By Orion Carrington

I’m not claustrophobic or anything, but the mere thought of being stuck in a narrow canyon with the use of only one of my arms because the other is pinned to the wall of the canyon by a massive boulder and is quickly losing circulation is SCARY… Almost as scary as the thought of trying to recreate the whole event on film and making it interesting enough to keep an audience's attention for a full hour and a half. That would really freak out most people, but not director Danny Boyle. Boyle took on the project of 127 Hours immediately following his Academy Award-winning hit Slumdog Millionaire, and he didn’t skip a beat!

Screening at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in Denver for the Starz Denver Film Festival's Big Night on Nov. 5, 127 Hours is based on the real life story by Colorado native Aron Ralston, who spent five days (or 127 hours to be exact) fighting to survive while he was trapped in a canyon in Utah in 2003. Ralston was running out of food, water and eventually hope, until finally deciding to amputate his own arm in a last ditch effort to live. The story is all chronicled in Ralston’s memoir Between a Rock and a Hard Place and has now made its way to the big screen.

As you could imagine, shooting a movie that takes place primarily in a narrow, dimly lit canyon is quite a feat, think Cast Away minus the volleyball “Wilson," but Boyle manages to pull it off. The cinematography was creative, which kept it interesting, but Boyle would cut to shots of the canyon walls and from Aron's point of-view, so that you’d never forget that he was stuck in a desperate situation.

The role of Aron Ralston is played by actor James Franco, best known for Pineapple Express and the Spider-Man movies. Franco really captures Aron’s character in his portrayal, playing him to a T. I had the opportunity to meet and speak with the real Aron, and he seemed like a great guy, very humbled from his experience, and thankful for the life he’d been given.

This brings me to the only problem I had with the film. I never thought I’d ever say this about a movie, but I think Franco may have stayed too true to Ralston’s character; most people won’t get the chance to meet the real Aron like I did, and although I think he’d be a great guy to go grab a beer with, I’m not sure I’d want to watch him for almost two hours on the big screen.

Aron seemed like a cool, confident and laid-back kind of guy. The type of person who doesn’t lose his cool even in a horrific situation like getting his arm smashed, trapping him in a canyon in the middle of no where. But, this was a movie after all, and although I’m sure Franco used a bit of artistic license, I found myself wanting more. I wanted to feel genuinely afraid for Aron after watching him fall into a canyon, but his confident demeanor shined through and cast a shadow on any feelings of fear or concern I might have had.

I’m sure there’s a fine line, and it’s probably extremely difficult to portray someone who’s still alive and an active participant in the film you are working on, but there comes a point where myth becomes legend and that transformation can only happen from the little extra nuances added by the actor.

Franco became Ralston in this film, and although that was impressive to me, someone who interacted with the real person, I felt by staying so true to Ralston’s real image, he’s going to miss the opportunity to connect with the majority of people watching the film, who would be going crazy in the same position.

That being said, the movie will still grab its viewers and keep them gasping for air along with its focal character until the very end, when Aron finally comes to the conclusion that he’s going to detach his own arm with a dull, worn-out knife… That scene alone explains why Boyle won the Mayor’s Career Achievement Award at the Starz Denver Film Festival this year. I’m sure it’s the first of many to come from this movie for Boyle.

A gripping story of triumph and perseverance, 127 Hours is Danny Boyle’s latest challenge in filmmaking, and much like its predecessor, Slumdog Millionaire, you’re not going to want be the only person in the world who hasn’t seen Boyle’s latest stunning sensation.

THE REJECTS ARE INJECTING

By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration

The rejects are coming out of the woodwork and are injecting themselves into every aspect of President Obama’s policies, principles and positions in order to prevent his bringing us out of the abyss into which the past administration dumped us.

Reject John McCain, who is still bitter over losing his bid to ascend to the Presidency, whose military expertise was going to bring Osama bin Laden to justice because he knew how to get him and he was going to get him, now has become a logistics expert in fighting a war started by President George W. Bush. As a war hero who was in the senate at the time the decisions were made to go into Iraq and Afghanistan, he failed to contribute his expertise to prevent the declaration of an unjust, ill founded, undeclared war.

Let’s go to the source for edification.

“According to the U.S. Constitution, only Congress has the power to declare war on another sovereign nation.

According to Article I , Section 8: "The Congress shall have Power ... To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water; To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years; To provide and maintain a Navy; To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces; To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress ...".

The US President, however, has the power to wage war.

Reject Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the house, created a "Contract with America," a document telling voters what a Republican-led Congress would look like under his leadership.

After eight years of a Republican Administration, we see what a disastrous outcome that has become. Not since “The Great Depression” has America faced a total collapse of the economy, the failure of our education system, medical care run by insurance companies to the detriment of the populace and to the benefit of the insurance companies, an infrastructure that is deteriorating, a military sent off to war ill-equipped for the mission, and a government run rampant without the proper oversight, regulation and checks and balances that government must provide.

Reject Sarah Palin, half term governor of the State of Alaska, who can barely articulate an entire sentence, has joined with the Tea Party radicals to attempt to undermine the credibility of President Obama. She didn’t have the brains or the dedication to fulfill her term and obligations to the State of Alaska, now she has the temerity to speak on issues that affect the whole country by injecting herself into and endorsing candidates throughout the country.

Alas, we come to Reject Fred Thompson, Cclass actor, who didn’t have enough courage and confidence to stay in the race for presidency to the end now is advising us on getting reverse mortgages and negatively spinning President Obama’s presidency. He couldn’t sell himself to the American public to take him seriously to become the leader of the free world so now he is hawking whatever entity will pay him as if he’s selling himself to the highest bidder.

This motley bunch of sycophants has a singular purpose to destroy the presidency of President Barack Obama. So strident and stringent in their caustic language that they are making themselves look like the malcontents that they are. Losers all; they will not be winners because they don’t have a universally appealing approach to life or politics. As Tea Party advocates, they have aligned themselves with the fringe element of society. They have gone so far to the right that they appear to be un-American and unpatriotic. It is obvious that they are not looking out for the common weal. To destroy the presidency of President Obama is to destroy America. If we, as patriotic Americans believe in the philosophy in the form of a motto on our seal, “e pluribus unum” which means out of many, one, then we will succeed. How can we destroy one of us without destroying all of us? This evil cabal is so hell bent on destruction that whatever powers of reasoning they may have had, they have lost. They have lost sight of what it means to be a loyal citizen of America. Leaving jingoism aside, we do have a motto and a creed to live by.

Now we have a new contract with America. Ours is shift to (D) Democrat to drive forward and reject (R) Republican to go in reverse and return to the failed Bush policies. This is our motto, our slogan, our contract, and it is what will keep us on the path to moving (DRIVING) our country forward. We REJECTED you before and we REJECT you again so INJECTING yourself into our forward movement will not deter us. We are resolute! We are determined! We continue to support the CHANGE we voted for; and, it is our HOPE that you will just crawl back into your holes and hibernate.

Sometimes the achievement is to make it through to the blessing on the other side of your challenge! Listen to the wisdom of George Washington Carver, the great inventor and innovator who took the peanut and made it shine. He wrote:

In these strenuous times, we are likely to become morbid and look constantly upon the
dark side of life, and spend entirely too much time considering and brooding over what
we can't do, rather than what we can do, and instead of growing morose and
despondent over opportunities that are shut from us, let us rejoice at the many
unexplored fields in which there is unlimited fame and fortune to the successful explorer.

Explore the "can-do" things in your life and move, thrive and live abundantly!

SpectrumTalk Blogger James Fouther, Jr.

James Ellis Fouther, Jr. is the inspirational architect and spiritual leader of the United Church of Montbello. This northeast Denver based, progressive community of Christians embraces and welcomes folks of all backgrounds, races and levels of need. The church itself has been a groundbreaker in many ways. It has led the effort to feed hundreds of families and individuals through the Montbello Cooperative Ministries Food bank and sponsored refugee families from different parts of Africa.

While James is a pastor who embraces the need for ministers to be serious scholars, his bachelor of arts degree is from Illinois Wesleyan University, his master's degree is from the Chicago Theological Seminary, and his doctorate degree is from Eden Theological Seminary. James comments on current issues as well as spiritual, motivational, religious and funny matters on SpectrumTalk as well as his own blog site at http://revjamesfoutherjr.blogspot. com.

“Aunt Clara” - First Black Resident of the Colorado Territory

Clara Brown was a slave at birth, in Virginia, in 1800. She married at 18, and had four children. They were split up when the slave owner's estate was sold.

At 57, upon the death of her owner, Brown was freed and moved to Kansas where she opened a laundry. From there she went to Central City, Colo., where she opened another laundry. She bought mining claims and brought ex-slaves west.

"Aunt Clara's" home was used as a hospital, hotel or refuge.

In 1882, three years before she died, she found a daughter from whom she'd been separated for 30 years.

Brown is memorialized with a leaded-glass window in the Colorado Capitol, and in 1932, the Central City Opera House Association dedicated a chair to her.

Black History Blogger Bob Jackson

Bob Jackson starts blogging on SpectrumTalk about great African Americans during Black History Month. Jackson, a Chicago native, is a retired staff writer and columnist for the Rocky Mountain News, where he worked for 22 years, starting in 1982. He wrote the column CITYSCAPE, and specializes in writing about ethnic minority affairs.

Jackson also worked as a general assignment reporter for the Chicago American and Chicago Today for 11 years. He covered the 1963 March on Washington; the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala.; the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Poor People's Campaign; The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr's, Chicago campaign; and riots in Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Henson went to Top of the World

When explorer Robert Edwin Peary reached the North Pole in 1909, Matthew Alexander Henson was the only American who accompanied him. Henson, an African American born on a farm in Maryland in 1867, went on expeditions with Peary for more than 20 years, as his personal assistant and dog driver.

Peary eventually became obsessed with arctic exploration. After numerous trips to Greenland between 1893 and 1905, Peary became convinced that he could become the first man to stand at the North Pole. Henson accompanied Peary on these trips to Greenland and became an integral part of his plans.

In 1906, along with others, Peary and Henson set out from Greenland on their first attempt to reach the North Pole. They came within 160 miles, but were forced to turn back because of unseasonably warm weather.

They tried again in 1909. By the end of March they were within 150 miles of their goal. Because of sickness, Henson left Peary behind on April 6, and went ahead. Peary followed later and teamed up with Henson. They thought they were there. However, there has been conflicting questions ever since as to who was the first man to reach the top of the world.

Henson received several honors for his part in the 1908-1909 expedition. He wrote the book A Negro Explorer at the North Pole. His biography, Dark Companion, written by Bradley Robinson, was published in 1947.

Henson died in 1955.

Black History Blogger Bob Jackson

Bob Jackson starts blogging on SpectrumTalk about great African Americans during Black History Month. Jackson, a Chicago native, is a retired staff writer and columnist for the Rocky Mountain News, where he worked for 22 years, starting in 1982. He wrote the column CITYSCAPE, and specializes in writing about ethnic minority affairs.

Jackson also worked as a general assignment reporter for the Chicago American and Chicago Today for 11 years. He covered the 1963 March on Washington; the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala.; the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Poor People's Campaign; The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr's, Chicago campaign; and riots in Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Malone - Beauty School Entrepreneur

Annie M. Malone founded her first beauty school in 1900, at age 31, in Lovejoy, Ill. Moving the school to St. Louis two years later, she peddled her highly popular “Wonderful Hair Grower” throughout the South.

One of her agents was Madame C. J. Walker, later famous as a rival beauty-empire builder and the first Black woman millionaire.

To fend off imitations of her product, Malone copyrighted the trade name “Poro.” By 1918, she built a Poro College.

Within eight years, her agents were in every state, Canada, Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas, Central and South America, Africa and the Philippines. The firm’s daily $5,000 gross during the peak period boosted Malone’s estimated net worth to $14 million.

Following Depression loses, she moved to Chicago, headquartering in five mansions that occupied nearly half of a south-side block. By the time of her death in 1957, Malone had set up 32 beauty schools nationwide.

Black History Month Blogger Bob Jackson

Bob Jackson starts blogging on SpectrumTalk about great African Americans during Black History Month. Jackson, a Chicago native, is a retired staff writer and columnist for the Rocky Mountain News, where he worked for 22 years, starting in 1982. He wrote the column CITYSCAPE, and specializes in writing about ethnic minority affairs.

Jackson also worked as a general assignment reporter for the Chicago American and Chicago Today for 11 years. He covered the 1963 March on Washington; the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala.; the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Poor People's Campaign; The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr's, Chicago campaign; and riots in Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles.

from www.natlove.com

Love was a Real Cowboy

Nat Love was a Black cowboy in the Old West. Born a slave in Davidson County, Tenn., in 1854, Love was better known as “Deadwood Dick.” He worked in cattle drives from the western United States to Mexico for 20 years.

Love left home at 15 and went to work as a cowboy near Dodge City, Kan.
His autobiography, The Life and Adventures of Nat Love, Better Known in the Cattle Country as Deadwood Dick (1907), has many cowboy tales about such famous western characters as Bat Masterson, Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill and Jesse James.

Love died in 1921.

Black History Blogger Bob Jackson

Bob Jackson starts blogging on SpectrumTalk about great African Americans during Black History Month. Jackson, a Chicago native, is a retired staff writer and columnist for the Rocky Mountain News, where he worked for 22 years, starting in 1982. He wrote the column CITYSCAPE, and specializes in writing about ethnic minority affairs.

Vesey - Leader of Slave Insurrection

Historians know little about the early life of Denmark Vesey, a Black freeman who planned a slave revolt that involved 9,000 Blacks.
Vesey, born in 1767, bought his freedom from his owner in 1800. He worked as a carpenter in Charleston, S.C., until he began to plan the slave revolt. The revolt never took place, but the threat of it caused South Carolina to pass severe laws restricting the education, movement and occupation of free blacks and slaves.

In 1822, Vesey organized about 9,000 free Blacks and slaves and prepared to attack several South Carolina cities. But some of the slaves told their owners, and several Blacks were arrested and gave information that led to the capture of Vesey and several others.
Vesey and 35 of his leaders were hanged in 1822, and several others were sold.

Black History Blogger Bob Jackson
Bob Jackson starts blogging on SpectrumTalk about great African Americans during Black History Month. Jackson, a Chicago native, is a retired staff writer and columnist for the Rocky Mountain News, where he worked for 22 years, starting in 1982. He wrote the column CITYSCAPE, and specializes in writing about ethnic minority affairs.