pontalba

I had always associated it with sexual matters, so I checked. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pandering Of course it can be used in other ways...as the definition says, but the first thing that came to my mind is the #1 listed there. And in any case I wouldn't consider the references in ST: Into Darkness to be "lower tastes and desires...."

BB, what about a simple saline solution? Something like this.... http://www.amazon.com/Ayr-No-drip-Soothing-0-75-Ounce-Bottles/dp/B001CP8W20 There is no medicine, only aloe, as far as I know. Very plain and soothing. There is a gel as well, that could be applied as a barrier before you go out. Hope you find something! risingdawn....sorry about the BF. That is a lot of changes for you to absorb at one time.

In common, ordinary usage, pandering implies something of low morals, usually of a sexual nature.

Well, they had to get the

Arrrggghhhhh! ok, right. I did forget for the moment. Blip. lol However, in my defense, I've just watched the original first two films, and the TOS ep with Kahn...brain freeze at work. However.....

Oh! Right, that is true. But I thought that was kind of neat, and I'm wondering how they will But, I absolutely agree, they could have been more original. After all, they didn't mind changing up other stuff...origin of Kahn and all. Not ultimate origin, but origin of the problem in the new film. /phew!/

Wonderful pics poppy!! Thanks for posting. I think probably, it's more that Redford has a refined air about him. DiCaprio has coarser look to him, like he could be a gangster....rougher. I think that's more what I meant. Although I do think Redford is far better looking. Pock marks or not, frankly I hardly notice them. In fact I like his looks now more than when he was young. His face is more lived in now, has more character. I would def like to see Redford's version, and will.

I saw the film, Valley of the Dolls, when it came out, and hardly remember a bit of it. The one I most remember from it was Patty Duke. Yeah, Sharon Tate, how awful. I remember when that happened. /shivers/ Scared the heck out of everyone. I hardly remember the book either, but had the compulsion to purchase a new copy, it's pink, not too long ago. I know I enjoyed it. Another book from that time frame is Harold Robbins The Adventurers...it was a fantastic book as I recall. The film of it was not to good though, skipped the really interesting parts/explanations of the book. IOW, cut out the heart. The Adventurers was the first novel that, for me, showed the circular tendency of some South American governments to keep rebelling, then the rebels are in power and rebelled against.......history repeating itself in a much shorter time period. But, it's been a long time since I read that as well, but I have a new copy.....lol

Happy Anniversary to your parents Chrissy! Lunch in the garden sounds lovely. Posh or not. Well, I'm glad you can eat a bit more. New and stronger medicine sounds like the right direction. And that's a good thing. It's gorgeous weather, but hot and humid as well. So, I'm very grateful for the air conditioning! Quiet weekend coming up here, nothing much on the agenda. There are two movies I want to see though....the new Superman film, and one called Now You See It...both have great previews we've seen at the theatre. But I wonder if the shows will be too crowded on the weekend.

No, I wouldn't use as strong a term as pandering. Self-referential, in jokes, on that level. Pandering sounds too......creepy. Right, everything nowadays, with 'blockbuster' type movies, it's all CGI, and the biggest, most elaborate explosions. While that is pretty nifty, it doesn't further the story line in a truly creative manner. Did they repeat the dialogue? The actual story line was far different.....Kahn's entry into that century was certainly different from that presented in TOS's Space Seed, which was the precursor to The Wrath of Kahn. In the original there was no "evil Federation guy/commander" at the back of the "plot". I didn't care for the films of ST:TNG.....I saw two of them...not sure which at this point, the first two I suppose. But I lost interest. They were getting too "monster/evil alien race" for my taste. Which isn't entirely fair, I know. I suppose it was at the base because I never really got into the Next Gen series. Oh, I watched it, all the way through. And some of it was truly excellent. But, for me, it didn't have the heart that TOS had. The characters never achieved the camaraderie that was so integral to TOS. JMO

Very nice! The Sea is one of my all time favorites, even though it took me 3 readings to get the various timelines down correctly. heh Pat Barker is wonderful, I haven't read that one, but have read her Regeneration trilogy, and you don't get better! John L Carre......yum! I read My Cousin Rachel so long ago, I don't really remember anything except that I enjoyed it. Why stop buying books? After all, there may be an ink shortage, a tree/paper shortage, the electric may go out....one never knows about these things. I say, be prepared.

Re Angel's Game...here is a bit from a wiki article on the book. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Angel's_Game Robert Graves daughter! Yikes! re Valley of the Dolls....gad, I have a new copy of it, my intention was to reread, as it's been, er, decades since I read it. Did you know there was a film? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062430/

Interesting. A mistake on JJ's part then? What I'm actually wondering is how much JJ wants to hold onto the original Trekkies. It's a fine line he has to walk, not so easy. Just out of curiosity, what was it that went over your head? I remember quite a few chuckles on my part, but couldn't say what the connection or instance was.

poppy, I look forward to your comparison...I haven't seen the Redford/Farrow film. I can totally see Farrow as Daisy...but, just shooting from the hip, Redford was simply too good looking and smooth for the role. I know he was probably good, but for me DiCaprio has that "gangster edge", or rough edge that Redford lacked, at least when he was a young man.

Read the book this Spring in prep for the film. I loved the film. Over the top, wonderful. Glitzy, gorgeous, evocative of the 1920's, for sure. I thought DiCaprio and McGuire were perfect casting.

Oh, I just put up a link on the ST Darkness thread for one of the first ST books I bought...New Voyages. http://www.amazon.com/New-Voyages-Star-Trek/dp/0553246364/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370030266&sr=1-1&keywords=star+trek+new+voyages A great story for each main character. I have over 200 of the pocket editions, bought over the years, back from easily 25-30 years ago. There was a great ST section in the Book Rack...a used book store near my house then. I'll try to pull my absolute favorites and list them here, later.

Ruth, that's a wonderful review! I have the book on the shelf, saw the film years ago. Your review makes me want to dig it out right now. Soon. And, thanks.

Very nice!

Thanks Frankie.

I agree with much of what you say, especially with regard to the self-referential bits....I am pretty well immersed in the Star Trek history, so I have to say I enjoyed that. I can see however that it would be disrupting to someone that was not that familiar. I think it is just a case of JJ trying to throw a bone to the old-timers of Star Trek. There was so much more to Kahn in the original, I suppose I tended to cast this new one in much the same light. Perhaps understood his motivations a bit more. I have about 200-odd that I collected in the second hand store about 25 or 30 years ago. One of the first to come out was a collection of short stories... http://www.amazon.com/New-Voyages-Star-Trek/dp/0553246364/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1370030266&sr=1-1&keywords=star+trek+new+voyages It's one of the best. There is a story for every main ST:TOS character. The one at the end with Kirk is especially heart rending and speaks to the close bond between "the three". Loved Yesterday's Son...nice follow up on the original episode.

Gawd, I know what you mean...everyone lets it all hang out...!! gak. I'm actually happy we don't have TV piped into the house anymore, and only watch DVDs of what we like. All those commercials and "reality" shows....whose bloody reality is it, I wonder! sheesh! And, thank you. I truly disliked the book, and was very disappointed that I did. Oh, please, don't reread....once is enough contamination. Also, thanks re avatar...this computer has a built in camera, so that's me at the computer in the study. /curtsy/ Thank you so much!

Frankie, I thought you might have seen my post, and were mulling it over. I was a bit nervous you'd think I'd overstepped a boundary and am relieved you don't. Please don't think you are hypocritical with regard to the situation of your grandfather. It's very confusing and a bit frightening....and you are only starting to tackle it, more over you have your mother's feelings to consider. It's a fine line for you to tread, and you are right to go slowly, one step at the time. As far as people wondering why you don't visit him, don't worry about it. First, if they don't know, and you don't wish to discuss it with them.......it's none of their business. Everyone has a family story, good, bad or indifferent and it's no one's place to make a judgment of other's actions. And, if they do it's their problem, not yours. As far as discussing it here, well if you want to, please do so.....at your discretion. Sometimes simply stating the problem out loud (so to speak/type) will clarify a situation that when kept locked up in your head only runs around like a nutty squirrel. Even a journal would possibly help.

/giggle/ Hmmmm, evidently not tribble material.

Although I did enjoy The Next Generation, I could never love it the way I loved the original series. There was never (imo) the true camaraderie in TNG, that existed in TOS. As Karsa brought out...the trio, the unbreakable friendship that was between Kirk, Spock and McCoy has not been replicated. Those guys would and did go to hell and back for each other.

Ahh, yes. In the presence of The Shat, one must......emote. lol And, yes again, the man...Urban? that is playing McCoy is actually the closest to Kelley that I could imagine. Vital dynamic...exactly. I'm hoping for that to emerge on the new version what with the 5 year mission beginning. Have you read any of the Star Trek books? Agreed, although on second viewing the first one was far better than I'd remembered. It was like a love letter to Trekkies....after all, that was released a full 10 years after the original series went off the air. I was a bit disappointed the first time I saw it....upon it's release, but this time I loved it. And Kahn is a wonderful prelude to Search and I have to admit, I loved The Undiscovered Country as well, the humor was truly funny.