Columns

Cinema Cindy Reviews ‘Noah’

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‘Noah’
Review by CYNTHIA BIDDLECOMB

Movie poster for ‘Noah.’ Courtesy/Reel Deal Theater

“Noah”, the new film by Darren Aronofsky, is a fantasy that uses 21st century psychological insights within the framework of an ancient biblical story, ending with mixed results. 

Those who, like us, re-read Genesis 6 through 9 before going to see the film, may find themselves disappointed that more of the details of the story from the Hebrew Bible didn’t make the cut in this story. (Really? There aren’t three wives for the sons? The animals sleep Read More

This Week at the Reel Deal

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Column By JIM O’DONNELL 
Reel Deal Theater                  

Happy Spring Break! We will be open every day, every showtime to accommodate all.

Movie poster for ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier.’ Courtesy Reel Deal Theater

This week, we are opening Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  Muppets Most Wanted, Noah, and Divergent will hold for another week. Mr. Peabody and Sherman ends this Thursday.  

Critic Randy Myers of San Jose Mercury News calls Read More

How the Hen House Turns: The Puzzle of Animal Consciousness

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How the Hen House Turns:
The Puzzle of Animal Consciousness
Column by Carolyn A. (Cary) Neeper, Ph. D.

The movie “The Life of Pi” is thoughtful exploration of religion and meaning and the animal mind. As well as a  masterful use of 3D to express nature’s power and human fragility and beauty without going over the top too often.

The effects did not steal too much story time, just a little, with lengthy storms. What impressed me most was the director’s restraint in leaving the large questions unanswered, and his letting the human be a human and the tiger be a tiger.

Tigers are Read More

Food on the Hill: Mashed Potatoes With Rosemary

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This week’s recipe: Mashed Potatoes with Rosemary
 
Photo by Sue York/ladailypost.com

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of red medium size potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
2 bays leaves
5 cloves of garlic, whole
5 tablespoons butter
¾ teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup chopped onions
½ teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 cup of reserved potato water

Directions:

Put the potatoes in a pan with water enough to cover them by two inches. Simmer about 25- 30 minutes until fork tender.  Reserve 1 cup of potato water.  Read More

Pain Free Athlete: Should You Stretch A Tight Muscle?

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Pain Free Athlete:
By JESSICA KISIEL

Should You Stretch A Tight Muscle?

Seems like a silly question with an obvious answer, right? Wrong! 

When we stretch a tight muscle we make the assumption that the muscle is tight because it is shortened and needs to be lengthened, but this is not always the case. A muscle can also be tight because it is too long. To illustrate this idea we’ll need to review our muscle anatomy.

Muscle contraction is achieved when muscle filaments slide over each other, increasing their overlap and shortening the muscle. You may recall the sliding filament theory Read More

Cinema Cindy Reviews ‘Divergent’

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‘Divergent’ movie poster. Courtesy/Reel Deal Theater

‘Divergent’
Review by CYNTHIA BIDDLECOMB

“Divergent” is classic science fiction, the context of the story being a post-apocalyptic society divided into five “factions” and a coming of age personality test to fit young people into one of them. Seeing the film has made this sci-fi fan want to read the books. 

Divergent is, like the book from which it originates, directed at an audience of young adults (YA) and teens. (We were witness to this most poignantly in the squeals of delight Read More

Tips For Spring Clean Up

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Spring Clean Up!
By ABE DISPENNETTE
State Farm Insurance

The idea of a New Year’s resolution can be a bit of a non sequitur for some. True, it happens as we turn over the calendar in an effort to create a new start in various aspects of our lives, but it also happens while many of us are in the throes of the dead of winter.

Springtime may offer a more appropriate metaphor for fresh starts — birds chirping, flowers blooming, renewal upon us.

So take advantage of the coming spring days — they are coming, aren’t they? — to cut the clutter, clean things up and get things organized around the house and in your car. Read More

This Week at the Reel Deal

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Column By JIM O’DONNELL                               
Reel DealTheater

This week we are opening the much anticipated and controversial Noah. Muppets Most Wanted, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, and Divergent will hold for another week. Non-Stop ends Thursday.  

Movie poster for ‘Noah.’ Courtesy/Reel Deal Theater

The following is an excerpt from Kathleen Parker’s review of Noah for Read More

Food on the Hill: Limoncello

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This week’s recipe: Limoncello
 
Photo by Sue York/ladailypost.com
 
Ingredients:
 
2 bottles (1.75 liters) Vodka
25- 30 lemons, washed and dried
3 ½ cups water
4 ½ cups sugar

Directions: 

Peel all of the lemons with a sharp knife or a sharp vegetable peeler. Do not cut into the pith (white part). If you do get some of the pith off with the peel, cut it out!
 
Photo by Sue York/ladailypost.com
 

Set all of the pieces of peel to the side. Cut all of the pith off the lemons, and throw the pith away. Slice the lemons into ¼ inch pieces and seed as you go.

 
 Photo
Read More

Sarov, Russia & Los Alamos, USA: On Being Sister Cities

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Sarov, Russia & Los Alamos, USA: On Being Sister Cities
By Paul C. White, Vice-Chair, Los Alamos – Sarov Sister Cities Initiative

The people of Sarov, Russia, and the people of Los Alamos, NM, share a relationship. We are citizens of two communities that are more alike than different. We have committed to be involved with each other as Sister Cities. This relationship, this commitment has meaning that transcends our respective governments and any differences they may have, whether such differences are fleeting or longer term. The bonds between the people of our communities find deeper Read More