Nothing but the Truth!
 

April 12, 2010 (San Diego) -- Generally, I don't write too much about religion. I always felt it was none of my business. When Descartes answered the argument "Is there a God?" with "Why not?", I agreed. But the mumbo-jumbo and dogma accompanying most "organized" religion has nothing to do with morality.

Increase your enjoyment of living

By Sharon Courmousis Sacred Rocks Reserve

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” ~ Kahlil Gibran

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” ~ John Muir

By Brian Lafferty

April 2, 2010 (San Diego's East County)--Clash of the Titans is the newest in a seemingly neverending long line of Hollywood remakes. Directed by Louis Leterrier (director of The Incredible Hulk two years ago) it is a splendid remake of the 1981 classic of the same name. That movie starred future L.A. Law actor Harry Hamlin and was the last to feature special effects master Ray Harryhausen’s famous stop-motion animation. This time Perseus is played by Sam Worthington, coming off of last year’s megahit Avatar.  The stop-motion has been replaced with CGI.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

March 30, 2010 - San Diego's East County - Spring is here-- and what a colorful, vibrant springtime we are experiencing due to this winter's rains. Trees and flowers are blooming, birds are singing and building nests, and many of us experience a desire to be outdoors enjoying the springtime beauty. Spring is also a great time to freshen up your home. If you have a hankering to do some spring cleaning, here are some ideas and tips to help you save money on household cleaning products.

By Brian Lafferty

March 26, 2010 (San Diego's East County) -- After I saw Avatar back in December, I was sure of one thing: there is no longer any excuse for filmmakers to skimp on 3D. Avatar, for me, established several precedents when it comes to the quality of these movies. It demonstrated that a 3D flick can have outstanding image quality, that the medium is best when used to increase depth, and that it can really make you feel like a part of the movie’s world. How to Train Your Dragon, the newest animated feature from Dreamworks, grasps these three notions. The result is a fantastic cinematic experience for both adults and kids alike.

“Your guide to financial planning & socially responsible investing”

By Judith L. Seid, CFP ®
President, Blue Summit Financial Group

by: Sharon Courmousis, Sacred Rocks Reserve

Increase your enjoyment of living

"A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease. " -- John Muir

This month's column includes:

Hunkering Down - essay

Chocolate cake with fudge icing - recipe

By Brian Lafferty

March 14, 2010 (San Diego's East County) -- Green Zone is relentlessly exciting from beginning to end. We know there never were weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in Iraq, which was the primary reason we went to war. We know what the outcome will be in the end, that there’s no turning back and we’re in it for the long haul, WMDs or not. Despite this common knowledge, screenwriter Brian Helgeland manages to incorporate a mystery that keeps us guessing until the very end in addition to exciting action sequences.

March 11, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) - One of East County’s treasures is The Water Conservation Garden. Sunset Magazine calls it one of the “Top 10 Gardens of the West.” This is a beautiful and relaxing place to spend a leisurely afternoon. However, it’s also a learning experience!

By Sylvia Hampton

March 7, 2010 (San Diego)--When the health reform discussion turned into a three ring circus last summer on the wave of words and statements like “death panels will kill granny,” an important fact got lost in the shuffle. The idea for family counseling programs with doctors on end-of-life care was brought forth by the insurance companies and added to the mix by a Republican congressman. It made so much sense to the Democrats that they included it in the bill.

By Buck Shott

A Roundup of the latest national, state and local political news
 

March 1, 2010 -- As filing deadlines fast approach, who's in, who's out, and who's still on the fence?  Find out here!

By Brian Lafferty

February 23, 2010 (San Diego's East County)-- Shutter Island, the newest feature by director Martin Scorsese, is mesmerizing. It is unlike any Scorsese movie and I’ve seen them all. Originally set to be released back in October, the studio pushed it to February 19. I can tell you without hesitation the wait was worth it.

“Kiss Your Landlord Goodbye” – free seminars Feb. 27 in La Mesa, March 1 in El Cajon

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

February 10, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- Uncle Sam wants to give you money to a buy a house, but you must hurry because there is a deadline; you must be in escrow by April 30 and must close escrow by July 1, 2010.

This program is the Homebuyer Tax Credit, and in November of 2009 was revised to include both first-time buyers and buyers who already own a home.

By Brian Lafferty

February 8, 2010 (San Diego)--The first scene of Edge of Darkness is a home movie featuring a little girl at the beach. This little girl is the daughter of a Boston Detective (Mel Gibson) who grows up to be a trainee at a corporation specializing in handling nuclear waste. Within the first five minutes, Gibson’s daughter comes home, gets sick, then is shot to death and dies in Gibson’s arms. After learning who was behind his daughter’s murder, he swears revenge against the evil corporation.

 By Brian Lafferty

January 31, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- The Lovely Bones is a movie that had me sitting on the fence the entire time I was watching it, right down to the end credits. This was a film where it isn’t as easy as yes or no in terms of recommending it and strong arguments can be made from either side.