Let's jump right in with some music. I'm calling these music selections Choice Ladies - all written and performed by ladies.
- Bandits (soundtrack) "Puppet" [listen] / This song was in a german independent film titled Bandits, one of my fav movies. It's about a group of female inmates who form a band, escape prison, and run - all while performing and becoming famous. It's a good rent cause the actresses really are performing songs they've written.
Chantal Kreviazuk "Flying Home (Brenda's Song)" [listen] / Chantal is my favorite female musician ever. This track is from her latest album "What If It All Means Something." www.chantalonline.com
Tara MacLean "Jericho" [listen] / I discovered Tara MacLean while working at Harmony House a few years ago. This song is from a great album called "Passenger." www.taramaclean.com

S.W.A.T. Movie Review...
Another good action movie - with a good story this time. I found a nice balance between the action and the story, one didn't overpower the other, even though the action was probably supposed to control the movie. And there was humor! The satire kept the story light so the viewer wasn't bogged down by these intense characters and fatal action. I would categorize S.W.A.T. as your typical cop shoot-em-up movie, so if that's your thing then you should be all about this movie.
I haven't really hopped on the Colin Farrell train that's been chugging along the past year or so. I enjoy his acting, but not his social exploits, which only seem to make him cooler instead of being labeled a womanizer. He's a good actor, no doubt, and he's proved it once again here. I also really liked Michelle Rodriguez in this movie. She held her own against the testosterone fueled gun 'em and run 'em sequences. L.L. Cool J and Samuel L. Jackson (damn that's a bunch of L's) were also good, both funny too.
Negative...
I don't have too much negative to say. Only that the lone female position on the team would never have been as accepted in real life.
Overall...
Looking for a good action movie? Watch S.W.A.T. By the way, I do plan on buying the DVD.

U.S. vs. Canada - Blackout 2003 Blame
In the days...hours...following the blackout it was reported that the Canadian Prime Minister blamed the blackout on a lightning strike on the U.S. side of the Niagara power plant. As soon as media outlets heard this they did some investigating and found that there were NO lightning strikes or even inclement weather in the area at the time. Which leads one to ask what the hell the Canadian P.M. was doing. The U.S. gov't immediatly refuted the P.M.'s accusation. Even though the problem originated on our side of the border I still find it quite amusing to see our neighbor to the north all up in the blame game. Since when has the Canadian gov't stood up to the U.S.? Is this an indication of future relations? Don't get me wrong, I dig Canada. It's a beautiful country with gun laws the U.S. should see as an example, but this blame game is what countries in the Middle East play. Interesting, no?

My brothers, Charles and Tyler, start school today. It seems like they were just here, and that just yesterday I was cruising down to Texas in an old Mercedes with them. Back to school is an indication that the summer is over and I'm not sure how ready I am for that. In a few weeks the smell of winter will be in the air (it's a very distinct smell). But I've grown to love the winter, the snow, an actual white Christmas. For those of you who love your summers and hate your winters I will stop speaking of such cold matters. I'll just say this: the summer is almost over, enjoy it while it lasts!