they love show them respect, the men will slay dragons for them and work day and night. It’s funny, whenever I hear that phrase "day and night" I always think back to when TIME magazine interviewed Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia. TIME commented on Russia's luck with the rising economy to which Putin responded "Luck is a fool's term, we work day and night." The same can be said about great love. Some look at a couple and say "they got lucky in love." Is that really true, or do they work day and night... and yes what you're thinking of also applies.  One could rephrase the sentence and say "they got blessed with looks, which attract options for love." Tim Stafford once commented in "Love, Sex and the Whole Person," that if you were magically turned beautiful, you would find that your problems are far from solved. Preach it Tim, you da man. The point is, even Julia Roberts has to work at a relationship.

In a blog related to the day and show's topic, Prager talks about love and the notion of unconditional love. He makes great points and then moves onto perhaps the greatest form of love, and that is God's love for people. Being Jewish, Prager has a different understanding of God's love then Christians might. It's hard to make sense of God's love because it's a love so great that he sent his son to die for us which was an act of love. We can certainly appreciate this expression of love as we are moved by God's love. Prager then proposes the question "Can God be moved by our love?" Prager says yes, and says that if this is not the case, as with unconditional love, then that "renders Him (God) a love machine whose love cannot be affected by our behavior." Interesting notion Prager.

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Dennis Prager

3. That is one reason the notion of "unconditional love" is foolish. The fact is, we all earn love, and it is a good thing to have to do so. What possible good purpose can the belief that your spouse loves you unconditionally -- i.e., no matter how you act -- serve? If we believe our spouse loves us no matter what we do, what would motivate us to be on our best behavior at all times? Why be kind even when we are in a foul mood? Why work to stay attractive if he will love me no matter how much I neglect how I look? Why continue to pay attention to her -- like regularly calling her from work -- if I know that even if I ignore her, she will continue to love me?

Unconditional love is not a good idea. I don't know where it originated, but I am quite certain it's relatively recent, a product of an age that has put primary importance on feelings. With the possible exception of a parent's love for a young child, unconditional love is not a good idea among people, and it's probably not a good idea concerning God's love for us. I am familiar with no biblical basis for the notion that God loves us no matter how much cruelty and evil we engage in (God's love of His Chosen People, Israel, is specifically depicted as conditional upon Israel's behavior), or for the notion that God loved Adolf Hitler and Mother Teresa equally. Frankly, I would be disappointed in such a God. It renders Him a love machine whose love cannot be affected by our behavior, not a loving being who is affected by how we act. It renders His love amoral. And it prevents us from growing up.

            Prager has a way of hitting the nail on the head. In this case he may have been slightly off. Nonetheless the principles are accurate and much can be learned.

Have a Happy Single Awareness Day,

I mean Valentines Day….

~ Caleb Garcia   

 

My Top 10 Movies of 2007

By Caleb S. Garcia

 

My compliments to 2007 for being a great year of cinematic sensation. Like most years there were many good and bad films, but let’s focus on the theatrical experiences that provoked deep thinking, entertained the mind and redefined quality and originality.

 

10) Ocean’s Thirteen (B+)

 In a year of many part threes, the third installment of the Ocean’s franchise rains victorious and also brings sweet redemption after the lackluster part two. In a year where Aptow and crew ruled the box office, the Ocean’s cast and crew echoed back to the original’s charm and genius as they maintained their knack for comedy and sweet use of star power.

 

9) Amazing Grace (B+)

Beyond being a period piece about the morally admirable William Wilberforce and his quest to stop the slave trade in Great Britain, this film is a work of quality. It’s not going to be up there with Braveheart and whatnot but actor Ioan Gruffudd does a great job as the lead and the story is exceptional and emotionally moving; it’s a notable message film.  

 

8) 3:10 to Yuma (B+)

The Western lives again in this superb remake where Christian Bale and Russell Crow dive into the characters quite well. What can I say? Virtually everything is solid and works. The directing is sharp, the story was even educational, and it’s an all around cool deal where you see people pushed to extremes. It’s what you want in a Western.

 

7) 300 (B+)

The awesomeness of this film will go down in history. Based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel, the soft focus, paint like look of the movie ruled and the glorious and bloody action was wonderful. The cultural impact is notable, just typing in “300” on you-tube will result in a plethora of fan made spoofs that will keep you rolling on the floor.

 

6) Lions for Lambs (B+)

I can already feel the heat of disagreement on this one. In a season of political dramas this movie stands out as is fallows three different stories which feature the “near holy trinity” of Cruise, Streep and Redford. The film was short but contained insightful dialogue and in a scene where the professor is lecturing the class I even recognized an old classmate in the background, so nice.

 

5) Charlie Wilson’s War (B+)

“Oh bye, bye Miss American pie…” that’s a song that was in the trailer, but unfortunately not in the flicka, but none-the-less captures the feel of the film. Hanks just delivers in everything and these characters take you on a fun, slick and neat ride through the Afghan / Soviet covert war of the 80s with all the highs and lows involved.   

 

4) Michael Clayton (A-)

Stylization people, stylization. This film has a hidden goodness about it and picked up 7 academy award nominations. Among these, Tom Wilkinson (yea FALCONE) steals the scene as “Shiva the god of death” as works superb opposite Clooney as one tries to unravel the mystery and “running through the forest” goodness of this film.   

 

3) No Country for Old Men (A-)

Initially this film made me curse on the inside and want to strangle the person next to me. Then after the water settled, and I read a few critics, and saw the 8 academy award nominations, I realized the quality that the Cohen brothers brought to this eerie, scary, strange and great use of quiet story. Of course the end can be frustrating (and reminds me of Scoop) but the overall sucker-punch in the gut and the bone chilling psycho Chigurh makes it perhaps the year’s finest quality film.    

 

2) Juno (A-)

So I guess Fox Searchlight has a good track record. Juno took the nation by storm and is a great example of why indies are raining supreme. The female lead and all the characters are very defined, smart and original. The story is simple but told with great detail and has a relatable factor. The film is not overrated and is a words-fall-short joy to behold.   

 

-- drum roll --

 

1) American Gangster (A-)    

I realize that as soon as I put this as my number one, some think I lose a sense of credibility. In truth, I believe this film to be A- quality and was very impressed with it. I think Ridley Scott got kind of jacked in the Oscars but that’s life. The film gave us two powerhouse actors that delivered and a story about the high stakes involved with drug smuggling and busting the smugglers. Say what you will, but Gangster rocked.   

           

        Thanks for reading!

 

Everybody loves quotes and if you don't you should. Sometimes people have amazing ways of putting into words exactly what you feel and think about something. People from all walks of life have a story and something that they learned along the way and we can benefit from their experiences. From films, songs, the Bible, authors, talk show hosts, philosophers, comedians, critics, documentaries, leaders, historical figures and friends great quotes can be found.

Here are 30 of my favorite quotations

“Seize the day.”

~ Dead Poets Society  

 

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.”

~ Jesus (John 8:32)

 

“I believe in the faith that grows.”

~ Third Eye Blind

 

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming genuinely interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”   

~ Dale Carnegie

 

“We should be cautious of those who would lower our profile because they might just wind up lowering our flag.”

~ Ronald Reagan

 

“Be faithful in the small things.”

 

“The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world that he didn't exist.”

 ~ The Usual Suspects

 

“Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”            

~Robert Louis Stevenson

“Angels are bright still, though the brightest fell.”

~ Malcolm (Macbeth 4.3.27)

 

“In the beginning was the void, teeming with infinite possibilities, of which you are one.”

~ What the Bleep Do We Know

 

“If all the evil in the world makes you unhappy, then evil gets another victory.”

~ Dennis Prager

 

“Give credit where credit is due.”

 

“You have to understand; most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it.”

~ The Matrix

 

“If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning.”

~ C.S Lewis

 

“The grass is always greener where it rains.”

 

“Women want the whole you, they just don't want the whole you all at once.”

~ Hitch

 

“Those people who want everything legalized will get their way and there will be three and a half years of peace before all hell breaks loose.”

~ Pastor Doug Posey

“Everything comes from God alone, everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory.”

~ Romans 11:36 (LB)

 

“We knew that they knew everything about us when we couldn't even fathom them at all.”

~ The Virgin Suicides

 

“My life is perfect even when it's not.”

~ Ellen DeGeneres

 

“If we pass on to our kids only half the problems that our parents gave us, then we are exceptional parents.” 

~ Dennis Prager

 

“Yet, tragedy can make us fear that God has abandoned us, and therefore, God is abandoned in return.” 

~ Deepak Chopra 

 

“The biggest risk is not taking one.”

 

“There are no discount tickets to paradise, someone had to pay full price.”

~ Pastor Doug Posey

 

“There will be no end to the troubles of states, or of humanity itself, till philosophers become kings in this world, or till those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands.”

~ Plato

 

“The film is beyond bad – it's just wrong.”                                                                   

    ~ Owen Gleiberman

 

“What's the point in being the best, when it brings out your worst?”

~ Rodney Dangerfield

A List By Caleb S. Garcia