2008 Summer Movie Season Begins! 10 we want to see...

Hello Everyone!
Happy Cinco de Mayo!

We hope that where ever you are, (including our Brothers and Sisters in those area recovering from weekend tornadoes and cyclones), that you are well and safe.

Remember to always have a disaster plan in place for you and your family, and to keep a kit ready with three days of medicines, supplies and water handy. Dove and I have one kit indoors and one outside in the vehicle. Don't forget supplies for your pets!

Well, it's time for the 2008 Summer Movie Season! There are a lot of films coming out...too many to review at once, but here are 10 we are looking forward to seeing:

The Dark Knight
Obviously, the new Batman film is on the minds of many, with Heath Ledger's new interpretation of The Joker. It looks very interesting, with a strong cast, including Christian Bale and Gary Oldman.

Hellboy II
This is Guillermo del Toro's sequel and it looks like a fine romp. Falcon liked the trailer and hopes that the film has as much substance as it has strong special effects.

The Incredible Hulk
We hope this film is good; the last Hulk film wasn't. The trailer was okay, but Bruce Banner can be a very difficult character to portray on screen, even if he did start in a comic book. We hope this one rocks. We are cautious.

Iron Man
Falcon likes Robert Downey, Jr. and he really makes this film special. The soundtrack is fantastic! Very difficult effects and some impossible angles to capture make this film better than I thought it would be. You have to like this kind of thing...it's summer, you know what kinds of movies we get in summer...bang, bang! Our sort-ot-hero does make a point though, as he changes his mind about weapons and war.

Indiana Jones and the Kindom of the Crystal Skull
Harrison Ford and Shia LeBoeuf...sounds good to me. I am concerned that like a previous Indiana Jones film (Temple of Doom critically lead to the PG-13 rating)that Central and South American Native peoples be treated with a bit more respect and not stereotype. It is repugnant that we still have to worry about the treatment of sacred cultures on film in this day and age, but Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest proves its never to late to be gross and xenophobic. So, we worry...

The Cronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
It you have read C.S. Lewis' series, then this film adaptation of the book should be one of your favorites in the series. Falcon is personally happy that they found a young man who looks just like the Prince Caspian she always envisioned when reading the books. Yum. As for the story, this is a hard one to get in a 2 hour block, so I hope the compression does it justice. There's so little you can talk about on this project without giving something away...so we won't.

Sex and the City
Hey, something that isn't fastasy or comic book adaptations! This should be a fun romp...same actors, and although the film Twin Peaks wasn't as good as the television series, this one should fare much better.

Sisterhood of the Trevelling Pants II
This should be a lovely departure for the summer months for those who want acting and a strong narrative from young women. Amerika Ferrera (Ugly Betty) is in this charming story again, and we hope that it will be just a wonderful for families as the first one. This is for tweens and older, not the extremely young ones.

Speed Racer
Very light fare with a good cast. John Goodman and Susan Sarandon...and some new bright fun faces we hope to see in the future. I liked Speed Racer the cartoon when I was a kid, and the movie looks like Tron meets Cars, so we will see how it goes. This should be appropriate for mosst audiences.

Star Trek
This is Star Trek, kind of the early years, including Pittsburgher Zack Quinto (Sylar on Heroes) as a young Mr. Spock. Falcon has ony seen a small teaser and looks forward to more. We hope this works.

Kennywood Park Opens May 3

Hello Everyone!
Well, it's almost Beltane, May Day..May 1! Time to celebrate! Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, too! So, let's have some fun!

Kennywood Park, one of the finest traditional amusement parks in the U.S. opens May 3 and if you get to the park this weekend, you will probably see the end of the spring blooms: crabapple, cherry, dogwoods, sand cherry, etc. This is the only time of year you can see the blooms, and rarely can you get in the park in any year and see them. This is really the first time in 11 years that the park will be open to the public and the blooms are showing off. Usually, it's just too cold and/or unpredictable weather-wise for them to open the park. This year is special, so go for it; temps will be in 70s this weekend.

For those of you not familiar with Kennywood Park, it is in West Mifflin, near Pittsburgh, PA. It has several outstanding roller-coasters, including one that coaster enthusiasts believe is the best wooden coaster ever...The Thunderbolt. Ride first, then eat. Oh, the food...The Potato Patch, rated the best fries in the country several times over the years. The carousel is one from dreams past, something you would imagine in a park over 100 years old. The lagoon has great paddle boats, and there is actually a Penny Arcade full of modern and nostalgic games. The landscaping is beautiful, full of blooms whose fragrances stir the soul.

Come out and have some fun! See the blooms! If you can't come this spring, come this summer or fall. There are fireworks nightly during Fall Fantasy in August, and special days like WTAE Day in July. You won't be disappointed, and your children will have a day or weekend that they will never forget.

Good ol' fashion fun rules!

Lorena Ochoa and Danica Patrick: Take a bow!

Hello Brothers and Sisters,
Falcon here, calling for a celebration! Two awesome champions deserve our attention and praise.

This week, Danica Patrick won at Twin Ring Motegi. Lorena Ochoa, who is now the number one player in women's golf won yet another tournament, this time the Ginn in Florida, to win four times in a row this year, including a major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship (which includes a dip in the lake with family members after getting the trophy).

These accomplishments have come from extremely hard work and dedication to their craft.

The IRL and the LPGA respectively should take advantage of the success of these incredible women and play it up and promote the tours.

If you don't know about these women in their fields and their community, check out their websites:
www.danicaracing.com
www.lorenaochoa.com

I Agree with the Judge: Settle 'Potter' case now

Hello Everyone!
This is Falcon, and I am going to have a small rant. There is a case in Manhattan right now in Federal court before U.S. District judge Robert Patterson, Jr. who is now asking the sides to come to a settlement out of court. Falcon says she agrees, noting that the judge was quoted by the AP as saying, "I think this case, with imagination, could be settled."

This is a case that has Harry Potter fans reeling. Some are supporting Jo Rowling in her quest to keep a hardcopy version of the website Harry Potter Lexicon from publishing in print form. Others see former middle-school librarian Steven Vander Ark's efforts as commentary and scholarly, and therefore, eligible to publish.

This is a slippery area, to be sure. I would like to look at some of the areas that may have been forgotten.

Many Harry Potter fans have been helped by Vander Ark's site. Even Jo Rowling herself has admitted to using the site for reference while in the process of composing some of her own works. That means that man is passionate, and has done a service to the popularity of the Harry Potter series success. He wasn't compensated for any of that research time; he did it for pure love of the series, and the desire to get more young people to read. Now, he wants to publish a book that probably should have more reference material and commentary than it now contains. In the interest of compromise, he should probably add additional commentary to the text. This would make the project more of a review and reference piece. Let the guy make a nickel.

Okay, what about Jo Rowling's plan to do her own reference text in a few years...it will make a mint like all her other work. Sorry, but it is completely ludicrous to believe that those buying Vander Ark's project wouldn't buy one written by the author years from now. Of course they would.

History has proven that fan generated texts have only increased popularity of the original, not hurt it. Look at Gene Roddenberry's 'Star Trek' and George Lucas' 'Star Wars'; there have been plenty of fan created books and materials, essays, and comics, and all have enhanced the fan experience and appreciation for the originals. Here is my next suggestion for compromise: Steven, give one of Jo Rowling's charities a portion of the sales of your version of the lexion! That way, the project will not be 'perceived' as taking anything away from charities that will benefit in the future from the author's encyclopedia when published.

Jo, Dove (Areya) loves you dearly, but I am a mom, as you are...so let's have a conversation, Mom to Mom.

Jo, although you are the author of the 'Harry Potter' books, you no longer 'own' it. You are its parent, but you did not 'raise' your son in a vacuum: you had many others whose contributions went into making what 'Harry Potter' became...a huge success. You did not 'pay for' or 'compensate' those contributors, yet their influence is very much present and obvious to those who have studied literature through the ages for many a year. Now, I don't expect you to compensate them; I expect you to honor them. The most honorable thing that you can do is to remember how you got to where you are.

Many, many people who were never on the payroll at Warner Brothers helped make this project a success. No one does it alone, and many did everything they did, spending lots and lots of their own money to make Harry Potter popular. One of them is a librarian named Steven Vander Ark.

If he is willing to go back and revise and add some additional commentary to the printed lexicon, and dedicate a portion of the profits to a charity that you name, can this lawsuit go away? You have had a great run of it, and Warner Brothers has more coming in the next few years with the films. This lexicon will not hurt you; and it may help you in ways you cannot yet expect.

I know...because I am a mom, too... that your deepest concern is for your charities to prosper, and I believe that this is a way to help keep that thought ever-present, without causing any permanent damage in reputation or image of anyone involved.

I remember another author of famous literature in the 20th Century who had a problem very similar to this one...J.R.R. Tolkien.

He decided before he passed away to allow a lot of projects to be done, mostly because he saw advantage in sharing more of his work with the world. He once said that the greatest compliment to his work was that people were so interested in seeing Middle-earth and its characters extended beyond the borders, and he delighted in the fact that someday, perhaps there would be little girls named Eowyn running around in future generations. He knew that he had not created the names or the places really, but 'listened carefully' to the dictation'.

He was a very spiritual man and realized that as an artist, whenever anyone shares something they created into being, that at the moment it is shared, it no longer belongs to you...it belongs to us all.

Try to let your child grow a little through someone else's eyes...they will not hurt them, and what they have to offer may end up being a very good thing, even if it doesn't seem like it right now.

It is a mother's...and an artist's curse: we love them, we raise them, and eventually, we must learn to let them go...graciously acknowledging that although we did most of the work to get them where they are today, we did not do it alone. We let them run, trusting that they will be fine in the hands of a world that loves them, maybe not the same way that we do, but loves them, nonetheless. Trust that all will be well; you have a strong child, and he will be just fine.

Peace,
Falcon (Stephanie)

Support Washington (County) PA Area Humane Society-Zootoo.com

Hello Everyone!
Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 15, The Washington Area (Washington County, PA) Humane Society will receive their Zootoo visit for consideration for the $1 Million Makeover! If you are in the area, stop by and lend support to this awesome no-kill shelter! Bring a sign, volunteer, cheer...whatever you can. I am sure they wouldn't mind if you brought a donation or two;)

You can help by going to Zootoo.com, registering, and writing reviews, submitting photos, etc. They are in first place, so we here at Falcon and Dove want to help them win the makeover of their (and their animals') dreams! Please help them...they do so much for so many! Here's some important information below:



1527 Route 136

Eighty Four , PA 15330

Phone: 724-222-7387

The Washington Area Humane Society (WAHS) is a no-kill shelter, funded solely by private contributions. Our shelter takes in as many as 4,000 animals annually and investigates an average of 800 abuse complaints per year.

Our Mission is to:
• provide shelter, safety and food for the orphaned and abused animals of Washington County with the goal of placing them in loving homes;

• provide public education about the humane care and treatment of animals;

• provide affordable veterinary outpatient services including spaying or neutering; and

• investigate and resolve abuse cases in the best interests of the animal and community.

We do not euthanize animals to make room for other animals. We pride ourselves on giving every animal a second, even third chance at a loving permanent home regardless of age or medical condition. Our only exceptions are those cases where "quality of life" is severely affected and for cases of public safety. We would not knowingly allow an animal to suffer nor pose a safety risk to the community.

We need dedicated volunteers and your economic help to continue to operate. Every donation counts.

College-Got admitted, can't afford it-now what?

Hello Class of 2008!

Great news, you are being accepted to the colleges of your choice, you are picking out your dorms and residence halls...and you are getting your award packages in the mail...and the gap between what you can afford and what you need to attend is enormous. What do you do?

First of all...DON'T PANIC!

There are options. Contact your Admissions representative at your university of choice (there should be several universities of choice) and tell them your problem. See if there are merit scholarships within the university that you are eligible for that can begin to fill the gap.

Go to Fastweb.com and look at at scholarships that you can apply for with immediate deadlines and money that is disbursed before August 1, 2008...around the time you will need to have your gaps filled.

Okay, so you're a good student, fine in sports, but not the top NCAA recruit. That doesn't mean you can't play college sports. Let's suppose that you play basketball at your high school (men or women), and you don't play well enough for consideration for a scholarship to your university. Look at some of the other sports...fencing, rowing, etc. Maybe they have some spots open in those areas because there are not enough student athletes to recruit for that particular sport at that particular school.
Contact the Athletic Director, or the coach in that sport. Find out if they need what you have to offer, and let them tell you what you need to do to get in the NCAA Clearinghouse. You may have enough talent, or they may be willing to work with you, and give you some athletic grant-in-aid to meet the gaps in your education funding.

Look at organizations in your community for scholarships: Elks, Rotary, local unions, etc. There may be some scholarships that you or your student may qualify for that could reduce those costs.

Also, some universities have their own financing programs.. You and/or your parents sit down with your prospective university's financial aid representative and see if they can come up with monthly payments you may be able to afford. Do this before going to some predatory lender.

As a matter of fact, if the Financial Aid Package contains an extraordinarily large portion of outside lending (beyond the university and federal loans and grants), I would seriously reconsider that university for myself and /or my child.

If you/your student is a good student (3.5 or higher GPA, good SAT/ACT scores, plenty of leadership skills and great AP/IB test scores), your student should look at all awards packages from every university they applied to very, very carefully. One of the points of consideration should be: how deep in debt am I going to get sending myself/my child to this school?

There are great schools with great names, and then there are great schools who may not be as well known, but are fully capable of meeting your student's needs, as well as giving them an attractive financial aid package (awards package). Small, private universities can be very competitive in terms of offerings in the classroom, and for the pocket. Hear everyone out, and see what they are willing to do for your very good student. Don't be afraid to tell a university that you prefer that another school has offered more merit money than they have. If they are worth their salt, they will at least try to match that offer.

There is no way we can afford the university I got in to...now what do I do?

Don't panic. There are a lot of fine universities that take students on a Rolling Admission basis. Even at this late point, there are schools that you can apply to that will give you an admission decision in weeks, not months. From there, they may have sufficient merit aid to help you. Many smaller schools are very generous. Keep applying to independent scholarships! Ask for an application fee waiver if you can't afford to pay yet another application fee.

The key is to not give up! Keep your head up. If you have been accepted to a college, you know that you have done what is necessary. Now, the key in this tough financial climate is to go where you can afford to go, and to a university that will give you the skills and the business connections to be successful; that combination does exist!

Good luck!
Peace,
Falcon and Dove

Randy Pausch-The Last Lecture

Hey Brothers and Sister!
If any of you watched the ABC network tonight at 10pm, you saw a show on Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University professor facing the difficulty of pancreatic cancer with a Tigger smile, and the courage of Aragorn. His new book, The Last Lecture is out today. We hope you get a chance to pick up a copy, read it, and hopefully, find some wisdom to give your own life some extra sparkle.

If you don't know about Randy, please go to You Tube and put his name in the search. You will get one of his many interviews, but also his last lecture last fall at CMU. Please watch it, and you will understand what a special spirit he is. Not a flawless one, and that is really his greatest gift for us all: his honorable nature that is human, not super-human. Although, I think his courage is extraordinary.

We here at Falcon and Dove have our own Randy Pausch story. He created a program called Alice, (you can download it for free) that is designed to help girls with learning the basics of computer information technology, and get more of them in the computer fields as they go through school. Dove has the program (and an Alice tee-shirt), and loved it! It was great that CMU made the program available to Home School students. Now, everyone can get it, so if you have kids...go for it! It's a lot of fun: storytelling creative software.

Randy, we would like to say thanks. It is a simple word, but the most appropriate. Thanks for caring about students, thanks for sharing your journey, thanks for taking time away from your family to share that sacred time with all of us.

Our prayers are with you and your family.

Oh, and by the way...the cancer didn't win, you did. Rest assured, my Brother, you have won.

Peace,
Falcon and Dove