A Movie to See

There is a movie that Betty and I just watched that we want to highly recommend - "Taking Chance."

This is an HBO production that premiered last Saturday night. Normally, I'm not a big fan of HBO (any channel that carries Bill Maher...). We didn't order it, but we got it anyway. We rarely watch it.

A recent exception was the "John Adams" series which was excellent. This movie, "Taking Chance" is another exception. It is excellent.

In 2004 Marine Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl volunteered to be the escort for Private First Class Chance Phelps who recently was killed in Iraq. This is unusual as enlisted men normally escort enlisted men and officers normally escort officers.

Lt. Col. Stroebel kept a journal of his experiences taking PFC Chance to his home and family in Wyoming and that is the basis for the story. He also collaborated on the screen play so it's safe to assume most, if not all, of the story is true.

The movie takes no political stance - for or against the Iraq war - it's just a straight forward telling of what happens when our young men and women are brought home and how our country responds.

If you don't have HBO it will be out on DVD in May. I strongly recommend you rent it and watch it.

It made me feel good about the kind of country we still are. Hopefully, it will do the same for you. Also, keep a couple of hankies close at hand as you'll probably need them.


Today is February 26 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Michael Bolton (singer), Johnny Cash (singer and one of the best), Fats Domino (singer, "Blueberry Hill"), Betty Hutton (actress, "Annie Get Your Gun"), Tony Randall (actor, "The Odd Couple"), Jackie Gleason (comedian, "The Honeymooners"), William Frawley (actor, Fred Mertz on "The Lucy Show"), William "Buffalo Bill" Cody (wild west showman), Levi Strauss (founder of Levis jeans), and Victor Hugo (author, "Les Miserables").

On this day in 1870 New York City's first pneumatic-powered subway line was opened to the public. In 1907 the U.S. Congress raised their pay to $7,500. Both House and Senate received the same pay. The Cabinet members and the Vice President would earn $12,000. In 1919 Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. In 1929 President Coolidge signed a measure establishing Grand Teton National Park. In 1933 ground is broken for the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. In 1936 Adolf Hitler opened the first factory for the production of the Volkswagen, the "People's Car,"in Saxony, Germany. And in 1955 Billboard magazine reported that for the first time since their introduction in 1949, 45-rpm discs are outselling the old standard 78-rpm records (me and my sister had a good collection).