George Clooney image from Flickr.

After a bit of a dry spell at the box office, we are inundated this week with a flood of new releases. Critic favorite is clearly “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” as reviews from all over sing its praises. It’s no surprise that a film starring George Clooney, Kevin Spacey, Ewan McGregor and Jeff Bridges is getting a lot of attention.

In fact, “The Men Who Stare at Goats” will probably cause trouble for its competition. Why the makers of horror movie “The Box” and thriller “The Fourth Kind” waited until after Halloween to release their films I can’t explain. I also think it’s a tad early for “A Christmas Carol,” but I’m sure in the long run that one will pull in big bucks.

Ensemble

“The Men Who Stare at Goats” will bring in instant cash, and I say that not only because of its uber-famous ensemble cast, but also because of its wide appeal. It’s listed most places as simply a comedy, but it has several elements that appeal to a wide audience.

Love, war, psychic powers and missing soldiers are among the subject matter that “The Men Who Stare at Goats” tackles. Rich Cline from Shadows on the Wall says: “Based on true events as recounted in the Jon Ronson book, this freewheeling war comedy is deeply entertaining due to the crazy-but-believable premise and wonderfully outrageous characters.”

Plot points

As one can probably guess, “The Men Who Stare at Goats” is a satire, but much like its cast and its subject matter, it’s hardly one-dimensional. Amy Nicholson from Boxoffice Magazine says the film is “At once optimistic about what the military could do if it replaced its guns with flowers, and cynical about what the non-believers and opportunists can – and did – do to that dream.”

Of course, not everyone is a fan. Deborah Young from Hollywood Reporter said “With material like this, one would have liked a more incisive comedy to materialize around the decline and fall of the New Age movement.”

Box office

Despite getting some negative reviews from a few top critics, I am fairly certain “The Men Who Stare at Goats” will bring in more money this weekend than the other new releases. It might have a tough time beating out last weekend’s top box office earner, “Michael Jackson’s This is It,” especially because “This is It” is only in theaters for a limited time.

George Clooney had the right idea when he dated a waitress. That could just be the way to end poverty.

A few days ago, as I was reading about one very wealthy person getting engaged to another very wealthy person, I came up with a solution to poverty. Unfortunately, it is a solution that only works mathematically, not realistically.

My idea is this: if rich people married poor people, the distribution of wealth would all even out. Of course, I am not saying that this should be mandated in any way, but it seems logical, doesn’t it. Unfortunately, it is not logical at all. But a girl can dream.

Running in different circles

Now, I must clarify that I am not advocating people should marry only for money, or for lack thereof. People should always marry for love. I am just saying that if the different “classes” of people intermingled a little more, there wouldn’t be so much poverty. If only people could turn to their significant others instead of personal loan companies, debt could be a thing of the past.

For instance, if Oprah were to magically fall in love with a homeless man, that would be one fewer person in the “poverty” category. Also, instead of growing her fortune by combing it with another rich person’s, Oprah would remain super wealthy and not become super-uber-mega wealthy.

Of course, real estate prices ensure that people of a certain income level are surrounded by their own kind. That’s the reason my grand scheme will never work. But there are other reasons, too.

Social stigma

In general, rich people and poor people tend to have different ideals. Rich people are often rich because they are willing to work at it. Some of them see poor people as lazy. Of course, these are pretty old-fashioned stereotypes.

Some people want to keep their incomes moderate to avoid becoming materialistic and the corruption they believe comes along with power. Some rich people simply don’t want to spend their money on supporting people who don’t make their own money. But, I think I have a solution to this.

Idea for online dating sites

Listen up, all of you entrepreneurs out there. I can see a cross-section out there of groups of people who might be interested in meeting each other. How about trust fund babies and lazy poor people? Match up the people who didn’t work for their money with people who just don’t want to work.

Then, of course, the inverse of that idea would be to match up people who worked hard for their money with hard workers who just couldn’t catch a break.

The tough thing about making this idea work is figuring out how to market it and orchestrate it so that you’d end up with the best results. But that’s for you to figure out. If you use my idea, though, you’d better give me a cut of your profits.

Linda Greenlaw

Linda Greenlaw, the real person whom Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio played in the 2000 blockbuster “The Perfect Storm,” has been convicted of fishing illegally in Canadian waters.

The prosecution is seeking $50,000 Canadian ($45,000 U.S.), but Linda Greenlaw’s lawyers say the fine should be reduced. Her sentencing is June 9.

Details on Linda Greenlaw case

Linda Greenlaw has had a pretty lucrative career for an author, but she still might need a secured loan to settle up with the Canadian court. Maine Public Broadcasting Network reports:

Greenlaw, who lives in Isle au Haut, was arrested last September while fishing inside Canada’s 200-mile limit. Prosecutors are seeking a $50,000 fine.  The defense is recommending about half that amount.

Greenlaw told the paper that she was fishing for swordfish, and wandered into Canadian waters by mistake. “This line, which is drawn on a piece of paper, you can’t see it when you’re fishing and working on deck,” Greenlaw is quoted as saying. “There’s no fence. There’s no blinking lights.”

Participation in the Perfect Storm

Back in 1991, Linda Greenlaw was said to be the last person to have contact with the Andrea Gail, a swordfish boat that sank, claiming the lives of captain and crew. The powerful “nor’easter” that claimed the Gail, Captain Billy Tyne and the crew was the result of “a confluence of weather conditions,” says IMDB.

The killer storm was immortalized in a book and a movie, both called “The Perfect Storm.”

The perfect book

Although Linda Greenlaw is an author, she didn’t pen the best-seller “The Perfect Storm,” which was the basis of Warner Bros. 2000 film. Sebastian Junger wrote the novel “The Perfect Storm,” and it was published in 1997, six years after the incident.

The perfect movie

It didn’t take long for Hollywood to whip up a movie on the experiences shared by Linda Greenlaw, the ill-fated crew and the unusually intense storm. “The Perfect Storm” the film made $327 million at the box office and cost about $140 million to make.

Much of the box-office earnings can probably be attributed to mega-stars Mark Wahlberg and George Clooney. Clooney played Captain Tyne, and Wahlberg portrayed crew member Bobby Shatford. The movie also featured Diane Lane and John C. Reilly.

All eyes on Linda Greenlaw

Though Linda Greenlaw’s involvement in what would become “The Perfect Storm” franchise was pretty limited, the popularity of the book and film are enough that the whole country perks up when they hear the title. Thus, Linda Greenlaw’s conviction is national news, and people are eating it up.

Perhaps it’s the fact that even after witnessing the deadly storm in 1991, Linda Greenlaw is still out there fishing in the ocean. If you would like to learn more about Linda Greenlaw, besides the fact that she spoke with the Andrea Gail before the fatal storm, here is a list of her books available on Amazon:

• The Hungry Ocean: The Captain’s Story, 2000, used copies available
• The Hungry Ocean: A Swordboat Captain’s Journey, 2000, $12.60
• The Lobster Chronicles: Life on a Very Small Island, 2002, starts at $9.75
• All Fishermen are Liars: True Adventures at Sea, 2005, $11.20
• Recipes from a Very Small Island, 2005, starts at $17.13
• Fisherman’s Bend, 2007, starts at $7.99

Contemporary authors online also published a Linda Greenlaw biography in 2007.

With today’s delivery of the International Herald Tribune came one of those glossy fashion magazines, this one men’s, for a change. The cover features a famous actor; I don’t know which one, maybe Brad Pitt, George Clooney or someone like that, sporting the unshaven look that gets me thrown out of the kitchen in my own home. On the back cover Sean Connery is sprawled on a wooden bench and leaning against a tree, looking very comfortable and at peace with the world. At his feet, a Louis Vuitton sports bag, filled, no doubt with Connery money.

For the rich and famous?

All in all, the magazine is 75 pages of macho articles such as yachts, suits, shirts, travel goods, shoes and sunglasses. Nine of the pages are full-page adverts for wrist-watches and there is an article on Rolex watches. I haven’t worn a watch since I retired, deciding on that momentous day that I don’t need a reminder of how fast time is flying by. But looking at this collection, I am tempted to apply for one of those Online Payday Loans so I can put down a deposit on a beautiful object.

The money in watches

The internet reveals all so I looked up the prices of the watches advertised and I am amazed.

• Stainless steel Rolex: $5,720
• Chanel ‘J12 calibre’ 3125: $18,000
• Patek Philippe 5396R: $33,760
• Lacoste: About $350
• Corum: $4,500
• Gc: About $500
• F. P. Journet: $32,900
• Ferrari: About $5,000
• Breitling: $6,425

Am I missing something?

I guess I could be pressured into spending the money to buy a watch for $350, but that would be my absolute outer limit. Not a cent more! $30,000 plus – no way. I would rather upgrade my car or do that kitchen alteration we’ve been talking about for years. It’s not as though an expensive watch is going to give me more time, is it? All it will do is give me the same time.

What about the recession?

The fancy watch manufacturers haven’t heard about the global recession either or perhaps the people who wear these watches don’t get caught up in recessions. But that’s not what the Forbes List reported. They reported some major changes in wealth distribution.

Elsewhere in the Magazine

Is it really worth $40,000?

The Louis Vuitton sports bag at Sean Connery’s feet is priced at $898. An Ermenegildo Zegna suit will set you back $1,795, a pair of Tod’s Loafers runs at $560 and once you add a shirt, socks, underwear and a Patek Philippe watch you will be a walking investment of about $40,000. What does the magazine advertise when there is no global recession?

Egon Schiele

The most interesting piece in the magazine was a series of 5 paintings of Egon Schiele wearing the latest in fashion clothing and sitting in various contorted poses. Egon Schiele (1890 – 1918) was an Austrian painter and a protégé of Gustav Klimt. Schiele was a major figurative painter of the early 20th century.

Schiele’s work is noted for its intensity, and the many self-portraits the artist produced. The twisted body shapes and the expressive line that characterize Schiele’s paintings and drawings mark the artist as an early exponent of Expressionism, although still strongly associated with the art nouveau movement.

How clever to re-dress Schiele in modern clothing and put him back in the same poses as he painted himself a hundred years ago. One thing is for sure, Schiele never bought clothes like those!