Allegheny Bike Trail

This past weekend Brian & I rode the Allegheny trail - 31 miles through the Allegheny National Forest. We started on the Sandy Creek Trail - fed into the Allegheny River Trail - and ended in Emlinton. It was a great ride. Check out the trail web site here.

There is a long, dark tunnel on the trail - used to be called the Conrail Tunnel - now called the Rockland Tunnel. Make sure you have some lighting.

The Rising Tide

The Rising Tide by Jeff Shaara

This is a historical novel of WWII, or more specifically - America's first steps into the wider European conflict. Throughout our lives we have seen movies and read plenty of America's involvement in WWII, Hitler, the Pacific front, D-day, VJ-day.... This is the first I've read of our involvement in north Africa.

I've long been a WWII history lover. I like the strategy of the battles, the gritty, dirty "boots on the ground" drama and the historical detail of different points of view. This novel delivers. We see how Eisenhower assumes command of the European front, how Montgomery revitalized a near beaten British army, how Patton bullied his way in the front, Rommels generalship, and the man in the tank doing the fighting...

Some months ago I was on a trip with a friend of mine who is in his 70s. He was there in the European front during WWII as an enlisted man. I asked him about Patton and what he remembered about him. His comment was "patton was the kind of leader that if he was asked to take that hill - he would get you that hill. No matter what the cost of human life, he got the hill."

Shantaram

Shantaram - Gregory Roberts

OK - this book will go on my top 10 list. I have long had a fascination with books about India. Don't know why. I love reading about the country. I picked this book up on a whim and it was one of those books that I hated for it to end - because I didn't want to loose the relationship I had with the characters. This is that book that you come across once every 5 years or so that strikes you so hard that it sticks with you months after you are done reading it.

This is Gregory Roberts telling of his life on the lam from the law (escape from an Australian prison) in Bombay. This epic novel starts out with Robert's prologue: "It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know of love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured."

Lin (Robert's nom in India) and his friend Prabaker enter a society of prostitutes, beggars, gangsters, holy men, soldiers, actors and other exiles. Robert's writes from the first person perspective and it works surprisingly well. We feel his fear, pain, love.

Roberts is such a gifted writer - he finds just the right words or phrase to send the image home. [some people have a way with words and some people.... oh... not have way... i guess]

This book will rip your heart out and mangle it - only to have it all repaired and fixed by the end.

I hope I don't have to wait another 5 years to find the next book that hits me so hard...

Oliver 40274 Movie Reviews

100 Greatest Movies List
Movie Critic Tips

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• 8 1/2 - 1963 *****

A

• Amazing Grace - 2006 ****
• Apocalypto - 2006 ****

B

• Bandwagon - 2005 *****
• Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - 1974 *****

C

• Children of Men - 2006 *****

D

• Dan in Real Life - 2007 ****
• Deja Vu - 2006 ****
• Downfall- 2004 *****

E
F
G
H
I

• The Illusionist - 2006 *

J

• Juliet of the Spirits - 1965 *****

K
L

• Land of the Blind - 2006 ****
• Luck Number Slevin - 2006 ****

M

• Mystery Train - 1989 *****

N
O
P

• Pan's Labyrinth - 2006 *****
  
• The Prestige - 2006 ****

Q
R
S

• Smalltime - 1996 ****
• Smokin' Aces - 2007 ****
  
• The Station Agent - 2003 *****

T

• Tenth & Wolf - 2006 **
  
• Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada - 2005 *****
  
• Tsotsi - 2005 *****

U
V
W
X
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Z

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About Oliver 40274

If you're old enough, you'll remember that long before there were such things as area codes and free long distance calling, the phone company used names to separate 5 digit phone numbers. Mine was Oliver 40274. This has stuck in my mind into middle age.

This site is about those things that come into your life - and just stay there. For me its often movies & books. Sometimes its some gadget or person. Sometimes its some history or event. or mood... What is it for you? Drop me an email and lets get it on this website.

I write movie reviews that are meant to be enjoyed post-movie watching. They often have spoilers. Come and read these after you have watched the movie and discuss. The reviews will be written in internet time - quick, easy to follow... yet drive the point home. Your finger is on the keyboard itchin to go to the next site. Swallow your content here, get what you need, write a comment, come back again tomorrow.

Find something here that strikes you as well and put your thoughts down. Together we will build the greatest social network in the history of the Internet.

Glenn