Some thoughts to take you into the weekend...

Thoughts for the weekend

Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctr Alt Delete' and start all over?

Just remember, if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.

If raising children was going to be easy, it never would have started with something called labor!

Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"

Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?

Murphy's Other Laws

1. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

2. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.

3. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

4. A day without sunshine is like, well, night.

5. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

6. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't.

7. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

8. The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong.

9. It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end-to-end, someone would be stupid enough to try to pass them.

10. If the shoe fits, get another one just like it.

11. The things that come to those who wait, may be the things left by those who got there first.

12. Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries.

13. The shin bone is a device for finding furniture.

14. When you go into court, you are putting yourself in the hands of 12 people who weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.


Thanks to Arlie for sending this along....

Updates on Upcoming Faith-Based Movies

There is news on more faith-based movies--particularly "Passion"-esque sequels--coming down the pike in the film industry. Though I've touched on several upcoming movies (here, here, and here), Josh Hurst from Christianity Today movies sums up the latest news quite nicely:

As successful as The Passion of The Christ was, it's not too surprising that a sequel would be in the pipeline, but who would have expected multiple sequels? With the FoxFaith film The Inquiry, Canadian film The Sword of Peter, and the Tim LaHaye-Screen Gems collaboration The Resurrection all picking up with biblical events that happened after Christ's Passion Week, still another film—Risen—was recently added to the number of unofficial Passion follow-ups.

Variety reports that Risen—subtitled The Story of the First Easter—is in development by Hyde Park Entertainment—the same folks who developed Bringing Down the House, Raising Helen, and Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story.

Reportedly, the film will focus on the Apostle Peter in retelling the story of what happened to the disciples between Christ's resurrection and the day of Pentecost.

Hyde Park's Ashok Amritaj says that the tumultuous state of the world makes this a prime time for faith-based films, also noting the "commercial marketplace and need for movies that have hope and values."

No release date or production schedule has been set, though a script is currently in the works.

Star Trek XI is keeping it simple

The Movie's Star Trek. Period.

Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci, who are writing the 11th Star Trek movie, revealed a few key points about the top-secret script in an interview with MTV.com. Among the revelations: The movie will be titled, simply, Star Trek; it will take place aboard a starship; and they're OK with Matt Damon playing Capt. James T. Kirk.

Not that the writers confirmed that Damon had been cast, as rumored. "I'm the hugest Matt Damon fan ever," Kurtzman told the site. "If he became [Kirk], great."

Paramount has given a green light to Star Trek, with Lost co-creator J.J. Abrams directing, with an eye to a Christmas 2008 release.As for the title, Orci said: It's Star Trek. "That's the intended title," he said. "I don't think we want to put any colons or anything on it.

"The writers wouldn't discuss details of the story, other than to say it is a reimagining of the franchise that will remain true to its history, but aim for the broadest audience possible. Kurtzman promised: "There will be more action in this movie than any Trek that's preceded it."

Orci added: "I don't know how you make Star Trek without a starship. You have to trek through the stars, so you need a ship for that. There, you got something out of us!"

More from Infuze Magazine:

Just call it Star Trek

In a hot-off-the-presses interview with MTV.com, the writers behind JJ Abrams' upcoming Star Trek movie have dropped the first bonafide hints as to what the movie will be about. Among the revelations from screenwriters Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci: expect lots more action than past Trek films; the movie will have a bigger budget than past Treks, in a bid to attract a broader, more mainstream audience; and perhaps the biggest bombshell of all -- the movie will be a "reimagining of the franchise," and not based on Kirk and Spock's first meeting at Starfleet Academy. It will be a starship-bound recreation of the franchise, which sounds to these ears a whole lot like what J. Michael Straczynski proposed a while back, for a new Trek tv show. And don't expect a subtitle for this one. Even though it's officially the eleventh film outing, Kurtzman and Orci expect their reboot to be titled simply Star Trek.posted by robin at 01:26 PM

Mozart in Maryland

Today I went to a recital that my oboe teacher played in a nice little historic church in Maryland. I caught her performance of Mozart's Adagio on video, and thought I would share this English Horn/Organ piece with everyone:

Star Trek XI...Damon or not to Damon?

The April 2007 issue of SciFi Magazine writes about the issue of Matt Damon's likelihood of filling the shoes of a young James Kirk in the new Star Trek movie set to come out next year:

Captains Quirk

Matt Damon told SCI FI Wire that he's open to assuming the role of Capt James T. Kirk in the proposed 11th Star Trek movie, but denied previous rumors that he is already in line for the iconic role, which was originated by William Shatner. "If the script was good, I'd do it," Damon said. "But, yeah, I heard that [rumor]. I think JJ Abrams or somebody said that at [a] press junket or something, and it got picked up [by the media]." If Damon were to win the role of Kirk, he would become the first actor to play the character since Shatner played him in the original 1960s Trek and its subsequent spinoff movies. [pg. 9]

Cavemen scheduled for own sitcom

You know the humorous cavemen from the Geico commercials? Apparently, the premise behind them is being carried over to create a 30-minute sitcom. From Sci-Fi Weekly:

Geico's Cavemen Bound For ABC

ABC has plans to turn a series of quirky commercials for insurance provider Geico which revolve around a number of indignant cavemen into a half-hour comedy pilot, Variety reported. Taking its cue from the ads, Cavemen centers on three prehistoric men who must battle prejudice as they attempt to live as normal 30-somethings in modern Atlanta.

The pilot was written by Joe Lawson, the advertising copywriter who was behind the ads, as well as other comedic Geico spots. Daniel Rappaport, Guymon Cassady, Will Speck and Josh Gordon are executive-producing. Speck and Gordon, commercial directors who recently helmed the Will Farrell feature Blades of Glory, are on board to also direct.

The single-camera pilot is based on a series of Geico ads that promote the insurance company's Web site as so user-friendly that even "a caveman could do it." The spots follow cavemen as they react with offense to the derogatory slogan in modern locations such as a cable news program, an upscale restaurant, the airport and a therapist's office.

Jeff Daniel Phillips and Ben Weber play the cavemen in the Geico spots; it is unknown whether they will also appear in the series.

Star Trek XI Gets Director and Release Date

From Hollywood Reporter, the projected release date is December 25, 2008:

'Star Trek' release date set

LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- Captain's log: December 25, 2008.

Paramount Pictures has set a Christmas Day 2008 release date for the 11th "Star Trek" feature, to be filmed by "Mission: Impossible III" director J.J. Abrams. Shooting will begin in the fall, Paramount said Tuesday.

The screenplay, from "M:I 3" scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, is said to follow James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock during their Starfleet Academy years and into their first space mission.

The previous film in the series, the 2002 box office bomb, "Star Trek: Nemesis," was directed by Stuart Baird, and starred Patrick Stewart.

It is also confirmed that JJ Abrams (Alias, Lost) will officially direct the film:

Abrams Treks On

It's official. Not only will Lost and Alias creator J.J. Abrams co-write and produce the next Star Trek film, he will also assume the director's chair. In case you've been living under a rock, the plotline will take us into the future's past, chronicling the first meeting of Jim Kirk & Mr. Spock at Starfleet Academy.

Also from Sci-Fi Wire:

Abrams To Direct Trek XI

Paramount announced on Feb. 27 that J.J. Abrams will direct Star Trek XI, aiming for a Christmas 2008 release date, with a script by Abrams' Mission: Impossible III co-writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

"If there's something I'm dying to see, it's the brilliance and optimism of [Trek creator Gene] Roddenberry's world brought back to the big screen," Lost co-creator Abrams said in a statement. "Alex and Bob wrote an amazing script that embraces and respects Trek canon, but charts its own course. Our goal is to make a picture for everyone: lifelong fans and the uninitiated. Needless to say, I am honored and excited to be part of this next chapter of Star Trek."

Brad Grey, chairman and chief executive of Paramount Pictures, said in his own statement: "We could not be more thrilled to be back in business with J.J. Abrams. The revival of the Star Trek franchise is an important part of Paramount's turnaround."

Kurtzman and Orci will executive-produce with Bryan Burk, who is also an executive producer of Abram's ABC series Lost. Abrams and Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof will produce.

On Feb. 26, IGN.com reported a rumor that Matt Damon was under consideration for the role of Kirk, Oscar winner Adrien Brody was being eyed to play Spock and Gary Sinise was being mulled to play Dr. Leonard McCoy. A source close to the production discounted that report in an interview with SCI FI Wire, saying that no decisions have been made. —Patrick Lee, News Editor