Writer's Post on Movies: Rat Race

This week's challenge is to blog about a favorite movie. When it comes to comedy, there is none funnier than Rat Race. This 2001 film contains an all star cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Kathy Bates, Cuba Gooding Jr., Breckin Meyer, Amy Smart, Paul Rodriguez and several other big names. If you don't see a familiar face in Rat Race, you don't watch movies.

Although Rat Race is a remake of the 1963 movie It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, it's even funnier than the original. Multi-millionaire Donald Sinclair (John Cleese) chooses winners from a Vegas slot machine to compete in a race across Nevada to a locker containing a bag with $2,000,000.

Each character has his or her own comedy story which adds to the humor. Here is a clip of Mr. and Mrs. Pear (Jon Lovitz and Kathy Najimy) and kids when they stop at the Barbie museum.

Here's another clip of two brothers Duane Cody (Seth Green) and Blaine Cody (Vince Vieluf) as they find themselves in a bit of trouble on the road. Hysterical but still not their funniest scene in this movie.

And finally, let me share one more short scene with Enrico Pollini (Rowen Atkinson of Mr. Bean fame).

 If you haven't seen Rat Race, go rent it! I dare you not to laugh out loud. You may join the hop by going to http://www.writerspost.net/

Gilad Shalit

Gilad Shalit captured at age 19

Although I'm a humor blogger, every now and then, news happens and I'm compelled to voice my opinion about it.

Gilad Shalit today

With the recent release of Gilad Shalit, Israel has once again shown that she is unlike any country in the world. In case you missed it, this Israeli soldier had been held prisoner by the Palestinians for five years. Yesterday he was released in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners. Several of these prisoners were terrorists who had made threats, carried out vicious attacks, or even murdered Israeli citizens. Israel swapped 1,027 prisoners for one, and the citizens of Israel were mostly in favor of the exchange.

Free Gilad Shalit open air concert

This is not the first time Israel has done this.  Over the last 30 years, Israel has released about 7,000 Palestinian prisoners to secure freedom for 19 Israelis and to retrieve the bodies of eight others.1

Many folks are probably asking the obvious question, "Why exchange one soldier for a thousand criminals?" If that one soldier were your son, wouldn't you do anything to get him back? That is the attitude of Israel. Every life is important and the country will do whatever it takes to get its soldiers home safely. As a result, Israel has one of the most loyal armies in the world. Those soldiers take risks because they love their country and know that the country loves them.

Let's contrast this with the mentality of Hamas who encourages their young to strap suicide belts around their wastes and kill innocent civilians. How can Israel make peace with people who hate them more than they love their own children?  


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Wordless Wednesday: Pumpkins

As you shop for your pumpkin, follow my plan… if you dare. Last year, I bought a huge pumpkin at the Farmer's Market for $2. The trick: I waited until Halloween day. The farmers didn't want to lug pumpkins back to Arkansas, so they were practically giving them away. With kids in college, it wouldn't be a tragedy to be stuck without one; however, I found an abundance of quality pumpkins at giveaway prices.