The Message Forum is an ongoing dialogue among classmates. The goal is to encourage friendly interaction, including interaction among classmates who really didn't know each other. Experience on the site has revealed that certain topics tend to cause friction and hard feelings, especially politics and religion. 

Although politics and religion are not completely off-limits, classmates are asked to be positive in their posts and not to be too repetitive or allow a dialog to degenerate into an argument. 

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Response" button to add your entry to the forum.

Steve Keene

Lance,

After the post citing your Tyler meeting with Rich and Don, please illuminate us on the meeting and how the two are doing.  A picture would be welcome.

Jim Bedwell

This is a TREMENDOUS list of GREAT movies (although perhaps not to a female's taste so much?) - several are some of my very favorites, including the one rated #2 - "The Big Sleep" with Bogie & Bacall, maybe my favorite of all time. A lot of hidden jewels, a few of which, old ones, I hope to see for the first time some day! Especially their #7 "Out of the Past", a "masterwork" from 1947 with Robert Mitchum. The one rated #1 is an old Edward G. Robinson movie I saw for the first time last year - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - it's hard to go wrong with Edward G.

"Miller's Crossing" - in my estimation, still the best of all the Coen Brothers movies - what a screenplay! The kind of movie you can watch several times & still pick stuff up from.

"Memento" from 2000 with Guy Pearce? All those twists & turns & non-chronological editing - WHOA, NELLY! And that movie you HAVE to watch more than once, I think.

Or "Brick" (2005) - really noteworthy movie as well with its jolts & jumps. with Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Gary Oldman's performance in "State of Grace" where he nails a blue-collar NYC accent, really uncanny.

https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-100-best-noirs-of-all-time/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Jim Bedwell

I can FINALLY report that I found ONE good thing about AOC. Yes, she sounds like a young person when she's talking; HOWEVER, she doesn't have diarrhea of the "you know" or "like" that you hear all the time. SEE, there's something nice you can say about everybody, even if it's just the one thing about her.

Like Jay Leno said that time on the Tonight Show about OJ, "People are writing in and calling here saying that I never say anything good about OJ. I started thinking, 'You know, they're right'. So I'm going to say something good about him right now; he hasn't killed anybody in over 2 years.".

David Cordell

Watching The Sandlot for the umpteenth time.

"You're killin' me, Smalls!"

David Cordell

Steve,

Thanks for your support. Don't be too hard on Sandra. I disagree with her on almost everything, but she is a good person at heart. (Note added 11/7/2021 at 5:11 AM: te prior three sentences refer to a since-deleted statement that was falsely posted in Steve's name. I may delete this portion of my post.)

Jim B,

Did you know that the screenplay for The Big Sleep was written by William Faulkner? I've seen it at least three times and still don't know what was going on, but it's hard to beat Bogie and Bacall. Below -- re-post of my son Christopher with Lauren Bacall and Roddy McDowall at opening night of A Christmas Carol - The Musical at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in 1997. Video is one of the all time great scenes - To Have and Have Not. I think Faulkner was a co-screenplay writer of Hemingway's novel.

Steve Keene

David and Class,

At one time Tommy asked to use my password several years ago and I don't recall the exact reason I gave it to him.  I changed my password about a year ago for fear it would be used by him for some nefarious reason.  However, all I changed was some of the capitals to lower case. Evidently Tommy figured that out because the post 24370 was not posted by me and I have deleted it. That is the last straw for me with him,  I apologize to everyone on the forum for what was posted, especially Sandra. I also apologize for the profanity he used trying to alienate me from other class members. I never dreamed he would stoop so low.

Jim Bedwell

David C,

Yes, actually Faulkner was 1 of 3 screenwriters with a credit on that movie along with Leigh Brackett & Jules Furthman. I've seen it WAY more than 3 times so what would you like to know about it? I should be able to tell you what you need to know. "The Big Sleep" also had quite a few actors who lived to be over 90 years old, 1 was a non-speaking extra who lived to over 100; Betty Bacall "only" made it to 89. The beautiful blonde Dorothy Malone, later of Dallas, lived to over 90 and had a small but memorable role (as a brunette) as the Acme Book Store girl who shut down early for a drink (& whatever?) with Marlowe during the rain, remember? Also the girl who played Agnes, the slimy gangster moll, Sonia Darrin, born in Houston, TX to Russian Jewish immigrants, just died last year at 96, the last surviving cast member. Her son, Mason Reese, you may remember from the 1970's as a kid actor or later:

And yes, Faulkner wrote the screenplay with Jules Furthman on that 1st Bogie/Bacall movie, which was the Hemingway novel "To Have and Have Not" - could be the title of the last 2 Prez administrations.

Here are Faulkner's Hollywood writing credits (often uncredited in the early work there):

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001203/

I noticed Faulkner did the screenplay for one CHEYENNE episode in 1956!!!! And I looked - that story was one from Hemingway also!! Who woulda thought?!?!? Well, Jimi Hendrix just as he was rising in America, once opened for the Monkees on a tour!

So I guess Faulkner really couldn't resist plagiarizing Hemingway when in Hollywood - hahahahaha!

And yes, that's the 3rd time I've seen that photo with Betty & Roddy, but HOW COOL!!!! You got to meet and probably talk quite a bit with both of them!! WOW! Can you share any little-known historical stories they told you? Bogie was really in some great movies after he got past being typecast as the heavy. Of course "The Maltese Falcon", John Huston's first directorial effort in 1940/41, was a masterpiece/classic with a phenomenal screenplay as well.

I saw an interview with Dick Cavett once where Roddy just WOULD NOT discuss, despite repeated attempts by Cavett to get him to say something, the behind-the-scenes activity on the set of "Cleopatra" when his good friend & childhood co-star Elizabeth Taylor got involved with Richard Burton - Roddy was also in that movie. So good job, Roddy, being a loyal friend. But MAN wouldn't you love to hear what he knew!! Cavett sure thought so.

And Bacall's 2nd husband Jason Robards Jr. was in the spaghetti western I like the best, with Charles Bronson as the nameless hero (called Harmonica) & then Henry Fonda cast against type as the bad guy, "Once Upon a Time in the West" (1968). Great music, cinematography, some in Monument Valley.

Jim Bedwell

Steve,

OK, that really confused me. First it sounded like you thought the progression of David C's behavior with relation to Tommy leading to this final event is something you liked a lot. And then it sounded sarcastic. So actually by the time I finished that post, I really didn't know what you were trying to say.

But now you're saying that Tommy created that, acting like he was you? Wow, you think he's mad he got kicked off again or what? If what I'm saying is correct (please correct me if I'm not), then yes, that would be really bad, but we've seen that before with my posts on his forum and with you and/or Lance a time or two, I think - I can't really remember.......so if all that is true, then if he didn't deserve to get kicked off before, yeah, he sure would now from that, imho as always..........at any rate, can you straighten this out? I'm sorry for you, but you seem pretty emotional in that post, as if you're typing in anger quickly and making typos etc. Your post was slightly confusing to me, but not nearly as much as the one you say you deleted.

Yeah, Steve, it's not just the atheism & the Trump Derangement Syndrome, when he changed my posts like that on his forum? That's just beyond inappropriate. Sounds like what he did to you here. If so, then he wasn't satisfied with just himself so we got Ron & Sue & then when we lost them & Tommy twice, he's pulling this in childish spite? SO SAD, if true.

Jim Bedwell

David C,

I bet you might want to revise your statement and insert a "Not" in post #24366?

David Cordell

Ack!

First, I was feeling some discomfort in my knee during the night and couldn't get back to sleep, so I decided to get out of bed at 4:45 AM. Then I turned on the news and saw that it was 3:45. Damn! No daylight savings time. I missed my opportunity for an extra hour of sleep!

Second, Jim B, thanks for catching my error in the post about Jim Baker. You know how it is -- you try to proofread, but your eyes see what's supposed to be there rather than what is really there. Related: my left pinkie and my keyboard seem to have a communication problem which I fear will only get worse.

You mentioned typos in Steve's post, and I took the liberty of making three obvious edits (changing a "y" to a "t" in "yo", deleting a superflous period, and de-capitalizing the word "be"). I hope Steve won't mind and won't equate me to someone who would post an absolute falsehood.

David Cordell

Steve,

Please email me to confirm what is going on.  At this point, it looks like "someone" nefariously posted something in your name as a dirty trick that he may (disturbingly) think is a clever joke. That said, it could even be a more involved dirty trick in which he pretends to be you a second time to refute the first post. Also, I hope you don't mind my making the obvious tiny edits in your subsequent post.

Also, Steve, I apologize for thinking that the offending post was really from you. It included your name and your photo, but I should have recognized that that sort of message would not have come from you. It just didn't occur to me that anyone would stoop so low as to impersonate you just to cause trouble. 

David Cordell

Steve Keene

Lance,

Thanks for the fotos and info.  Everyone looks great.  I think I will resolve to watch all my concerts at church.  There is less chance of the concert goers having a crush on the performers like they did at the Travis Scott concert in Lowell's' neighborhood.

Steve Keene

Lowell,

I feel badly about the families who lost their loved ones at the music festival.  I should not joke on so serious a subject that has. affected so many families.  I hope Their faith will help ease their pain and give them comfort.

David Cordell

With all the talk of C.S Lewis, I thought I'd post this page from my church's weekly bulletin.

Note that the series addressed at the bottom of the announcement will be available via Zoom for those who may be interested, but can't, or don't want to, go to my church. You have to register to get the Zoom address. Transfiguration.net/Narnia

By the way, one of our classmates (and spouse) created a very cool playroom, accessible only by climbing through a wardrobe.

I had never read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, so my wife is reading it to me in her best kindergarten-teacher-expressive voice so that the characters come alive (thus also preserving my passivity during my knee recuperation!). Our plan is to finish  the book, watch the movie, go to the theater to see "Reluctant Convert...", and attend the church's programs. One of the people mentioned in the announcement for the "conversations", Roy Heller, is professor of Old Testament at the Perkins Theological Seminary at SMU. Another, Robert Patten, is a professor emeritus at Rice. The book written my the featured speaker, Heidi Haverkamp, rates a 4.4 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Advent-Narnia-Reflections-Heidi-Haverkamp-ebook/dp/B014G2TGDY

Jim Bedwell

David Wier

David C:

My doctor has been after me for knee replacement, but after doing one on my wife, and the time of recovery, I really haven't been sure of getting one done.

Do you mind if I ask which doctor and which hospital did yours?.

David Cordell

David W.

I used Khalid Yousuf, who was recommendied by my primary care physician, for my knee replacement. BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE ORTHOPEDIC ASSOCIATES OF DALLAS. Works out of Pavillion II next to BSW Hospital on Alliance in Plano. He does over 350 knees per year. (Do the math!) I am satisfied with my experience. Note that things get worse before they get better. I have had home PT care for three weeks. Start outpatient PT for six+ weeks today.

Addendum: I had the surgery at BSW Plano on Alliance. Very satisfied with the hospital. Note that a lot of the care is provided by PAs.

David Wier

David C:

Thanks - did you have to stay in the hospital at all, and if so, how long?

David Cordell

David W. -

My surgery was in the afternoon, and I did stay overnight. Lots of people with morning surgeries are released later in the day.

Jerry May

David C and David W, 

Ellen had this surgery as well. And she's proud of her titanium knee. I think it was about 6 weeks overall.....and she was feeling good enough to wish she had done it much sooner!

Here's one for everyone: 

Steve Keene

David,

I understand why Tommy created Sue Daly and Ron Stocklas now.  That makes it appear that he has twice as many posters on it instead of just Lowell and Sandra.  Lowell says he is only going to post his remembrances on there.  I guess he only wants two people to appreciate it out of a class of 900+.  It is amazing how the traffic over there reduced to nothing after all the socialist rants.

Steve Keene

David W,

Presbyterian did my mother about five years ago and she had no problems and it is a nice place.  That is where I had my diverticulitus surgery with a colon pull through after I recovered from the peritonitus.  They are wonderful.

Bob Davidson

All the two fora hostility garbage -- people who actively insult and degrade others for disagreeing with them claim that they are being insulted and degraded when someone disagrees with an opinion.  It has me thinking -- are lefties that way because they are crazy or are they crazy because they are lefties?
 

Jim Bedwell

At the credit union today, the clerk next to the one that was dealing with me, told me that they are required to require masks and that there were some over by the door. I said OK, but did nothing, and my clerk didn't say anything, we were done in about 2 more minutes so I left - never had a mask on.

Now I don't wear a mask at Costco, Walgreens or the grocery at all. Over 95% of the people wear them. Got my booster (3rd shot - Pfizer) last week - sore for a couple of days, especially the first.