a read for THE PRETTY GIRLS by @KarinSlaughter

(a reading aficionado by Jeannette Marshall)


Escapism at its finest
Author Karin Slaughter nailed it, hit it outta the park with "The Pretty Girls".  (Please comment here if you represent 
@KarinSlaughter to pay $1000 to put the cover image and an excerpt here).  

Won't put it down
You ever read those kind of reviews long ago with Stephen King, J.K.Rowling, Michael Connelly?  Remember how the reviewer always said: "A book that you can't put down" or "you will stay up late to want to read this one".  Well, this book is just like one of those.  I'm an avid reader, and known for having a vast collection of reading interests.  Like any drug, it loses its potency the more you absorb it.  

Reading Aficionado
I like the idea of becoming a reading aficionado.  I'm creating a new term just now, without a notion whether there is such a thing or if anyone else has named themselves as a reading aficionado.  Like purveyors of fine wine for the ladies or cigars for the gents.

An uncommon voice
I wanna be recognized and renowned for my easy picks on books, reading, movies, blogs, beauty, fashion or style.  Someone who is in beat with the vibe from social media energy.  Do you wanna listen to music? (and hear my top picks?).  The goal is to appraise and cultivate opinion that represents the majority who have been given a voice.

"Life is a journey of learning and gaining knowledge" ~Jeannette Marshall

Play havoc with your imagination
Were you considering escape for a few hours to indulge in a fantasy created by gifted writers who played havoc with your imagination?  You see crisp correlation between the description and your own creative mind.

Holding true as a mental energist
People can gravitate towards you like being out in the far galaxial universe and shooting stars blasting like fireworks all around us without any footing or move-ment, floating, at peace with themselves, their surroundings.  Not wanting something they cannot or should not have, whether by wisdom or self-discipline halted swiftly, skipping over. 

Internet interests and vibe
You are going to see someone who can catch the direction of the energy from being in tune with communications around the world on social media.

On a cloud of inspiration
Where musical taste speaks to decades of generations floating from one to the next, on a cloud of inspiration from true gifted, musical talent.  Or, some events related to music captures EVERYone :: remember Susan Boyle?

Mother's Day, 2014.

Fun new APPS 4 SoMe::Social Media
The hunt and discovery is three quarters of the fun!  It will be on the fashionista - not techie radar - favorites because it catches the energy from the Post Boomers Pre-GEN-Xers 50s crowd (dubbed InBETWEENers wordpress demographic blog), tracing the virals before they start their upward spike, setting the pace and tone for the 20s Millennial crowd.  I'll share only the coolest (if I can do it, anybody can do it) games for the more intellectual crowd, imagineers, creative, visionaries.

An adventure together
That you can share with me.  You can act as the thermometer of anything by using the hashtag #bestofeverything .  Where only those seeking the best, the premium, the ultra anything will gravitate towards.   Time can be lonely, and when caring and sharing reaches so far to make our world a better place.  I hope it is these type of people that end up on here, once maybe, subscribe certainly. 

Commenting optional
Since I rarely, if ever, get comments, I am going to say, don't bother since my driving desire was to be able to respond, engage, learn from my readers and viewers what resonates deep within them or make them want to avoid it like the plague.  

Intellectual Engagement
Where I will reply as often and as honestly as possible.  Uncover what makes me tick, since I may be the clock that is ticking thru time, jumping energetic mental outlook that is not anything like ADD (attention deficit disorder) even if some who can't keep up, do declare it is, in fact ADD.  (Keep on the lookout because those critics are just jealous they never thought of it before).  Kinda like a one-person MASHABLE.  

MASHABLE 

The man from uncle :: fashion style action!

If you're looking for something to do this May long weekend (Canada), you may want to consider The Man from Uncle.

What a pleasant surprise it was to watch  a remake of the 60s television series  Man from Uncle.

Typically, I'm not into the "action" film genre but this movie packed a punch with these things I enjoyed:

• A cast of beautiful people: they were very cool
• Fabulous fashions 
• Style galore: the set, the stars, the fashions
• A throwback from the 60s vibe and styles

BACKGROUND:

Set during the height of the Cold War, KGB Agent Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) is sent to capture Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander), the daughter of a former Nazi scientist who previous worked for the US. However, before Kuryakin can reach her, smouldering CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) gets there first. The next day, they’re both notified that they need to work together as it comes to light that Teller’s father has been forced to work for a billionaire diabolical genius who’s building a new type of atomic bomb. (COURTESY of Stylex)

CHARACTERS:

Napolean Solo

Henry Cavill looked familiar to me so I had to dig a little to recall where I had seen him last: VOILA!  the latest Superman flicks.

Henry is going to continue to climb on the manly meter.  He has style and substance as Napolean Solo with his dreamy presence crafted by Director Guy Ritchie  and cowritten with Lionel Wigram.

Illya Kuryakin

Armie Hammer has been on the film radar with movies The Social Network (2010), Mirror Mirror (2012) and The Lone Ranger (2013).  He may not be ultra smooth with his Russian accent, but he doesn't make just make his co-star character (Telly) swoon.  My guess is the young ladies are going to keep Armie on their "hunk" radar.

GabyTeller

Alicia Vikander has been flittering across our screens in notables such as The Danish Girl and A Royal Affair

I was particularly gaga over her styles and the chemistry between her and Armie Hammer -- kiss her already!!

Victoria Vinciguerra
Elizabeth Debicki commanded the screen as femme fatale villainous character Victoria.   We can't quite hate because her magnificent style.  We've seen her before alongside Leo in The Great Gatsby (2013) and one of my noted favorites Everest (2015).

Victoria captivated this fashionista with the eye-popping style, makeup and hair.

Waverly
Hugh Grant has been a fan favorite since his popularity rose in the 1990s with such memorable films as Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) and Bridget Jones Diary (2001).  Safe to say fans have forgiven him for his past digressions as he solidly portrays CIA commander, Waverly.

FASHION
To drool over. Even Vogue took notice of the outstanding looks, fashions, hair, makeup.

SET
The mood of the film was arresting because of the brilliant set design.  The backdrops were incredible, they complement the action and scenes and styles.  From dark alleys to elegant hotels,  Architectural Digest  gave it a nod with a feature on the production design:  

A cast-iron public restroom is the setting for meeting between CIA and KGB

Even a casual meeting was surrounded by artful decor. 

Solo’s West Berlin apartment is a colorful contrast to the other dark interiors.

The historic architecture of Rome: the Spanish Steps and Teatro di Marcello.

The bygone era of the Cold War 

The Grand Hotel Plaza. 

The interiors of the aerospace facility were shot on a soundstage

MUSIC:

I discovered some new favorite music from great artists from the 1960s.  Many will be strikingly familiar (think Michael Buble and the Blues Brothers).  Have a listen:

Solomon Burke:  "Cry to me"

Solomon Burke:  "Everybody needs someone to love"

Nina Simon: "Feelin Good"

Roberta Flack:  "Compared to What"

REVIEWS:

The reviews from critics could have been a lot better, in my opinion.  It only goes to show you that often the critics are not in sync with the audience who were far more entertained.  I think more will agree with me after they watch it.  (p.s. I did go and add my own 4.7 stars at Rotten Tomatoes) 

Critic reviews

Though the pic is solidly made, its elegant vintage flavor simply doesn't feel modern enough to cut through the tough summer competition. Full review

Peter Debruge·Variety

Note to millennials: No one stops to text or take a selfie. You've been warned. Full review

Peter Travers·Rolling Stone

Though I strive to set aside all prejudices when the lights go down, I had a hunch that The Man From U.N.C.L.E. would be excruciating. Well, it turns out to be absolutely delightful. Full review

David Edelstein·Vulture

If stylish spy thrillers are your thing, look no further – Guy Ritchie is back with his reboot of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. – a tongue-in-cheek and highly polished take on the '60s television series.                                                                                                     Stylex

TOMATOMETER 

67%

Average Rating: 6.2/10

Reviews Counted: 228

Fresh: 152

Rotten: 76

Critics Consensus: The Man from U.N.C.L.E. tries to distract from an unremarkable story with charismatic stars and fizzy set pieces, adding up to an uneven action thriller with just enough style to overcome its lack of substance.

AUDIENCE SCORE 

74%

liked it

Average Rating: 3.7/5

User Ratings: 45,429

  |  Roger Ebert.com 

Print Page

The period spy thriller “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” is only intermittently engaging and amusing, and those portions of the movie that succeed are also frustrating. Because they’re cushioned by enervated, conceptually befuddled, and sometimes outright indifferent stuff.

TRAILERS:
Take a test spin by visiting Warner Bros. dedicated site to view the trailers to tempt you more.  Or just get to it.  It currently is available "On Demand" from Telus.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - Official Trailer 1

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - Official Trailer 2

Cause for embarrassment Calgary?

Calgary::photo by ?? Please reach out to insert name~or remove if requested)

I went a strolling on social media and ended up on reddit.com as I do more and more these days.  Before, it was "Mashable" whom I sponged from to feed my mental energy.  Needing to gain information and reshare it if it stays on my worthiness meter via +optioneerJM @optioneerJM as would be the most common spots I would stay for longer than a visual eye scan.

Never have I ever felt so ignited by a story that seem to pop out like a sore thumb among optimism over Fort McMurry's recovery and unified neighborly goodwill as @thecanadianredcross has been able to triumph over devastation.

Then tonight truth reared its ugly head.  We're not perfect.  We have a lot more to learn from humanity.  If this post on reddit.com were any indication:

Help with harassment from neighbor (self.Calgary)

submitted 7 hours ago by Thor-away90

Hi r/calgary,

For the past few years my mom, sis, and I have been dealing with our next door neighbour. He made it very clear to us that he believed that we did not belong in his neighborhood.

One time, My sister had a friend come and pick her up at the house and he came out and called her a bitch and slammed on her windows because he had an issue with the music. I came out to mediate and he said to me "there is no way someone who looks like that lives around here."

He continued to verbally assault me so I told him that I would be calling the police. His response was that he was a retired firefighter who worked with the calgary police and that he had no problem with me doing so.

I did not call the police. (I should have, i know.)

During the next 6 months he was unwilling to open his door and communicate with us. He chose a different route instead. Numerous 311 bylaw complaints. Grass complaints in the spring/summer and snow complaints in the winter. He has even made complaints that arent real ( idling in my own car in my own parking space (a friend of mine is an avid smoker and my mom wont let him smoke in the house. )

Once when we were sitting there smoking, he came out and took a photo of my friend's license plate. I asked him what his problem was, and he hurried into his house and wouldnt tell me what his poblem with us THIS TIME, was. So I finally called the police.

When the police came they went to speak with him first. When the officer came to speak to me his advice to me was to bake him a cake. Try to mediate the issue. I told him that I had tried to, but he wasnt open to communication. The officer then said to me, "I own my home too, so I understand his concerns with renters bringing down his property value."

Honestly, I've never felt more hopeless in my life. I feel like Im being bullied in my own home. Ive been advised that I could file a harassement complaint but since most of the harassement is in the form of 311 complaints, and not actual verbal harassment, that not much would be done.

We just got another one today and it was hard to see my mom cry while she was telling the bylaw officer how attacked she felt. What my mom didn't tell me until today, was the fact that even our landlord feels like we are being attacked because of racial prejudice.

Is there anything we could do to get this arrogant asshole off our backs? I dont want to retaliate and I dont want to move away.

Edit:

Could we take legal action?

Do instances like these help our case?

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Judge+orders+neighbourhood+fight+Fort+McMurray/10086182/story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/04/16/red-deer-neighbour-bullying_n_9709212.html

Where more empathy than I can say I have ever experienced before, forced me to use my god given gift of empathy and being able to write.  A blogger, slowly emerging.  I have the ability to write and share what is usually right in our world, but every once and a while there lies a story that convinces me that there is a lot more work to be done to make ours a better world.  

These were my comments ::

I'm sorry to hear, to my dismay, all the harassment you and your family have had to endure. This doesn't sound like a "Calgarian" ... REF: Calgarians are nice people, mostly from other places, joined in community for the betterment of society, our kids, our homes. For some, Calgary is a short stop or a visit, to others it is our home. How dare someone within our city be allowed to keep doing this. Why haven't any of the news media caught on to this story? Like @CBC whom we have tended to rely on for credible stories catching the heart of our citizens. (Someone is asleep at the news roundup workstation ~ is that from apathy?) 

Words like anti-neighbour, racial intolerance, hostility, harassment, bullying are not common here. Well, for the optimistic many. Who made a little City on the prairies grow up, deal with hardship, economic downturn, yet be more optimistic, positive with pulsing vibe. A beat of a nation, the core of its wealth, and friendship to the world as Olympic representatives, ambassadors to the world during 10 days each summer (called: The Calgary Stampede).

The first time I ever came to reddit.com was because I wanted to learn more about an upstart politician who appeared to have become our mayor. An unlikely cast member thrown among the mainly white oil tycoons - Nenshi, or Naheed most of his new friends and supporters say.

How can Naheed Nenshi not take heed from this plea? Oh, probably because his purple dinosaurs are flaked out, zoned out, without a drum to beat. They should know that there is more going on in Calgary except Nenshi and still support and give others a break.

I realize there are links to this story from The Edmonton Journal and ever-reliable Huffington Post. (Which I dislike the name because it is synonymous with a name, not a vibe, not a beat like "Mashable").

I apologize for my rant, except that this should have a lot more attention! It really shouldn't even have to happen, it should be so objectionable behaviour that its existence would be shunned.

I then realized that the only thing we've heard about from Nenshi is going to have to start fund raising to pay back our City over a legal battle, not whatsoever related to Calgary business.

We must really be asleep at the wheel as citizens to let this one slide in and slide out.  Are we beaten down by oil prices slashing jobs, tired out by the energy required to restore Fort McMurry to the workhorse it has always been?  

Or we're all so caught up in the atmosphere of good neighborly spirit that the ugliest of events slip outside our sphere?

Are the media so enamored of Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton theatrics that they have been distracted to what is happening at home?

Or, it most likely is from Canadian corporations centralizing operations, which in turn churns out most of the news stories?  The CBC, The CTV, The Global (plural) in our world are only equipped, manned, technologically able to cope with central Canada and Prime Ministerial stories?  Are the attennaes only set for only a few goings on by a very few?

I always look surprised because I am ~Naheed Nenshi 

courtesy of CBC.ca News 

How dumb does he think we are?  Trying to recover from this averted political disaster, he acts like its back to Mr. Feel Good Mayorship again on his Facebook Page:  

Naheed Nenshi shared City of Calgary – Your Local Government's post.

May 11 at 9:09am · 

Neighbour Day is coming! Once again, The City is waiving fees if you want to book a public green space or block a street for a block party. Deadline to apply for a permit is May 27. See you on Neighbour Day!

No, I didn't sit idly by:

Jeannette Marshall Are you wagging the dog at us?http://calgarymayor.ca/.../city-pays-legal-fees-in-wenzel... ... quit looking so damn surprised that you scammed us

SOURCE:  Our city mayor's home page front story:  http://calgarymayor.ca/stories/city-pays-legal-fees-in-wenzel-v-nenshi-case-fundraising-to-begin-to-reimburse

Sadly, according to Google, his comedic dumbness over-shadowed even that story:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/nenshi-uber-responds-1.3550585

If you say, you do:  "Uber CEO is a dick" ~Naheed Nenshi (Courtesy of CBC.ca) 

I agree this story is alarming for our peace popping eye opener like this:

Border Officers seize guns at Alberta borders:

Courtesy of The Calgary Herald  <click here for link