Thank you George Lucas

I have not had T.V. since 1994. I live in an area without cable and so the only way to have it would be to get a satellite. Since I don't want to watch enough to make it worthwhile to pay for the service, I don't have it. Instead, I rent DVDs of movies or series that interest me. Besides, in all my adult years of T.V. watching there were few shows that I really liked. Mostly, it was passing time. One of my all time favorites was The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, which didn't last long (most of the time the shows I liked lasted 1 season or less before they were pulled). Due to the fact that a fourth Indiana Jones movie was about to be released, I was reminded of my fav show and wondered if it was available on DVD. YES!!! and for sale at that. I purchased the 3 volume set and have been enjoying it ever since. In addition to the episodes (most of them I never got to see) there is an extensive amount of educational material. This is a set of DVDs you can't miss. Entertaining and educational, it covers the early part of the 20th century including history, scientific breakthroughs, art, music, social life, inventions and so much more. Historic figures like Lawrence of Arabia, Ataturk, and others are featured as well as the discovery of Tut's tomb. A must see and should have, this is the best series that was ever on T.V. in my opinion. So much of what is going on in the Middle East today is the result of what occurred after the end of WWI and this series and the special features, goes into this in detail. Eventhough the series originally came out in the mid-90s, it is totally relevant today, because of current political events. Since the fictional part of the story takes place so long ago, it is timeless. Lucas must have spent a mint making this series. It is beautifully done in every way: locations, costumes, acting, content. I can't praise it enough. This is what T.V. should be. Thank you George Lucas!!!

Across the Universe

Finally got to see the movie "Across the Universe" on DVD. Wish I had seen it in the theater at least once. It was "trippy". A real stroll down memory lane. I cried with every song. I remembered when each song came out and what I was doing and thinking. I realized that was 40 years ago and more. I remember when I saw the Beatles in 1964 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco with my cousins Frank and George (Frank's younger brother), my aunt Frances and my Mom, Katie. I don't remember if anyone else was with us. I was 16. Imagine going to something like that with your mother! Things have changed. We didn't think it was strange. We were happy they took us. When the Beatles came out everyone started screaming and jumping up and down, even our mothers! I made my way through the crowd and actually started climbing on to the stage, reaching for John. He was closest to the side I was on, although Paul was my favorite. A female cop grabbed me an threatened to take me to the infirmary if I tried it again. Of course, I obeyed. In the west, popular music defines an era. The Beatles were a huge part of my younger days. The film uses their music effectively and appropriately. Earlier in the day, I had gone to a reading and book signing by Natalie Goldberg. She said she has been earning a living writing for 21 years. She's written 11 books. Her latest one Old Friend from Far Away. She talked about how a memoir could cover a part of your life. It was not a chronological account, but, say, your life in terms of lemon-meringue pie. This film shows how our lives were interwoven with the music of the Beatles. How it defined a generation. From the naivete of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" to "Why Don't We Do It in the Road". We all changed a lot in one decade. The whole world changed a lot in that decade.