>> The Switch
>> Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
>> The Other Guys
>> Salt
>> Inception
>> Cyrus
>> The Last Airbender
>> Grown Ups
>> Toy Story 3
>> The Human Centipede

Opening 9.1.10
>> The American (R) [trailer]

Opening 9.3.10
>> Going the Distance (R) [trailer]
>> Machete (R) [trailer]
>> Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 (Limited) (R) [trailer]
>> The Winning Season (Limited) (PG-13) [trailer]
>> White Wedding (Limited) (Not Rated) [trailer]
>> A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop (Limited) (R) [trailer]

Coming To DVD/Blu-Ray 8.31.10
>> Sons of Anarchy: Season Two [buy]
>> House, M.D.: Season Six [buy]
>> The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season [buy]
>> Once an Eagle [buy]
>> Brothers & Sisters: Complete Fourth Season [buy]

Las Vegas: Satan Vacations Here
by Victoria Alexander
July 2, 2007

Bobby Slayton at Hooters, Staley Krippner and Sidian Morning Star Jones, Dick’s Last Resort at Excalibur, Adam Yahiye Gadahn’s Message to You, 5 Movies This Week, Diamond Star Networking Event, Vampire Wives, Breatharians and more…

Bobby Slayton at Hooters. He’s billed as the "Pitbull of Comedy" and Slayton is thrilled to have an open-ended gig performing at Hooters Casino Hotel – they have been very, very good to him. The night we saw Slayton the room was sold-out and he was on fire. The room is small enough so that there is an intimacy Slayton uses to great advantage. I’m convinced that the fearless Slayton is going to get into a fight one night soon. He keeps provoking drunk audience members.

See Slayton on the weekends when he’s toying with a young, aggressive crowd. He’s going to get himself into trouble.

Slayton is a very skilled, fast comedian and his humor is based on one thing – he’s angry he doesn’t get enough oral sex from his wife. Slayton could have been a raspy-voiced urban brawler instead of a comedian. He compensates his career path by a feverish level of energy fueled by rants against everything. Slayton performs material from his three CDs and comments on current events and everyday situations while interacting with audience members. So, if you are extremely sensitive, don’t sit up front. You have been warned.

Bobby Slayton is in the Night Owl Showroom at Hooters. Show Times: 8 and 10 p.m. Wednesday - Saturday; 8 p.m. Sunday. Ticket price: $36.95.

This Week’s Movies: “Evening” (NO!), “Death at a Funeral” (YES), “Sicko” (YES, YES) “Live Free or Die Hard” (YES), “License to Wed” (I PASSED) and “Transformers” (NO).

Evening. It’s an all-star female cast with Meryl Streep’s daughter Mamie Gummer (both pictured) being pushed too early into a starring movie role. There is no story here unless you think you should watch an old lady (Vanessa Redgrave) on her deathbed think about a guy she had a one-night stand with fifty years ago. She is still pining over him.

“Evening” is a tortuous bore. Nothing happens and I didn’t care about any of the characters. Claire Danes (as the young Ann) and Gummer lack charisma playing roles that demand our interest. The screenplay, by Susan Minot and Michael Cunningham and based on the novel by Susan Minot, marauders without anything exciting happening. I kept saying to myself: “Die already!”

Sicko. Here is what I have learned from Michael Moore’s “Sicko.” If you get sick, move to Canada, France, or Cuba. If Michael Moore’s “Sicko” is seen by enough Americans it can actually make a positive impact for change. But only if people start protesting and rioting in large numbers for a change in policy.

Why is Moore so impressed with the national health care of countries like Canada, France and England? Why does he go to Cuba? Could it be that instead of building a war industry and invading countries, they are spending tax money on their citizen’s health care? All three countries have free health care for any medical crisis.

A new report from the Congressional Research Service says the U.S. is now spending close to $10 billion dollars a month on the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan – an increase of nearly $8 billion dollars from one year ago.

The private health care industry wants you to have an insurance policy in place but they are not willing to pay for your health care once you get sick. The industry policy is to deny claims. They get away with outrageous practices by doling out enormous contributions to politicians and employing an army of lobbyists with ready cash. Moore introduces a group of average Americans who have had to face dire medical emergencies and whose claims were denied by their insurance carriers. It is sickening. Kaiser Permanente is at the top of Moore’s Evil Triumvirate.

Apparently, sick people do not vote. Why not have voter registration forms at hospitals and pharmacies? “Sicko” is important and well done. Moore takes a backseat and allows his subjects to express themselves and show us how a medical crisis has changed their lives.

Live Free or Die Hard. All high octane action and no dialogue. John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back and he’s not in a walker. He’s still a New York cop having a lousy relationship with his daughter. He stalks her.

In this, the fourth in the “Die Hard” franchise, McClane is up against a rather shallow villain played by Timothy Olyphant. McClane gets a routine call to go to New Jersey and pick up a hacker. Inside Matt’s shrine of computers, they come under massive firepower. Barely escaping – now I know you throw down the refrigerator across the front door – McClane has got to take Farrell to safety.

The entire computer network that controls the country is under attack by a disgruntled, former U.S. government worker unhappy with his severance package. He wanted respect and now is getting even! With millions of dollars at his disposal, he has put in place a high tech operation to disable America and take control of all the financial assets and utilities. He plans to cripple the country and move everybody’s money off-shore. In hacker mythology, it is called a “fire sale.”

Willis is not too old (and keeps his shirt one) and the director gives him no pretty close-ups. The movie is shot to give Willis that sinewy, raw look that brings to the production a European glow. There is no fat absorbing the budget here. Money was spent on superior CGI (a car crashes into a helicopter) and impressive stunt work done by real people!

Death At A Funeral. At first, “Death” appears to be a sedate British comedy. Children and friends have gathered at a gorgeous manor house for a wake. In charge of the affair is Daniel (Matthew Macfadyen), son of the deceased. The mourners include cousin Martha and her boyfriend, Simon. They stop to pick up her brother who has just cooked up a fancy mix of LSD, Ketamine and DMT. Martha gives Simon one of the pills believing it is a valium.

Things go along as well as can be expected until a tiny man no one knows, Peter (Peter Dinklage), turns up. As Simon starts hallucinating and causes a major disruption that temporarily halts the proceedings. Troy loses the bottle of pills. Peter tells Daniel that he has some information and needs to see him in private. What he tells Daniel sets off a chain of events that are quite drastic and funny.

Transformers. A bad comedy. I hated the robots and their funny voices, hated the humans, and hated the story. “Transformers” is based on a line of Hasbro toys! Hollywood has officially run out of stories. Next up, Michael Bay is going to direct a screenplay based on a box of cereal. Shia LaBeouf, who always has the look of utter surprise, plays 11th grader Sam. He gets a car that turns out to be an alien from a metal robot race. The good robots are here fighting with the bad robots over a pair of eyeglasses that Sam has. “Transformers” is just horrible.

Am I The Only One Worried? I’m taking these video messages very seriously. I’m paying attention! Bin Laden made his point. Now comes Azzam the American speaking directly to us in English. Adam Yahiye Gadahn released a video titled “Legitimate Demands” on May 29, 2007. The speech accused President Bush of spearheading a Crusade against Muslims and embroiling American forces in wars without end.

The demands stated by Gadahn are not negotiations, for Muslims do not negotiate with “baby killers and war criminals”. He demands the removal of American military forces from Muslim lands, cease of encroachment into the political, social, and economic affairs in these countries, and to free Muslim captives from prisons. Should these demands not be met, Gadahn says, “means that you and your people will - Allah willing - experience things which will make you forget all about the horrors of September 11th, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Virginia Tech.”

Since 9/11 Osama bin Laden (remember him?) and Ayman al-Zawahiri have warned Americans, and the Muslim world, to prepare for an al-Qaeda attack more severe than 9/11.

Michael Scheuer (pictured), once the anonymous author of “Imperial Hubris” wrote in 2005:

“After 9/11, bin Laden received sharp criticisms from Islamist scholars that dealt with the al-Qaeda chief's failure to satisfy several religious requirements pertinent to waging war. The critique focused on three items: (1) insufficient warning; (2) failure to offer Americans a chance to convert to Islam; and (3) inadequate religious authorization to kill so many people.”

Scheuer writes further: “To remedy the criticism of inadequate religious authorization for mass American casualties, bin Laden received the necessary sanction from a young, radical Saudi Shaykh named Hamid bin al-Fahd in May 2003. bin Laden's warnings and invitation to conversion are meant to satisfy Islamic scholars, and Muslims generally, that al-Qaeda has abided by the Prophet Muhammad's instructions of offering a warning to the enemy before launching an attack.” http://www.jamestown.org/news_details.php?news_id=96

Stanley Krippner and Sidian Morning Star Jones. On Monday, between seeing “Evening” and “Death at a Funeral,” I went to Imperial Palace’s Teahouse to have lunch with Stanley and Sidian (I caught handsome Sidian with his eyes closed!). Stanley, a long time friend, is a Saybrook Institute scholar who has written over 20 books on shamanism, dreams, and indigenous healing, and Sidian are winners of the Woodfish Prize and were attending a conference on consciousness.

Sidian and Stanley are collaborating on a book on Rolling Thunder, the Native American shaman and elder. Sidian Jones is Rolling Thunder’s grandson and a poet and writer. The Woodfish Prize is a joint award to two people, one indigenous North American (Native American or First Nation) and the other Euroamerican (European North American), for co-creating a transpersonal social action project that is mutually transforming. The Woodfish Institute

Diamond Star Networking Event. Before heading to Dick’s Last Resort at Excalibur, I stopped by the Diamond Star Networking event at the Platinum Hotel. I’ve never been to a networking mixer before, but I wanted to meet “Mystery Guest” speaker Audrey Roberts, who is the founder of the ARTV Awards being held this year at the Palms Casino Resort on September 29, 2007. Audrey is from New York City and is an influential artist, art activist and actress. Perhaps in a future column, I can get red-headed Audrey to talk of her friendships with Andy Warhol and his Factory notables (including Edi Sedgwick) among many others luminaries of the art world in the 70’s she knew. (Photo of Audrey with the creative director of ART, Inc. Maria Sanchez)

I brought along retired real estate developer and financial entrepreneur Mark Jonah and Mark’s family relative from London, 28-year old Alex Elias (photo of Alex below at Dick’s Last Resort). Mark was immediately surrounded by a coterie of his female friends (photo of Mark and his friend Elaine Casal). http://www.diamondstarnetworkingevents.com

Dick’s Last Resort at Excalibur Hotel & Casino. Thank goodness Dick’s Last Resort had its VIP Opening on Wednesday so that I had a good reason to skip the promotional screening for Robin Williams “License to Wed.” I much prefer Robin when he is playing a weird killer-pervert to funny man. Does Dick’s Last Resort realize that when you encourage Las Vegas patrons to create a raucous environment, you are throwing down the dining decorum gauntlet?

Dick’s Last Resort, aka “The Shame ‘O The Strip,” is bold, loud and its mantra could be: ‘Let’s Have Fun and be Silly!” All the VIP’s dived right in dancing and voluntarily choosing to wear outrageous paper hats with rude sayings painted on them. My friend Bill kept throwing stacks of napkins up in the air. Who knew Excalibur would be so daring and fun?

Dick’s Last Resort has deliciously messy cuisine, zany décor, rowdy wait staff, live bands and an “anything goes” let-loose atmosphere. Because we were having so much loud fun, I stayed out much longer than I usually do. Dick’s Last Resort is known for its heaping buckets of steaming crab legs, shrimp, burgers or ribs served with heaps of french-fried potatoes. A full bar and nightly live entertainment are offered. Any improvised costume you want to wear will be cheered. And I love my tiny pink Dick’s Last Resort T-shirt!

Vampire Wives? A new friend send me the following asking what this thing was about. I have left the lousy grammar and spelling intact. I’m insulted this person makes the claim that Col. Alexander’s wife “doesn’t eat!”

“the SCOTLAND ST CLAIR FAMILY of the MAGDELENE LINE ( NOT of IMMANUEL - so called JESUS) are VAMPIRES.. COL JOHN ALEXANDER and LT COL AQUINO both have VAMPIRIC WIVES... i hope you can find photos of them.. i saw COL ALEXANDERS last nite.. he was head of LOS ALAMOS.. and is called DR> DEATH.. he has a doctorate in THANATOLOGY.. and wrote the book.. NON LETHAL WEAPONS.. CHRIS OBRIEN WHO WAS LECTURING LAST NITE IN SEDONA said his wife doesnt eat.. HELL NO SHE DRINKS HUMAN BLOOD! please also see my page on AQUINOS ST CLAIR WIFEY.. btw.. the DA VINCI CODE made the ST CLAIRS INTO HEROINE GODS!.. did you see the movie.. ????? i think my webpage is wiolawapress.com/shapshi.htm.. btw.. DAN BROWN got away SCOT FREE.. notice SCOT FREE.. even though he stoll the ideas from the books GENISIS and HOLY BLOOD HOLY GRAIL.. but the JUDGES of the CoURT OF SNAKES.. didnt fine him or sue him.. but let him GO since he did their bidding.. of making them.. the children of JESUS- ie. IMMANUEL>> via MAGDELENE..” (Photo of Col. Aquino and his vampire wife.)

What Is Wrong With Not Eating? There is a news item about a German professor who claims to survive on just sunshine and fruit juice. I have summarized the long article:

“Michael Werner looks normal enough. He's six foot tall, grey and bespectacled, weighs in at 12-and-a-half stone and enjoys playing tennis, socializing and jogging - three brisk miles before breakfast with his wife Angelica, a nice fry-up for her and a quick coffee for him. All very ordinary. It's just that Michael doesn't eat. At all. In fact, the last item of food that passed his lips was a huge helping of potato salad and a slice of cake on New Year's Eve 2001.

Michael Werner claims he gets all the sustenance he needs from the sun.

Dr. Werner is a bright, well spoken scientist who was so surprised at the consequences of his bizarre diet - just four coffees and two fruit juices every day for six-and-a-half years, plus that occasional glass of wine - that he's written a book about it called “Life From Light”.

After nine months of build-up and the New Year's Eve potato salad blow-out, he gave it a whirl - starting with a strict acclimatization programme to help his body adapt. "It takes three weeks," he says. "The first week is really strict - eat nothing, drink nothing.

"The crucial factor in this 21-day process is self-belief. If you believe you can do this then you won't give in to the hunger. On the eighth day you can have some watered down fruit juice - to cleanse your body with the antioxidants. In the third week, you can move on to stronger, more concentrated juices. And in the last seven days, your body stabilizes and gets used to its new regime."

"I've always had a very positive relationship with food. I enjoy being present at mealtimes and often think I even enjoy them better than if I were to eat!'

So what does he do at mealtimes?

"I take part in them, of course. I always drink something - sometimes water, sometimes tea, sometimes coffee, depending on the situation and my mood."

"I have taken part in two ten-day studies where everything was monitored - my blood pressure, urine, heart rate. Much of my energy comes from light and the atmosphere. I absorb energy from light - like plants - and this allows me to function fully.” Professor claims to survive on just sunshine and fruit juice | the Daily Mail

Breatharians. There are an estimated 5,000 Breatharianists/light nutritionists worldwide. Breatharianism, or the belief that the elements contained in air - nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrogen - can sustain a body.

In 1983 Wiley Brooks, the founder of the Breatharian Institute of America and who claimed not to have eaten for 19 years, caused outrage when he was allegedly caught ordering a chicken pie. Several female followers died after fasting and falling into comas. Australian Ellen "Jasmuheen" Greves (pictured) was a leading proponent of the movement in the late Nineties - lecturing all over the world on the benefits of a diet of light, air and one packet of biscuits in 10 years. However, skepticism crept in after reporters visiting her Brisbane home found it crammed with food - which she insisted belonged to her second husband, Jess Ferguson, a convicted fraudster.

And a British journalist accompanying her to her check-in desk at Heathrow was astonished when the British Airlines clerk asked her to confirm that she'd ordered an in-flight vegetarian meal. "No, no," she replied. "Well, yes, OK, I did. But I won't be eating it."

And an attempt in 1999 to test her skill ended in near disaster. The controlled experiment, under tight security, ended after four days amid fears for her rapidly deteriorating health. She blamed the failure on the stressful circumstances under which the experiment was conducted, rather than lack of food and water.

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