Yours Truly
Janet Fauble at home
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Personal Reaction to The Devil's Double
I watched half this movie last night, and because of wanting to see Big Brother After Dark to learn how the contest for head of household ended as well as who got back into the house from the jury room, I tried to watch both. I stopped the movie halfway through because frankly it is a maddening film to watch. It is full of cruelties and debauchery such that one can only take it a little at a time. It is a very absorbing film, probably satisfying anyone's lusts who want to watch actual rape scenes, even some of those which were deleted, which show up in the special features section. I did think about this movie all night long, realiziing that this story is as common as the day is long. In fact, I use scenes similar to these in my story of Alexander's youth so as to shed some light on his childhood experiences which helped to shape his personality.
The special features section do bring you back to reality when you view the photos of Saddam Hussein and his sons. It makes one appreciate the difference between reality and filmdom's presentation of a distorted viewpoint of that very same reality.
One of the htings that I am wrestling with is of course the story of Alexander the Great's ease in killing entire bands of soldiers, and also communities, which would include women and children who are usually taken as slaves to work the mines, or to march with the troops.
So while I am slowly getting back to rewriting my novel to make it the way I want, I am dwelling on the development of characters in childhood who are the main body of Alexander's officer corps. So this movie did make me think a bit about how even Iraq and Iran and other Muslim nations are still influenced by the stories of the past so that they accept with ease the ongoing military lifesytle in all its cruel ways.
Seeing all the tanks and weapons reminded me of the deals that Saddam Hussein had made with Donald Rumsfield years ago so that America is responsible for making and selling instruments of wars to countless nations, including Iraq, Israel, and Iran. Russia is likewise just as guilty as demonstrated today in the ongoing war in Egypt. If Egypt can't get help from America ( meaning supplies, weapons, and armament) they can get it from Russia.
I am thinking that Americans cannot be naive to the point that we forget that we are employing people to make weapons that do kill people in other parts of the world. America has to become wise to the fact that we will pay for that sooner or later as well.
President Eisenhower warned the world years ago about this militant economic power and unfortunately, few people ever truly listen to the advice of old Generals who can foresee the dangers of military might and power.
So this movie made me see how a truly sick mentally disturbed young man who is the son of a dictator president was so deranged that he frightened everyone around him. Only a few ever were able to survive his grip. He was finally brought down by the powerful USA who under the guidance of George Bush, son of former President George Bush, ventured to take Iraq out despite their so called lack of involvement in the 9/11 debacle.
Today, nobody truly knows the real truth about who is behind 9/11 as many of the Muslim world wish to take credit for it while the USA wants to pin it on Osama bin Laden. Those who know Osama bin Laden intimately and well do not believe that he could be the real KingPin mastermind of the 9/11 terrorists, but is only the fall guy for the operation. There is strong resemblance between the characters of Lafit and Osama bin Laden in the appearance of moustaches if one looks closely. Like the story 1984 and Big Brother on national t.v., nothing is ever as it seems.
Despite it all, all the changes in the Muslim world continue to come with violence and bloodshed, all thinking martyrdom a pathway to Heaven. Such a dreadful way to view life on earth! But that is all that I am pondering about this now...more if something does not come along to forget it all.
The special features section do bring you back to reality when you view the photos of Saddam Hussein and his sons. It makes one appreciate the difference between reality and filmdom's presentation of a distorted viewpoint of that very same reality.
One of the htings that I am wrestling with is of course the story of Alexander the Great's ease in killing entire bands of soldiers, and also communities, which would include women and children who are usually taken as slaves to work the mines, or to march with the troops.
So while I am slowly getting back to rewriting my novel to make it the way I want, I am dwelling on the development of characters in childhood who are the main body of Alexander's officer corps. So this movie did make me think a bit about how even Iraq and Iran and other Muslim nations are still influenced by the stories of the past so that they accept with ease the ongoing military lifesytle in all its cruel ways.
Seeing all the tanks and weapons reminded me of the deals that Saddam Hussein had made with Donald Rumsfield years ago so that America is responsible for making and selling instruments of wars to countless nations, including Iraq, Israel, and Iran. Russia is likewise just as guilty as demonstrated today in the ongoing war in Egypt. If Egypt can't get help from America ( meaning supplies, weapons, and armament) they can get it from Russia.
I am thinking that Americans cannot be naive to the point that we forget that we are employing people to make weapons that do kill people in other parts of the world. America has to become wise to the fact that we will pay for that sooner or later as well.
President Eisenhower warned the world years ago about this militant economic power and unfortunately, few people ever truly listen to the advice of old Generals who can foresee the dangers of military might and power.
So this movie made me see how a truly sick mentally disturbed young man who is the son of a dictator president was so deranged that he frightened everyone around him. Only a few ever were able to survive his grip. He was finally brought down by the powerful USA who under the guidance of George Bush, son of former President George Bush, ventured to take Iraq out despite their so called lack of involvement in the 9/11 debacle.
Today, nobody truly knows the real truth about who is behind 9/11 as many of the Muslim world wish to take credit for it while the USA wants to pin it on Osama bin Laden. Those who know Osama bin Laden intimately and well do not believe that he could be the real KingPin mastermind of the 9/11 terrorists, but is only the fall guy for the operation. There is strong resemblance between the characters of Lafit and Osama bin Laden in the appearance of moustaches if one looks closely. Like the story 1984 and Big Brother on national t.v., nothing is ever as it seems.
Despite it all, all the changes in the Muslim world continue to come with violence and bloodshed, all thinking martyrdom a pathway to Heaven. Such a dreadful way to view life on earth! But that is all that I am pondering about this now...more if something does not come along to forget it all.
Review The Devil's Double
The Devil's Double is a film made about Latif, a man who is used as Saddam Hussein's son Ouday's double. The movie is a production designed to tell the story of how Latif is recruited to become the double for Ouday, who is famous in Baghdad for his violent temper and his lustful playground. Dominic Cooper portrays Ouday and Latif in a double role. He does have the guidance of the real Latif in the making of the movie. The story is a film production which emphasizes the viciousness of Ouday's temper, his extreme abuse of power in his rape of young school girls, a young bride on her wedding day, and the ease with which he shoots people who cross him, including his own father's pimp who he guts on a dinner table in an explosive fury. The film is full of violence, and the moviemakers actually compare the sons of Hussein to the characters Sonny and Michael Corleone of the famous Godfather series.
Ironically, the movie makes much ado about the differences between Ouday and Latif in the bathroom when Ouday compares the size of their gentialia so that one who knows anything about Sonny of the Corleone family, one knows that the film makers are jesting with us when they use this as their criteria for comparison. If I must spell it out I will. Sonny was famous for his huge tool; whereas, Ouday does let us know that Latif has a bigger tool than he has.
f that does not entice you to see the movie, then what the heck, nothing will...except that the obvious is there.
But despite all the love of "cunt" that Ouday has which he announces all the time with his prowling the streets for fresh young innocent virgins to take home to rape, he likewise seemingly able to enjoy the thrill of a night with a transvestite which he describes well to his new found and made brother Latif. Latif is a man who had gone to school with Ouday so that in a special feature of the movie where Latif tells his true story, we learn that even as a schoolboy Ouday was violent, vicious, and cruel. But during the Iran Iraq war, Latif is found and bound to become made to be the double for Ouday. The movie does an excellent job of showing how this was done, but tells a different story from the real on how it actually occurred. The real is far worse than the reel.
There is one snippet of a scene with President George Bush, the former vice-president of the USA, who says that he is not at war with the Iraqi people but is defending the small state of Kuwait. One wonders at whether Bush is not just a bit naive when one is immersed into the lifestyle of the Iraqi's who are suffering under the regime of Saddam Hussein.
The movie is a fabrication but does use true stories to develop the story of Latif and his role in being the double for Ouday. It is well done, showing how Ouday would be in one place while Latif was impersonating him in another.
In the special features, Latif does explain how he is rescued by the American CIA who do get him out of Iraq. The movie does use Hollywood style plot lines to give the events of the movie a typical Hollywood ending to satisfy the moviegoers need for a shocking and stunning ending. One must not be fooled by the fact that in most history, only the participants ever know the real truth because this is a movie designed to communicate to its viewers the real cruelty of the Saddam Hussein regime, and how it is such a dominant thread in the fabric of life in the Muslim world.
Human decency and kindness is developed throughout the film despite the horrific tale. There are truly good people who are forced into lifestyles that they cannot avoid. It is an interesting movie that probably is again too full of Hollywood devices to lull the public into seeing the film. But Dominic Cooper is excellent in his portrayal of the two men who are far worse than any actor could ever attempt to imitate or present.
At the end of the film, ,one enjoys the ending...it is truly justified.
I recommend this movie to only those who can stand sadism, cruelty, mental illness of a kind that is incurable except by death, and so while I liked it, I am warning those who like only the gentleness of life, this one is not for you.
Do not miss the special features. They are equally as entertaining and informative as the film itself.
Ironically, the movie makes much ado about the differences between Ouday and Latif in the bathroom when Ouday compares the size of their gentialia so that one who knows anything about Sonny of the Corleone family, one knows that the film makers are jesting with us when they use this as their criteria for comparison. If I must spell it out I will. Sonny was famous for his huge tool; whereas, Ouday does let us know that Latif has a bigger tool than he has.
f that does not entice you to see the movie, then what the heck, nothing will...except that the obvious is there.
But despite all the love of "cunt" that Ouday has which he announces all the time with his prowling the streets for fresh young innocent virgins to take home to rape, he likewise seemingly able to enjoy the thrill of a night with a transvestite which he describes well to his new found and made brother Latif. Latif is a man who had gone to school with Ouday so that in a special feature of the movie where Latif tells his true story, we learn that even as a schoolboy Ouday was violent, vicious, and cruel. But during the Iran Iraq war, Latif is found and bound to become made to be the double for Ouday. The movie does an excellent job of showing how this was done, but tells a different story from the real on how it actually occurred. The real is far worse than the reel.
There is one snippet of a scene with President George Bush, the former vice-president of the USA, who says that he is not at war with the Iraqi people but is defending the small state of Kuwait. One wonders at whether Bush is not just a bit naive when one is immersed into the lifestyle of the Iraqi's who are suffering under the regime of Saddam Hussein.
The movie is a fabrication but does use true stories to develop the story of Latif and his role in being the double for Ouday. It is well done, showing how Ouday would be in one place while Latif was impersonating him in another.
In the special features, Latif does explain how he is rescued by the American CIA who do get him out of Iraq. The movie does use Hollywood style plot lines to give the events of the movie a typical Hollywood ending to satisfy the moviegoers need for a shocking and stunning ending. One must not be fooled by the fact that in most history, only the participants ever know the real truth because this is a movie designed to communicate to its viewers the real cruelty of the Saddam Hussein regime, and how it is such a dominant thread in the fabric of life in the Muslim world.
Human decency and kindness is developed throughout the film despite the horrific tale. There are truly good people who are forced into lifestyles that they cannot avoid. It is an interesting movie that probably is again too full of Hollywood devices to lull the public into seeing the film. But Dominic Cooper is excellent in his portrayal of the two men who are far worse than any actor could ever attempt to imitate or present.
At the end of the film, ,one enjoys the ending...it is truly justified.
I recommend this movie to only those who can stand sadism, cruelty, mental illness of a kind that is incurable except by death, and so while I liked it, I am warning those who like only the gentleness of life, this one is not for you.
Do not miss the special features. They are equally as entertaining and informative as the film itself.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Syria and chemical weapons
Tonight on the news is a story of chemical weapons being used in Syria against a group of innocents, mostly children, in a suburb of Damascus. There were people who were writhing from the damage of the poisonous substance used against them. They were in great pain and agony. Death is the eventual outcome, and scores of children lay dead in body bags lined up on the floor. United Nations officials are going to try to enter the area to learn what happened there. It seems as if the only answer is the use of chemical weapons.
I received a post in my Facebook newsfeed accusing the USA of supplying these chemical weapons to the Syrians. This must be proved to be stopped if true, and if false, to stop accusations against the USA. Americans do not need to pay any price for the savagery of this particular war. However, it does appear that America is involved in a covert way.
Besides Syria, Egypt is having its own difficulties. Some have advised that we not send financial aid to Egypt until they regain control of their government. Democracies in Muslim nations are at best a farce, but Americans love to impose their own defunct methods onto other nations so that the Egyptians held an election but the majority of the people soon turned against the elected leader so that he has been removed from office. The military had to take over to put an interim president into office who told a reporter the other night that if America cuts off aid to Egypt, then it can turn to Russia for help.
Cutting off aid to Egypt means loss of jobs in America. Aid to Egypt is actually in the form of weapons built at American plants which provide jobs for Americans. Russia would be all too happy to gain the support of Egypt if Americans cop out on their own job producing efforts...What a farce that is too.
It is probably time that Americans learn to understand how the real world works. Don't make hasty decisions which will cost Americans their own comfortable lifestyle. It is not pretty to learn that Americans depend upon dissension in other nations to make a living at home. But the truth is that making Egypt dependent upon America for its arsenal means jobs here at home.
Everyone thinks that they want world peace. Peace comes often at a higher price than war games it would seem. Some financiers are making a lot of profit from all these war games while we at home look aghast at the sight of dead children and writhing victims pleading for help. In good conscience, we must admit that we are a part of the problem.
I received a post in my Facebook newsfeed accusing the USA of supplying these chemical weapons to the Syrians. This must be proved to be stopped if true, and if false, to stop accusations against the USA. Americans do not need to pay any price for the savagery of this particular war. However, it does appear that America is involved in a covert way.
Besides Syria, Egypt is having its own difficulties. Some have advised that we not send financial aid to Egypt until they regain control of their government. Democracies in Muslim nations are at best a farce, but Americans love to impose their own defunct methods onto other nations so that the Egyptians held an election but the majority of the people soon turned against the elected leader so that he has been removed from office. The military had to take over to put an interim president into office who told a reporter the other night that if America cuts off aid to Egypt, then it can turn to Russia for help.
Cutting off aid to Egypt means loss of jobs in America. Aid to Egypt is actually in the form of weapons built at American plants which provide jobs for Americans. Russia would be all too happy to gain the support of Egypt if Americans cop out on their own job producing efforts...What a farce that is too.
It is probably time that Americans learn to understand how the real world works. Don't make hasty decisions which will cost Americans their own comfortable lifestyle. It is not pretty to learn that Americans depend upon dissension in other nations to make a living at home. But the truth is that making Egypt dependent upon America for its arsenal means jobs here at home.
Everyone thinks that they want world peace. Peace comes often at a higher price than war games it would seem. Some financiers are making a lot of profit from all these war games while we at home look aghast at the sight of dead children and writhing victims pleading for help. In good conscience, we must admit that we are a part of the problem.
Meet Up
Meet Up is a social website where one can find groups in your city that you can attend to make friends, gain information, or discuss and share ideas. I just learned of them, and found that there are many groups available through this internet site that lists times, places, and membership of various groups for any particular interest. I have joined only two so far and made a date to meet with the few who will also be in attendance at an Edgar Cayce meeting. I was going to attend a soul mates group meeting that would be this Sunday but remembered that the Del Mar Pacific Classic is running at that time and I can't miss that.
I was reminded of when I studied travel advisory back in '74 and lo and behold, tonight up popped tapes from the Nixon Watergate era on the news. I went to a travel group meeting which turned out not to be part of Meet Up but a professional travel meeting for travel advisors. Is this coincidence? I ask ya! I am wondering....I remember that era very well.
There was a time I called myself King TV for the King Midas touch....Hearing Nixon talk to Ronald Regan at NBC and seeing a different group of tapes at CBS made me wince a bit....I can remember when Nixon took his big limo up to McDonald's....that made a big noise on the tube.
Later, Bill Clinton jogged to McDonald's. What a contrast between those two men who had Pinocchio noses....
I will investigate Meet Up groups again to see how many I can find that will help me to meet people and to discuss mutual interests.
I was reminded of when I studied travel advisory back in '74 and lo and behold, tonight up popped tapes from the Nixon Watergate era on the news. I went to a travel group meeting which turned out not to be part of Meet Up but a professional travel meeting for travel advisors. Is this coincidence? I ask ya! I am wondering....I remember that era very well.
There was a time I called myself King TV for the King Midas touch....Hearing Nixon talk to Ronald Regan at NBC and seeing a different group of tapes at CBS made me wince a bit....I can remember when Nixon took his big limo up to McDonald's....that made a big noise on the tube.
Later, Bill Clinton jogged to McDonald's. What a contrast between those two men who had Pinocchio noses....
I will investigate Meet Up groups again to see how many I can find that will help me to meet people and to discuss mutual interests.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Doing self check
Learning new stuff at Apple
For some time, I was working on Pages which is a word processing program for Apple. I finally learned that Apple does compete with Kindle for ebooks. I know that they have told me so at the store but reading it online from an article about ebooks has convinced me that apple is in the ebook business as well.
I have been thinking my first draft through repeatedly, realizing that I have characters to develop more fully, and scenes to expand. When one has reached the word count, the rewrite to make it interesting and educational is quite a task. Stories alter as time passes, and while I had not intended for it to be an indie book it could become that if I decide to go that way. I actually wanted a publishing company to do most of the marketing even if they do get the biggest slice of the pie. They generally know how to find the audience for it through their departments.
However, I have finally launched into iphotos and as a result, have learned that one can take a series of photos and splice them together to get a video from them.
I learned this from my trainer who is going to help me learn how to do it, presuming that I get her as tutor again.
I am liking this computer more and more all the time. It has so many interesting functions that I am constantly amazed. Before long, I will be somewhat proficient at using it. However, until then I take it one lesson at a time. I have to write notesto myself so that I do not forget it. With Apple, fingers and motions are very important. One finger, two fingers, and three fingers all create different responses. It takes some time to get accustomed to it, but it is quite fascinating to think how these programmers came up with some of these designs.
Another nice thing about apple is that one can make accent marks for other languages when one learns the tip or secret. I watch the tips and tricks that are often posted on the wall when I am there to learn another new tip.
Of course, the trainers do often give you information that you would not know unless told how to use. One tutor told me that it is nearly impossible to learn all that there is to know about the computer. I suspect that is true since most buyers are interested in only certain parts of it.
I actually do appreciate all these tips and techniques. The hi tech world is fantastic to say the least.
I have been thinking my first draft through repeatedly, realizing that I have characters to develop more fully, and scenes to expand. When one has reached the word count, the rewrite to make it interesting and educational is quite a task. Stories alter as time passes, and while I had not intended for it to be an indie book it could become that if I decide to go that way. I actually wanted a publishing company to do most of the marketing even if they do get the biggest slice of the pie. They generally know how to find the audience for it through their departments.
However, I have finally launched into iphotos and as a result, have learned that one can take a series of photos and splice them together to get a video from them.
I learned this from my trainer who is going to help me learn how to do it, presuming that I get her as tutor again.
I am liking this computer more and more all the time. It has so many interesting functions that I am constantly amazed. Before long, I will be somewhat proficient at using it. However, until then I take it one lesson at a time. I have to write notesto myself so that I do not forget it. With Apple, fingers and motions are very important. One finger, two fingers, and three fingers all create different responses. It takes some time to get accustomed to it, but it is quite fascinating to think how these programmers came up with some of these designs.
Another nice thing about apple is that one can make accent marks for other languages when one learns the tip or secret. I watch the tips and tricks that are often posted on the wall when I am there to learn another new tip.
Of course, the trainers do often give you information that you would not know unless told how to use. One tutor told me that it is nearly impossible to learn all that there is to know about the computer. I suspect that is true since most buyers are interested in only certain parts of it.
I actually do appreciate all these tips and techniques. The hi tech world is fantastic to say the least.
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