Friday, July 19, 2013

24th Running, Movie Reviews, Book Review


Well as I ease out of some kind of writer block I finally figured out what caused it! I just didnʼt feel like writing about anything, speechless usually does not fit me well but it was the case. Seems as though after the 24th running of Buffalo Springs Lake Ironman 70.3 I just went into a funk! But, I am back with a brief report of the big weekend on June 30, 2013. This weekend involved the kids, sprint and Olympic distance races on Saturday and the big one on Sunday. The weather had been sort of weird the week leading up to the event and then on Saturday it turned beyond ugly. Only in West Texas can you have a dust storm and rainstorm come in dancing the two step at the same time. With gusts up to 45 miles per hour during the events we were forced to stop the races during the run and not start the kids race at all. What a mess it turned out to be, but no accidents or injuries. The good news is that usually a bad day follows with a good day so that is what happened. On Sunday we had the best day for weather in the history of the race. We had a new course record in the pro male and female racers and many age groupers did the same. No serious accidents or injuries and everyone left very happy with the day. Fact is we just received the evaluations survey conducted by World Triathlon Corporation and we are happy to report that across the board the overall satisfaction results was 96.6 per cent with 100 being perfect. The average for all other WTC owned and licensed races was 92.8, so thanks to the athletes, volunteers, city residents, race management, and Buffalo Springs Lake for another successful event. Now to get all the planning down for the BIG 25th running in 2014. Registration is open and entries are coming in daily! We also received word that “THE HILL” will return for the 25th and it will make the bike course even more challenging. It has been out of service for 3 years and is now under repair, so letʼs get some climbing in for the 2014 event in the Llano Estacado canyons!!

Movie Reviews:

“World War Z”, *, One of the worst films Brad Pitt has made. He plays a United Nations investigator as the world is being invaded by a zombie type plague. Never makes much sense and is a waste to time for the actors, producers, and especially the movie goers! BAD!! Not even good popcorn can save this flop! Rated: PG-13 for intense frightening zombie sequences, violence and disturbing images.

“White House Down”, ****, As crazed fanatics invade the White House for many reasons this turns out to be a very good movie. Channing Tatum plays a frustrated local cop, who becomes the hero, and wants to serve in the secret service, and Jamie Foxx plays the president. As the story unfolds there are many bad guys who just want revenge while one of the long time White House staff turns traitor. Lots of action as the White House is invaded and seized! The 11 year old daughter of Tatum does a great job in using her cell phone video and is truly a star of the movie. Rated PG-13 for prolonged sequences of action and violence including intense gunfire and explosions, some language and a brief sexual image.

“”The Heat”, (-* beyond bad), Not a funny comedy staring the queen of fat, Melissa McCarthy, and Sandra Bullock. If you go see this after this rating then it is on your
back, not mine. Pathetic movie and a waste of money! Rated R for pervasive language (more F bombs than any movie in history), strong crude content and some violence.

“Now You See Me”, ****, This is a very good, well done movie. An elite FBI agent(Mark Ruffalo) is teamed with an Interpol detective, (Melanie Laurent) in a game of cat and mouse against “The Four Horseman,” a team of the worldʼs greatest illusionists who arrive out of nowhere, played by Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson and Dave Franco. They are professional magicians who pull off a series of daring robberies against corrupt business leaders, showering stolen cash on their own audiences while barely staying ahead of the law. A fun movie with a surprise ending! Go see! Rated PG-13 for language, some action and sexual content.

Book Review: Just finished “The Power of Negative Thinking,” written by Coach Bobby Knight. This is a very good book with a new approach to achieving goals in a realistic manner. In essence the whole plan in the power of negative thinking is planning through what may be large obstacles in achieving a goal. By recognizing the negatives and eliminating them any person can achieve their goals. Now, go read it for yourselves, you will not regret it. You can also have fun comparing it to “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norm Vincent Peale.

EA(where are you?), SH.........:)!

greerman