SHOWS IN LAS VEGAS

Call me sentimental but JEEZ, I want another dog movie that is touching, teaches a life lesson, and is fun!  Recently, I have found my mind wondering to all the old pooch movies I use to watch as a kid. As a dog owner and a frequent dog sitter, some of my favorite movies were Oliver and Company, The Adventures of Milo and Otis, and all the Homeward Bound movies. However, one of the sad things I realized about all these movies is they were released in the 1980s and the 1990s. I know people are often against remaking classics but come on people, someone needs to come out with a new animal movie that does not involve talking animals with CGI graphics, corny action movies, or poorly scripted stories. I want a dog movie that I would be proud to show my nieces and nephews that they could embrace as theirs for their generation.

I think the genre of movies that these animal movies fit into are important for children because they hold important life lessons. First, animals with human characteristics help children understand the value of life in other animals and not just in humans. This is an incredibly complicated idea to get across to children without tangible examples or a clear thought process. Movies provide a great medium for individuals to observe, think, and process their thoughts over a period of hours. Second, all of these movies are usually built around classic themes of friendship, self-sacrifice, or responsibility. These kind of lessons are critical to a child’s development and has long-term value with respect to their ethical development.  And, as a final awesome benefit, it may encourage them to become dog lovers who would make fantastic dogsitters for all of us in the future!

As a dog lover, what was your favorite pooch movie growing up?

Kathy Reichs, author of the popular Temperance Brennan crime novel series which is the basis for the Fox TV series, Bones, has a new book coming out in 2012: Bones are Forever. Although she has published two books in recent years about Tempe’s niece, this is another novel featuring the forensic anthropologist herself.

In a typically confronting plot, three dead babies have been found in Montreal, and it has fallen to Temperance to examine their copses. This assignment is complicated by the investigation of the infants’ mother by Tempe’s on-again off-again flame, Detective Andrew Ryan. The woman, who is a former prostitute, and flees to Edmonton during the investigation. This brings the Royal Canadian Mounted Police into the equation, and the sergeant who joins them is one with whim Tempe has had a fling over ten years earlier. The trail becomes more sinister as the threesome head to diamond mining country to pursue their leads. Bones are Forever is available for pre-order now.

Tempe Brennan has a lot in common with her creator. A forensic anthropologist who divides her time between North Carolina and Montreal, Tempe investigates the remains from crime scenes where the copse is too damaged for a coroner to get sufficient evidence, for instance when the copse is many years old or has been burned. Reichs is also a forensic anthropologist – one of only eighty-two ever certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology – and she also divides her time between North Carolina and Montreal.

Including Bones are Forever, Reichs has written 15 Temperance Brennan novels, plus the two novels featuring Brennan’s great-niece, Tori Brennan. She has also written some non-fiction academic books, and Reichs has another book due for release in August 2012. Code will be the third book in the Tori Brennan series. For a list of Kathy Reichs books in order, see this book site.

The Fox series, Bones, as well as being based on also based on the Temperance Brennan novels, draws from from Reichs’ own life. Bones is in its seventh season and stars Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz. Reichs is an executive producer of Bones, and has also done some writing for the show.

The designers that create the high end fashions that influence the entire fashion community are publicity hounds. Dressing one Oscar or Grammy winner is enough to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in new orders and many new clients. For this reason, Lady Gaga is being pursued by designers around the globe. Fashion mavens know that just like the ubiquitous strapless bra seen on Madonna during her Like a Virgin years, just one garment worn by Mother Monster can translate to instant sales.

The problem with designer Hollywood fashions as seen on the red carpet is they are not garments that can be worn on a daily basis. These are strictly dressy, grown up fashions. Young fashionistas are looking for things that they can showcase daily. They want garments that have a cutting edge look but also are comfortable and low maintenance.  This is the reason that singers and musicians have always had such an influence on fashion. Clothing that only costs $20 to $30 can sell millions of pieces while a designer dress may be bought by less than a hundred people (especially at $10,000 each).

Lady Gaga lures in both. Her outlandish concept dresses and fashions offer a certain snob appeal, but many of her looks can be deconstructed and replicated on a limited budget. Best of all, the key components can be used. A girl doesn’t have to dress from head to toe like Gaga, but can incorporate one flashy piece based on her style. This is what the mass market retailers are counting upon.

Trends and styles come and go, but at the moment no one is causing more of a stir than Lady Gaga. Whether or not she will be talked into directly endorsing a certain designer or style for the masses remains to be seen. In the meantime, expect to see more Little Monsters at a mall store near you.