Saturday, December 30, 2017

Favorite Toys Christmas 2017 – A Very Subjective List



 
Santa's Presents Before Opening  – The Calm Before the Storm



Santa has come and gone, and in the days after Christmas the greatest delight is discovering the wonders of new toys. My nine-year-old and I have opened most of the toys the Jolly Old Elf brought down the chimney, and the fun part – after the excruciating process of cutting through the layers of thick plastic packaging, undoing security ties, and inserting batteries – is actually playing and experimenting with these toys.

Before getting to the list of top ten toys, I must point out that Santa has changed in two salient ways since I was a kid – he is making much cooler toys and he has become exceedingly more generous. I do not deny my son the benefits of these changes in St. Nick, but I am a bit envious.

The following list represents my son’s choices in order from ten to one, with one being his favorite toy. The narrative attached to each toy is my paraphrase of my son’s words used to explain why he likes each one. In some cases, I have thrown in my own two cents, but this list mostly represents his opinion about each item and a brief description.

10. Mega Construx Destiny

This toy comes with a figure and features a “gladiator battle” scene. I thought it was kind of a LEGO imitation, but my son did put this on his list to Santa and he seems to like that the playset features multiple accessories and very vivid colors. Judging from what is included in the set, it offers many opportunities for creative play. Oddly enough, he likes the packaging so much he has yet to play with this toy, so the fact that it has made his top-ten list is pretty impressive.

9. Laser X – Laser Tag Set

We have gone out to the large and rather crowded and annoying arcades where prices for a few games are quite expensive, and the gear can be heavy and cumbersome. Somehow Santa has come up with this cool set that comes with two blasters and two attached vest sensors. Now we can play as long as we like and have our own adventure in the basement, attic, or in the yard. The blasters have about a 40-foot range and – at least it happens to me – you can get shot from behind if the signal somehow bounces off a mirror or glass panel. I love this game because it gets my kid moving and keeps him active. Daddy gives thumbs up to this one!

8. Marvel’s Spider-Man and Vulture Action Figures

We both loved the Spider-Man: Homecoming movie that actually made us both fans of the Web-crawler once again. These figures are beautifully sculpted and feature vibrant colors and come with accessories. As you can see both remain sealed in their packages, so we have not had an actual play experience with them yet. For some reason my son likes the packaging and has been displaying them. As with the Mega Construx set, I am surprised that these figures have made the list.

7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi BB-9E Electronic Droid

If you like master pilot Poe Dameron’s adorable droid BB-8, you might also like his “evil” counterpart – the First Order’s cunning BB-9E. This little fellow makes all sorts of noises and races around the room knocking over other toys and ramming into people’s legs. It is a beautiful looking toy in a sleek, cool, smooth black and illuminates with multi-colored lights. I’m not too keen on this one, but my son loves it which gets it on the list.

6. Star Wars: The Last Jedi Plush Porg

In Star Wars: The Last Jedi there are a number of new creatures, but my son’s favorite was the little bird-like creatures called the Porg. They are really cute and find their way in Chewie’s – and ours – heart as he sits by a fire and gets ready to eat one of their roasted brethren. The toy makes a number of little noises and waddles across the floor. My son did not put this on his Santa list but did express a wish to get one after seeing the movie, and that Santa somehow knows everything for goodness sake.

5. Star Wars: The Last Jedi Luke Skywalker Action Figure

While my son has been into LEGO figures over the past couple of years, he did express interest in getting some action figures after seeing the movie. The one he wanted most was Luke Skywalker, and this figure did not disappoint. Featuring an impressive likeness to the character, removeable hood, and accurate representation of the clothing, this is one fine figure that could be displayed or played with. It comes with one accessory – a boring staff and not a light saber – which still didn’t stop it from landing on this list.

4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi Chewbacca Action Figure with Porg

While my son has always loved Chewie, he really likes this set because it comes with a Porg. As you can see from the picture, Porgs are tiny compared to a Wookie, but they had a big impact on Chewie and gave us insight into his character in the film. My son thinks that Chewie is just a big old softie, and the proof is that the Porg get him to adopt them (and their babies). He wanted this figure more because of the little Porg than Chewie.

3. LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Rathtar Escape (75180)

While I thought this Christmas would have been all about The Last Jedi, my son still likes The Force Awakens and especially remembers the scene on Han Solo’s freighter when the Octopus like Rathtar’s escape from their holding pens. This LEGO set lets him recreate that scene and it has great details and features like opening and sliding doors and comes with Han Solo, Chewie, and BB-8 as well as two of those ravenous creatures. He assembled it all by himself and rather quickly. It has provided him an opportunity to creatively change some aspects of the scenes from the movie, and Daddy gives two thumbs up for this one.


The last two items on this list came as a surprise and beat out an X-Wing and TIE fighter from The Last Jedi; however, I should have expected it because my son loves the TV show Star Wars Rebels and would want to have vehicles used by the characters. The Phantom is an attack shuttle from the Ghost, the mothership, and is used as a transport and to interact with adversaries on the ground. My son loves the opening cockpit and spring-loader shooter. Included with the vehicle are Ezra Bridger (with blaster) and Chopper (a droid). This is a beautiful toy and attaches to the next item on the list.

1. LEGO Star Wars Rebels Ghost (75053)

The best way to describe the Ghost is as the Millenium Falcon of Star Wars Rebels. It is used in the battle against the Empire but is also home to the crew. A significant portion of the show’s action takes place on the ship. This item has been discontinued by LEGO but is available online or, as in our case, from Santa. It is a very attractive and intricate toy but, with almost a thousand pieces, it took us about five hours to build it. If you have patience, you will be rewarded because it is a wonderful toy. If you have the shuttle The Phantom (sold separately), it fits into the bigger ship just as in the TV show. The set comes with Ezra Bridger, Kanan Jarrus, Hera Syndulla, Zeb Orrelios, and a new Stormtrooper (five figures with a vehicle seems quite generous) and features two escape pods, two gunner turrets, and opening cockpit. Despite the long building time, we have played with this toy a lot and enjoyed recreating scenes from the show. Daddy’s three thumbs up for this one.

There is my son’s very subjective list of favorite toys, and I agree with him for the most part except regarding the two unopened items. I like to see and feel a toy and also gauge its playability factor, so I reserve my judgement on those until we play with them.

I’d like to give honorable mentions to Star Wars: The Last Jedi Kylo Ren’s TIE Fighter and Poe Dameron’s X-Wing, both of which I can’t believe didn’t make the list since he has already played with them. They are fabulous toys and I have enjoyed when we have played with them.

Since seven out of the ten list items are Star Wars related ones, I guess it is good that my son has interest in other things besides the galaxy far, far away and LEGO bricks. We have come such a long way from Bob the Builder, Barney the Dinosaur, and Mickey Mouse. In a way I miss those days even though I am enjoying how we play now, sadly realizing that one day I will be missing these days as well.


As this will be my last article for 2017, I would like to wish all my readers Happy New Year and all the best in 2018.  

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Aliens and UFOs – Either Our Best Hope or Worst Nightmare



The Pilot and the UFO

This past week it has been hard to ignore the headline making story about U.S. Navy pilot David Fravor (retired) telling of his 2004 encounter with a UFO. Making his tale all the more convincing was a video from the Department of Defense showing the incident.

Saying it was “something I had never seen in my life” Fravor described the object as having no wings and that it flew erratically “like a ping pong ball, bouncing off the wall.” Even with the video and Fravor’s eyewitness account, he knows that there are people who do not believe him, but accepts that because “It is easy to doubt what we can’t explain.”

My Somewhat Close Encounter

I believe Fravor because I too saw something many years ago for which I have no explanation. I was a teenager walking my dog on the beach on the south shore of Long Island just after sunset, and I saw an object shoot across the sky over the ocean, stop, and then zip in the other direction over the shoreline. It hovered briefly and then zipped upwards and shot toward the horizon and disappeared. I asked my dog if he saw it and he just wagged his tail – so much for witnesses.

All these years later I think about that incident and know there has to be intelligent life on other planets. Even without seeing that object, I can believe this because the numerical possibilities of star systems with planets make it likely that there has to be at least one planet like ours that can support life. All the UFO sightings (documented and many undocumented like mine) make me believe even more that we are not alone.

Possibilities Other Than UFOs

There are many people who think these UFO sightings are hoaxes – you know, some guy tossing a Frisbee and then taking photo. There are also the usual suspects like weather balloons and drones that get folks unnecessarily spooked. A good example happened yesterday in Los Angeles when many citizens thought that they spotted a real UFO and took photos but were disappointed to learn it was Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that had just taken off from Vandenberg Air Force Base. 

I do realize that this happens and perhaps can account for some – or even many – of the reported sightings of UFOs; however, my personal experience and others like Commander Fravor’s cannot be discounted unless some evidence like the SpaceX rocket launch can be provided.

Aliens Could Be a Good Thing

Aliens and their ships – the UFOs people have been seeing – can be in some ways a hopeful sign. Since their planets would have to be light years away, they would have technology much greater than ours and would have much to teach us. They may have found cures for all our diseases, and maybe they have found a way to achieve true and lasting peace. If they would offer us anything, we will need to be willing to learn what they know and open to changing what we think about our place in the universe.

I have hope that they are benevolent, something like Klaatu from the film The Day the Earth Stood Still. These aliens could also warn us of the great danger we face with our nuclear weapons and give us an incentive to disarm. Klaatu was a kind fellow who kept his robot Gort from annihilating the planet, so we would have to hope for this kind of visitor.

We could also hope for an alien like the one from E.T. the Extra-Terrestial who came to learn about our planet and ended up teaching humans about life. It may be wishful thinking that the aliens would be as gentle as E.T. or kind as Klaatu, but I also believe that they have learned over thousands (and perhaps millions) of years of civilization what needs to be done for their species to not only flourish but to survive. Hopefully, they would want to share this knowledge with us.

Aliens Could Also Be a Bad Thing

There is, of course, the possibility that aliens could not be friendly types. Think of the aliens in It! The Terror from Beyond Space or The Thing, and you will get the feeling that our planet will be in great danger. Perhaps the threat of malevolent aliens will be the incentive for the countries of this planet to finally work together to save humanity from something that could destroy the it.

Aliens Are a Bit Like Santa Claus

My feeling is that aliens can see us when we’re sleeping and know when we’re awake, and they don’t want us to see them. I believe they have been coming here for a long time, studying us since we were crawling in and out of caves. For some unknown reason, they seem to have rules of engagement when it comes to dealing with humans. They must have to remain clandestine and not contact us as they follow these rules. Perhaps it is rogue aliens who go off and let themselves get seen by humans, or teenage ones that borrow the keys to Mom and Dad’s flying saucer and buzz housetops during joyrides.

I know for certain that there is so much about space and time we have to learn, and I believe many of us would be willing students if aliens came and were open to being our teachers. My feeling is they could help us with every problem that our world faces, but there may be those who are leery of aliens or want to get them before they get us.

We Must Be Gracious Hosts if Aliens Reveal Themselves

In The Day the Earth Stood Still the alien Klaatu brings a gift of peace and ends up getting shot for his gesture. This is not a way to treat guests – alien or otherwise. We must be careful if they ever reveal themselves to be good hosts because it is the proper thing to do. It is also good to remember that, if they came this far, they have technology way greater than ours and probably could reduce Earth to a cinder in a matter of seconds.

In the film there is the suggestion made that, if Klaatu wanted, he could have destroyed the entire planet. As he leaves the Earth, Klaatu warns the leaders of the world to find a way to peace and not to bring war into outer space, for that there will be serious consequences.

Aliens are probably carefully monitoring us and our technological progress. Maybe they also enjoy watching us – perhaps they have reality TV shows like Keeping Up with the Humans that help them in their study of earthlings. I am certain that we are sometimes entertaining to observe but, at other times, human behavior could even shock or dismay them.

Still, no matter what we do, they appear to keep to some kind of compact to avoid messing in our affairs, sort of like the Prime Directive in Star Trek. If they have been watching us for a long time and have observed our successes and failures, especially our seemingly unending military conflicts, I do wonder if they will ever intervene.


Thinking about it, I fear that their intervention will mean it is too late for us. Hopefully, it will never have to come to that because that will not mean aliens sharing their technology and knowledge of the universe with us, but instead dealing with Earth as if it were cancerous and needed to be removed for the health of the rest of the galaxy. Let’s hope it never has to come to that.  

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Movie Review: Star Wars: The Last Jedi – The Force Is Strong With This One


Director Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the eighth installment of the film series, is visually stunning, with an array of dazzling colors, frighteningly gorgeous explosions, and magnificent vistas of land and water. There are also the grand and silent expanses of space, so still and peaceful until filled with enemy combatants, reminding us that wars (star ones and otherwise) wreak havoc no matter where they occur.

But beyond the sheer visual majesty of the film, there is the human element that is simple yet profound. As always at the heart of any Star Wars film is the eternal struggle of good and evil, with evidence of the gray area in between that either side can visit and exploit. If Star Wars: The Force Awakens can be considered an invigoration of this film series, The Last Jedi makes a case for being one of the best of the bunch by bringing things back to basics – especially revisiting the Skywalker family that has been at the heart of all eight films.

In The Force Awakens it was a chance for Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to take center stage, and this time it falls to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) to step forward. If you are expecting to see Luke be something like the starry-eyed farm boy who wanted to rush off to Toshi Station to get some power converters, you will be very disappointed. This incarnation of Luke is grizzled and gritty, with shades of Obi-wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) from A New Hope but a more cantankerous and dark version. Purposefully making himself an outcast on a remote island near the ruins of the first Jedi temple, Luke’s not looking after anyone as Obi-wan did with him on Tatooine; rather, he has gone to this isolated place to live out his years in isolation and die.

The arrival of Rey (Daisy Ridley) holding Luke’s father’s lightsaber in hand (you know, good old Darth Vader) is at first an annoyance for Luke, but as their tempestuous relationship evolves it becomes one of teacher and student, albeit one far different than Obi-wan and the young Skywalker. As Luke sees Rey’s inherent power, it frightens him to think about what could happen because, as Yoda saw in his father, there is a darkness in Rey that may blossom if left unchecked.

There is, of course, the by now familiar story line of the Resistance led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) trying to outrun the First Order led by her son Ben Solo/Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). It is both comforting and unsettling to watch Fisher’s scenes knowing that she is no longer with us, but her gutsy performance is the essence of what her character has always been. Force sensitive without having Luke’s raw power, Leia is perhaps the most important Skywalker in that she has been able to harness the Force to lead others in the fight against evil; however, her rag-tag rebels are fleeing because they have been decimated by the First Order and seem to be on the brink of extinction, so things are not looking good for her or her followers.

Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac) and Finn (John Boyega) are back along with adorable robot BB-8. Add new character Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) to the mix, and this trio attempts to engage in a dangerous mission behind Leia’s back to disable the enemy’s tracking device in order for the rebel forces to escape. Of course, this involves Finn heading back to his old stomping grounds on an enemy vessel and puts him on a collision course for a showdown with his former tormentor, the chrome-armored Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie).

On the enemy side we see the bickering between General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) and Kylo as they each seek to win favor with Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis). This time around they are all aboard Snoke’s ship, and we get to see Snoke in person. In contrast to the way Luke and Rey are interacting, Snoke admonishes Kylo and pronounces him as unready to be what Kylo always wanted to be – the next Darth Vader – and belittles him for wearing a mask, calling it “that ridiculous thing.” It becomes clear that Snoke is trying to push Kylo over the edge, and a subsequent scene when Kylo destroys his mask in an elevator captures the frustration of the student of an unappreciative master.

Another story line has Kylo and Rey connecting over time and space through the Force, with each being able to “see” the other despite great distances. Their connection is enticing as it is frustrating – Kylo knows that she is with Luke and we wonder about his ulterior motives – but there also seems to be an emotional and dare I say a possibly romantic connection evolving. A scene with the bare-chested Kylo causing a reaction in Rey is both hilarious and disturbing. 

Relationships are key in this film and the one between Luke and Rey carries the most weight. As secrets are revealed and dark memories revisited, the element at the center of all the movies in the series gets clarified and in some ways redefined – the Force is much more than we ever imagined and not merely a Jedi religion. The Force cannot end if the Jedi and Sith perish – the Force is forever. It is dark and light and everything in between and holds the universe together, but the dark side is insidiously alluring. Luke tries to clarify this for Rey before it is too late, knowing that Kylo is trying to pull her away from the light.

Prepare to get emotional throughout the movie, especially during key moments between Luke and R2-D2, Leia and Rey, and Luke and Leia. When Luke tries to tell R2 off about going back and helping his sister and the Resistance, the plucky little droid shows him the holographic message from A New Hope when Leia put the Death Star plans into R2 and told Obi-wan that he was her only hope. Leia and Rey have a connection that no doubt is entwined with the Force, and it seems as if Leia can be the maternal figure Rey has always wanted and needed. One of the most touching scenes will bring tears to the eyes as Luke and Leia reunite and find some closure after so many years.

One of the most enduring elements of the Star Wars films has been its music, and John Williams is back to once again enrich the film with his luxurious score. There are many scenes that are intensified with appropriate music at just the right moment, and I seriously doubt that anyone will be without a lump in his or her throat as Luke stares at a sunset and the music wells similarly as to when he looked at the sunset on Tatooine so many years ago in A New Hope. The stark visual beauty of that scene and so many others in the film is astounding, with cinematographer Steve Yedlin being partners in crime with Williams to truly enhance the viewing experience.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is not only a better film than its predecessor, but stands with The Empire Strikes Back as the best in the series. It is also a tribute to the imagination of George Lucas, whose original characters and story of the Skywalker family continues to resonate 40 years after it all began. We still care about Luke, Leia, R2, and C-3P0, and the same can now be said of this new generation of characters – Rey, Poe, Finn, and BB-8.

The Force Awakens left us with more questions than answers. The Last Jedi brings us to a definitive ending and answers some questions but sometimes not in ways we had hoped, and new ones arise to leave us scratching our heads and wanting to know more. One that stands out concerns the Force-sensitive kid that Finn and Rose meet on the planet Canto Bight. Is this the face of a new Jedi in the making and the future hope of the rebels? Perhaps the trilogy Rian Johnson is bringing to us after Episode IX will provide the answers.

The Last Jedi is a beautiful, gruesome, sometimes comical film, with space and land battles, strange new creatures like the Porgs – Chewbacca’s new best friends – and the emotional heft to keep us watching (and not looking at our watches) for two and a half hours – I was amazed how quickly it went. 

In the end, after you assess all that you have experienced, you will be enthralled and overwhelmed. More importantly, like a most thrilling theme park ride, you will want to jump on board and experience it again.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is highly recommended, but be aware if you are considering taking younger children to see the film that it earns its PG-13 rating for violence and some scenes that may be emotionally upsetting.   

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

New Book of Poetry

FYI - my latest publication is also my first book of poetry. It was a nice change of pace from writing fiction and non-fiction. I hope you will take a look.


https://www.amazon.com/Heartbeat-Other-Poems-Victor-Lana-ebook/dp/B077Y29FGT/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8




Saturday, December 2, 2017

Missing the Calendar in the Kitchen

When I was a kid, I remember wanting November to be over. Not that there was anything wrong with November – it has Election Day, Veteran’s Day, and Thanksgiving – but I wanted to get to December. I couldn’t wait to wake up and go downstairs to the kitchen and turn that calendar page. Truth is that all year I wanted to get to December because that was the month when Santa Claus was coming to town.

A calendar was a significant element in my family as I was growing up. I not only recall the beauty of the monthly images that certainly brightened the room, but it also was a compendium of important dates and times and events. I recall my mother sitting down a few days before January 1st each year and filling in all the family birthdays on the new calendar. In those days many of my loved ones now gone were still with us and, having a rather large family on both sides, this was a time-consuming process. Mom would also add significant dates like weddings, communions, and graduations. Inside the front cover of the calendar she wrote important phone numbers for Dad's office, the local police precinct, the deli, our school, and family members. Our calendar was not just a marking of dates but a handy reference tool.

Now all these years later November turned to December this week, and my kids didn’t have the opportunity to have the excitement of turning the calendar page because we don’t have one. We don’t have a single calendar in the house. While they have been exposed to the concept of the calendar in school, at home we have been living calendar free for years now.

On December 1st I felt a peculiar urgency. I walked into the kitchen and realized something was missing, and then the memory of turning the calendar to December came to me and I realized what it was – there is no calendar page to turn.

When I have an upcoming event scheduled on a particular date, I immediately check the calendar on my phone to see what day it lands on. I then click my Reminders app and enter the information. Once again my smartphone has taken away something from my past that I used to enjoy doing or using, so I added calendars to the list that includes phone books, flashlights, and calculators.

Then, as fate would have it, I received a “save the date” notice in the mail yesterday. It regarded an insignificant conference that I would never attend anyway, but what caught my attention was the text which in part read “Mark your calendars!”

Who has a calendar anymore? The truth is that I don’t see calendars outside of my home either. It used to be that I would see them everywhere I went – in friends’ homes, in every office, in the diner, in the service station, in the bank, and the barber shop. I know calendars are being sold in stores, but I am wondering who is buying them because I don’t see them hanging anywhere.

After getting that piece of mail, I went upstairs to my office and pulled out the recycle bin from under my desk. I had thrown away three calendars I received recently in the mail without even looking at them. I took the time to open the envelopes and looked at each of them. The images for each month seemed appropriate enough, and some of them were truly beautiful.

Over the past few months I must have thrown away a dozen calendars, all sent from non-profit organizations looking for a contribution. I realized that I am so dependent on my phone that I took for granted the pleasures a hard copy of a calendar can offer, and I resolved to change things immediately.

Since all of these calendars are 16-month for some reason or another, December is included with each, so I promptly hung one in my office and then proceeded to the kitchen where my wife informed me that she didn’t want it hanging there. Obviously, she has embraced the one on her phone with full vigor.

Undaunted by this rejection, I proceeded to hang one in the basement near my workbench and then the last one on the wall in the garage. I returned to my office and stared at the calendar and then began to do some work, happy that I could actually look up and see a physical manifestation of the day of the week and month of the year.

That evening my son came into my office and pointed to the calendar and asked, “Where did that come from?”

I said, “I put it up today. I missed having a calendar. Do you want one for your room?”

“No, no thanks, Dad.”

I must admit I felt a little sad that he and his mother didn’t share my enthusiasm about having a calendar hanging on the wall, but that is fine with me.

For years I have been working in my office and feeling like something was missing, and now I know what it is. I have put several important appointments and events on my calendar, but I must admit I have also entered them in my phone mostly because it is a habit which I will find almost impossible to break.

Now I know it is a bit early for New Year’s resolutions, but I have made my first one in early December. January 2018 will be here soon enough, and it will be the first time in many years when I will be able to turn an actual calendar page to January, and something feels so right about that.