Daniel Craig as James Bond is a cold-hearted, almost indiscriminate killer who knows a thousand ways to make a villain squeal. He slices a bad guy’s jugular, pins him to the floor and waits calmly — eyes distant — for the cad to bleed out and die. It’s one of the few quiet, still moments in the spy’s latest adventure, “Quantum of Solace,” and translates into a grim timeout from the rapid-fire mayhem that surrounds this new 007, a vicious anti-hero.

But you gotta love him for it. This hard-nosed Bond, muscled and quick and brainy, brings out even the viewers’ spit and grit. In fact, it seems that the icier and nastier Bond becomes, the more audiences want to watch — notably through last weekend (Nov. 14-16) to the tune of $70 million, a record opener for the 22-film series.

Admittedly, Quantum’s environmental plot is somewhat muddled and messy — something about cornering the market on the world’s water supply — but we didn’t buy tickets to hear an eco-sermon. What thrills most are the in-your-face action sequences, which steal pacing, framing and close-up brutality from the Bourne series. Car chases, knife brawl, airplane dogfights, roof-to-roof leaps — hand-held cameras have never done their jobs so well.

More thrills come from Olga Kurylenko, no slouch as a slinky but tough Bond Girl, and veteran actress Judi Dench, who brings class and presence to the role of M (Bond’s boss). We even get a taste of what will become — in Bond’s later spy career — iconic trademarks: a fancy martini, shaken not stirred, and a punched-up Aston Martin sports car (no gizmos, just horsepower).

We could argue all night over who makes the best Bond, but Craig would undoubtedly be in the top two. In Quantum, his second outing as 007, he continues to brutishly thwart world-class creeps, but also the bureaucracy and authorities he works for. This Bond claims he’s motivated by “duty,” and he remains intensely interesting because we’re not entirely sure what the heck that means.

Details:  Quantum of Solace is playing at The Mirage Theater in Omak,  The Liberty Cinema in Wenatchee and the Fairchild Cinemas in Moses Lake. 

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Recently some misinformation about the Red Cross was posted under comments on the house fire in Brewster. My browser will not let me comment on news events, so I am blogging it. I went to a reputable site which gives out information on hoaxes, urban legends, and other misinformation, and found this about what was said about the Red Cross.

http://www.snopes.com/medical/emergent/redcross.asp

This site is also a useful source for checking out all those emails which want to WARN YOU OF A NEW VIRUS THAT WILL SPOIL EVERYTHING IN YOUR REFRIGERATOR IF YOU DON’T SEND IT ON IN 35 SECONDS, or which tell you that by forwarding it to everyone in your address book, MICROSOFT WILL SEND YOU $4321 or the American Cancer Society will DONATE MONEY in tribute to a DYING YOUNG GIRL WHO WROTE A BEAUTIFUL POEM (really written by a psychologist). All are untrue.

So every time you read about something too good–or too bad–to be true, it probably is. But you can find out for yourself. Go to Snopes.

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After an hour or more digging up dahlia tubers on Saturday, a foray to Costco was certainly justified. So was the purchase of prosciutto and fresh mozzarella. It was after the purchase of those two fine ingredients that I realized I was about halfway to having everything necessary to make Brian’s Sandwich.

Brian’s Sandwich is an imitation of one he used to get near his hometown in New Jersey at a place called Mariana’s. Brian says the sandwich is really available at any good sandwich shop over there, assuming they have all of the ingredients.

What’s in Brian’s Sandwich? Well, you take some French bread or Italian bread or whatever kind of crusty bread you have around. Slice it in half, drizzle both halves with good balsamic vinegar. Then layer a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese, a roasted red pepper (jarred peppers are easy to find, usually next to the olives) and a pile of prosciutto on one half. Top with the other half. Enjoy.

We made these sandwiches on Sunday and they were fantastic. On Sunday, though, a little bit of mayonnaise was added. They’re good with the mayo, but it’s not necessary. Either way, though, the sandwiches are worth the tiny amount of work involved.

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I have often thought that perhaps the greatest athlete in the area, if not the state, is a 74-year-old woman named Peony Munger. Peony came to the United States about 35 years ago, during a long and illustrious career in nursing,  and took up the sport of swimming at about the same time. As she tells it, she was terrified of the water and sure she would drown during her first brave attempts in the pool.

Fast forward 35+ years and Peony swims with the Wenatchee Valley Masters Swim Team 5 mornings a week and has made several trips to nationals. Impressive? Sure. But that’s only the beginning. Every morning at 5:30am she begins her task for the day: swimming one mile butterfly. If you’re not familiar with the butterfly stroke, it is the stroke that Michael Phelps made famous this summer. Two arms reach out of the water simaltaneously, in theory, and swimmers add a dolphin kick to help propel them across the pool. Peony says that some mornings it takes her longer than others, but she does it every morning regardless.

I’ve been a swimmer for nearly 30 years and have adopted a strict “no butterfly policy”. It’s hard, and I’ve gotten lazy over the years. So, I don’t do it. But, Peony, my 74-year-old Korean friend does at least 66 laps EVERY morning- and has for years. In fact, during a swim meet last year she entered the mile- and swam it butterfly. Talk about a slice of humble pie.

Peony’s birthday was last week and every year for her birthday her one request is that the entire Masters swim team swim 400 yards of continuous butterfly- a “mere” 16 laps. By comparrison, every morning Peony swims 66 laps. Loud complaining ensues, but we all do it because we care about Peony and are humbled by her ability and dedication. It’s not pretty, but it gets done.  That birthday swim was last Friday morning, and as I donned my fins and prepared to violate my strict policy, it occured to me that we are upstaged and outswam every morning by a 74-year-old woman. Her talent and dedication is amazing. If anyone thinks they can swim a mile butterfly- even once- I challenge you to try. I barely made it 400 yards.

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Author Jim Harrison reaches into men’s souls to examine feelings and desires that, generally, we prefer to leave wrapped at the bottom of the box. A good example is how aimless wandering would be a preferred lifestyle. Or how making or losing money is often the result of bad choices in women. His earliest novels had at their centers good-hearted but unprincipled rascals who focused on filling their bellies and following their sexual urges — all in all, a sound plan that unfortunately doesn’t mesh with family, job and responsibility.

His latest work, The English Major, mines this theme for wonderful revelations on modern masculinity and pointed commentaries on life at large. Basically a road trip, this short but jam-packed tale gives full voice to Cliff, our spirited 60-year-old hero, as he unravels the puzzles of his long marriage, his questionable farm life, and his connection to the natural world. Along the way he falls in and out of love with waitresses, wrestles high-tech gadgets, and explores unexpected physical and emotional landscapes with humor and wisdom. It’s a terrific novel from the aging Harrison, who’s lost none of his earthy savvy.

Details: This hardback (Grove Press, $24) is also available through the North Central Regional Library. The best of Harrison’s early works includes Farmer, Warlock, and Wolf: A False Memoir.

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Despite the best efforts of the Wild, this game is getting terribly lopsided. We have 4 minutes left in the third and final period and the score has ballooned to 8-2. I may have to finish this post later due to my vision being blurred by tears. The boys, the entire team, look tired and frustrated. Ouch, the last sentence was interrupted by one more goal in which Doogie was left high and dry with an open player ready to dump it in to his opposite side. HA! My depression is lifted momentarily by a goal by Jake Flynn from Cam Severson and Zack Smoot with 40 seconds left. Well, the final buzzer has done its deed and it’s time to contemplate our trip home. The score albeit high, was really just the same as last nights close game, just multiplied by 3, ending with Wenatchee at a deficit of 9-3.

Still, as I sit here writing as the hordes of Fairbanks fans file out of the arena I am bombarded with thanks and greetings from the friendly people here. Fairbanks may not receive many casual tourists as ourselves and are putting their best foot forward. Maybe they are just really nice….oops, I spoke to soon. I just had the pleasure of an intoxicated lady yelling 3 times in my direction, trying to get my attention, “They must REALLY SUCK!”. I took the Casi Tarr way out and ignored her completely. Oh well, there must be one in every crowd.

We are taking our time leaving, soaking in the end game atmosphere. Casi is even getting in a little womens hockey networking. Time to get our things together and think about heading to the airport. My impressions of Fairbanks are all positive, despite the negative temps. I can’t wait to come back, maybe next time in summer. Thanks Fairbanks!

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This game is getting a bit ugly. The puck was knocked behind the Wild net and Mathieu Dugas went to play the puck within his “privileged area” and an Ice Dog through a shoulder into him knocking him to the ice. In his typical cool fashion he popped back up and resumed his position before the next shot is fired off. There could be retaliation for this one. 6-2 Ice Dogs between period 2 and 3.

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Our own Zack Smoot just got tripped on his way in to take a shot and got tripped sending him “superman” style through the air. The ref is holding his hands in an X above his head which means one thing, PENALTY SHOT. Smoot lines up skates in, dekes left, then right, fakes a shot and then puts it on net! 5-2 Ice dogs with 6 left in the 2nd. Mathieu Dugas has taken over for Mac Carruth at goalie for the Wild.

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A lot can happen if 5 minutes of hockey. Wild score within 3 minutes of the 2nd period start to tie things up at 1-1. Not 30 seconds later, the Ice Dogs respond with a bouncer over Carruth’s leg pad and 2 minutes after that a rocket from the Ice Dogs powers through under Mac’s left arm to make it 3-1 Ice Dogs. Wow, ANOTHER goal by the Ice Dogs, ouch. 4-1 Ice Dogs at 13:05 in the second.

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Checklist: Five cheap things to do that look like fun.

Thinking that Mike Irwin’s checklist was a great idea, I decided to see which of the activities we would enjoy.

Parades (Tuesday, Nov. 11) Tuesday wasn’t our day to go to Wenatchee and parades of any kind aren’t high on our lists of fun things to do. So, no to that one.

Writers & Readers (Thursday, Nov. 13)  Write on the River: again, no. I could never read my own stuff to anyone. It sounded like an interesting thing to do, however.  

Art Exhibit at WVC (Nov. 14) — I was looking forward to this one, as we have attended other years, but an unforeseen trip to Wenatchee in the morning changed our minds. By late afternoon I was finished for the day. We hauled milk in the early p.m. to the Community Cupboard and a couple of other places. Lifting about 30 gallons of milk–one or two at a time for me–is very wearing. So the closest I got to art was admiring the “Starry Night” label on a bottle of very nice wine.

Latest James Bond movie? I don’t think so! First, I haven’t been inside a movie theater since I saw “Good Morning Viet Nam” in 1987 in Connecticut. Second, were I to go to a movie, it certainly wouldn’t be this one. I don’t do violence, blowing up things, or shooting people.

Multicultural Festival? Yes! We walked through all the exhibits, had some interesting conversations with those at the booths, ate a tamale and a Russian apple-filled bun, and watched some performances. Some of those were Indian dances, a youthful Mariachi band, Japanese drummers…all performing to an enthusiastic audience. As we had dinner guests coming, we couldn’t stay for everything but we did enjoy our visit to the Museum and the Festival.

One thing our trip to the Museum accomplished was to remind us that we need to renew our membership, which we will do. That is something the rest of you might consider, as the Museum is interesting, has some fun activities such as today’s, and is worthy of our support. 

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