Alienflower doesn't like to talk about herself... http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/alienflower Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:34:33 -0600 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.squidoo.com/movieorbook The Movie... or The Book? My english teacher was big on the phrase "true to the author's intent". Hollywood will never care about the author's intent. And as a reader, I feel EXPLOITED! Yes, exploited. A book with a huge following might generate a movie deal. Then some schmuck wants a quick buck and BAM! A two-bit hack writes a screenplay and--- Okay, it isn't always that bad. But more often that not the movie version is a pale imitaion of the book. Things are left out, plot is changed. Sometimes, all that is left is the title and/or name of the protagonist. But how does all this turn into the equation Readers=Exploited Beings? The lure of turning a book into a movie lies often with the number of its sales or the passion of its readers. Those readers equal sales. Those readers often don't find out until they spend their money that Hollywood is just a hack. Okay, Hollywood isn't all hacks. I have viewed some movies that are good renditions of a book's plot. The movie Speak seemed to reflect the book well - not perfect, but good. The Last Sin Eater must have eaten Cadi's brother, because he didn't exist in the movie, but otherwise it was a decent take on the book. I realize that a movie is different from a book. That's part of the appeal when you find out your favorite book is being turned into a movie. You get to experience the story in a whole new way. But take the movie The Seeker, which was based on The Dark is Rising. Hmm. They got Will's name right. And little else. I just agree with my english teacher, I guess. You've no business turning a book into a movie if you aren't staying true to the author's intent. If you do deviate, you bloody well better be a genius! arts Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:44:52 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/pollyanna Once upon a time I was sad to discover that the domain name, www.pollyanna.com, was taken. I had intended to make a simple page with my Top 3 Reasons to Be Glad. I also thought it would make a great tshirt -- with www.pollyanna.com on the front and my Top 3 Reasons to Be Glad on the back. Alas, 'twas not to be. But now, I can be glad for this opportunity to make a whole lens devoted to Pollyanna and the Glad Game. Many of you can hardly contain your excitement, I know. This was, in fact, the topic of the first post of my first blog, Nonsensical Sunshine arts Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:49:24 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/bloody-little-house-onthe-prairie As a kid I watched Little House on the Prairie whenever I could. Of course, there were many episodes I didn't like - mainly ones that focused on the grown ups. Those were boring. Laura was my favorite character, of course. But my favorite episodes were the ones when somebody got bloodied up. It was great to see Laura punch someone in the nose, but I really liked the episodes when someone suffered an injury. Don't worry, I didn't grow up to be a sociopath, psychopath or display any affinity for violence at all. I expect my fascination with bloodshed on Little House was so strong because it was mild compared to the gore that usually accompanies bloodshed on TV. In my childish thinking, the violence on the show let me "see" bloodshed without being in danger from it. Also, that was much of the appeal of the whole show, watching people back in the "olden" days. Hah, I took the world of make believe so literally back in the day. Anyway, I was thinking about my old fascination with the bloody episodes of Little House recently, and I felt compelled to make a list of all my favorite "bloody" episodes. Thus, this lens was born entertainment Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:46:44 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/americasunknownchild It is the first word that comes to mind whenever I think of this child. Neglected, abused and murdered, the boy in the box has become known as America's Unknown Child. The mystery of his death has never been solved. As time ticks by it becomes less likely that his killer will be brought to justice, if for no other reason than the killer will eventually succumb to old age - if he or she is indeed still alive. But there may still be hope that we will one day know his name, as God already does. people Thu, 15 May 2008 00:28:25 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/betterebooks The web plays bookshelf to scads of ebooks. This can be a good thing. Who doesn't love Project Gutenberg? What writer can ignore the many benefits of publishing an ebook (the freedom to write what you choose and cost efficiency being two of the biggest). But many people self-publish ebooks with no thought to quality. They've been encouraged to do this all for the sake of money, at the behest of an ebook entreprenuer. "It doesn't matter if it's good. Maybe you can't spell. Maybe you can't even read! But what the hey, just bang on your keyboard with your fists and sell the results. You'll be a millionaire! A million times over! Can you see the exclamation points like dollar signs in my eyes!!!!!?!!!!!" Too many people take this to heart. Many a man and woman want to earn extra income by selling ebooks. Or using free ebooks in a marketing/affiliate plan. Let me assure you I find nothing wrong with this. As long as you write something worth reading. education Thu, 15 May 2008 00:35:34 -0600 http://www.squidoo.com/i-hate-bananas They tell you bananas are healthy - a good source of potassium and part of a balanced diet. That's just what they want you to think. I, for one, know better. My taste buds will never again be besmirched by bananas. This is my promise to myself. But an unwary eater will be besieged by bananas as they infilitrate foods, drinks and recipes at an alarming rate. Those among us who like bananas are not bothered by this travesty. And so, fellow banana haters, it falls to the rest of us. We must unite! We must find a way to destroy bananas everywhere... before bananas take over the world. Okay, okay, maybe bananas aren't evil incarnate. Maybe they even have some good and healthful qualities. But not everyone will eat them, due to an irrational hatred or perhaps an allergy or even a simple and sane disliking of this foul fruit. Therefore, healthful substitutes for bananas are necessary. food Fri, 01 Aug 2008 23:08:26 -0600