Has anybody seen the movie Red Dawn? Patrick Swayze is in it. It's one of those eighties movies. HIGHLY entertaining. It seems appropriate for the times we live in.

All you doomers out there rent it for entertainment. All you middle-of-the-roaders rent it for the kick in the pants you suspect you need. Also consider renting The Grapes of Wrath. All you pollies, don't bother renting it, you'll just think it's stupid.

Disclaimer: Realize that I think that Tommy Boy was the funniest movie ever made, so take that into account before acting on any movie recommendation I give!

-- Just Curious (jnmpow@flash.net), January 19, 2000

Answers

Great movie. It was made in 1984. First saw it years ago, and finally bought it last week when I saw it in Safeway for $14.95.

Charlie Sheen is in it also.

-- Steve Baxter (chicoqh@home.com), January 19, 2000.

Just be cautious about young people seeing it - it could be traumatic to them.

-- Living in (the @real.world), January 19, 2000.

Consider....Panama Canal has the Chinese at both ends. Consider....this report I found this morning. Do you feel the hair on the back of your neck prickling?

Chinese Company Completes World's Largest Port in Bahamas Christopher Ruddy and Stephan Archer January 19, 2000

Bahamas  The same Chinese company that recently took operational control of the Panama Canal is currently completing construction of the largest container port in the world in Freeport, Bahamas  just 60 miles from Florida. Several U.S. military experts say that the activities of Hutchison Whampoa Limited, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate, in both Panama and the Bahamas, pose a significant risk to U.S. national security.

Officials for Hutchison Whampoa have heatedly denied any links with the Red Chinese government, but several established connections  including new evidence uncovered by NewsMax.com  suggest the Chinese government has a keen interest in the company's activities.

One port facility that has captured the interest of the Chinese government is Hutchison Whampoa's sprawling port facility in the tourist destination of Freeport on Grand Bahama Island.

According to the company's Web site, the port is located at one of the most strategic spots in the world because "Freeport is the closest offshore port to the east coast of the United States, at the cross-roads of routes between Europe and the Americas and through the Panama Canal."

In 1995, Hutchison Whampoa entered into a 50-50 partnership with the Grand Bahama Development Company, a privately owned Bahamian company, to develop and expand the small Freeport facility that had catered to cruise ships.

Since then, Hutchison has helped dredge and expand the port, making it capable of handling the largest container ships on the high seas.

According to Michael Powers, Hutchison Whampoa's General Manager for the Freeport development, the container port is simply a "dedicated deep water trans-shipment hub."

Large container ships coming from several directions can off-load their container boxes, which can be re-routed on to other large or small container ships for delivery. The port operates, he says, much like Miami airport might serve as a "hub" for travelers going to destinations around the globe.

Already the port is doing a brisk business in container shipments, Powers said, and has the capacity to become the world's largest container port. He said the company also plans to make the port the world's largest cruise ship destination port. Already, Disney cruise lines will soon make Freeport a port of call.

The company has ambitious plans to create the largest air cargo facility on land adjacent to the port. Hutchison has a 50 percent stake in the Grand Bahama Airport Company, which owns one of the largest airport runways in the world  more than 11,000 feet long. According to Powers, the runway is capable of handling the world's largest cargo and military aircraft.

On 800 acres of wooded land adjacent to the airport, Hutchison plans to create the Grand Bahama Sea-Air Business Center  a center that could potentially allow for 8 million square feet in warehouse space.

While Hutchison Whampoa has a sterling reputation as a commercial enterprise  and has not been linked to any illegal activities such as drug or gun smuggling  the firm's ties to Communist China have raised concerns.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., and former U.S. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger have expressed concerns about Hutchison's influence over the Panama Canal.

Lott has described the Hong Kong firm as "an arm of the People's Liberation Army."

Hutchison Whampoa's chairman, Li Ka-Shing, is also a board member of CITIC  the China International Trust and Investment Corporation. U.S. intelligence sources have described the firm as a front for China's governmental State Council.

Congressman Dana Rohrbacher, R-Calif., has stated that CITIC has been used as a front company by China's military to acquire technology for weapons development. A recently declassified report by the United States Southern Command's Joint Intelligence Center, prepared in October 1999, said that "Hutchison Whampoa's owner, Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-Shing, has extensive business ties in Beijing and has compelling financial reasons to maintain a good relationship with China's leadership."

The military intelligence report also warns that "Hutchison containerized shipping facilities in the Panama Canal, as well as the Bahamas, could provide a conduit for illegal shipments of technology or prohibited items from the West to the PRC, or facilitate the movement of arms and other prohibited items into the Americas."

John Meredith, the group-managing director for Hutchison Port Holdings, told NewsMax.com that comments made about Hutchison have often been erroneous and "outrageous."

He said the firm's involvement at the port in the Bahamas is simply a trans-shipment service.

"We have no pilots. We have no tugs. We have no boats. We have no ships. We have no containers. All we have is cranes," he said.

Meredith angrily denied any connection between the firm and the Chinese government.

"We're a public company in Hong Kong. We're not an arm of anybody," said Meredith. He pointed out that less than 1 percent of all Hutchison investors are Chinese.

"I'm British for starters. I don't even speak the language. It would be very difficult for someone to instruct me as to what to do," he said

"We've had the most outrageous comments made about what we've got down [in Panama]  missile silos and all sorts of rubbish. Anybody can come and investigate," added Meredith.

According to Powers, Hutchison employs about 500 Bahamians. Only five managers are not Bahamians, mostly British nationals. None are Chinese. Bahamian officials told NewsMax.com they have noticed no increase in Chinese nationals at the port or on the island.

Despite the strong claims made by Hutchison that China has no interest in their Bahamian port, evidence suggests otherwise.

A review of the visitor's log by NewsMax.com at the company's main office in Freeport shows that Chinese government officials have been frequent visitors to the port facility.

According to the log, China's ambassador to the Bahamas, Ma Shuxue, has visited the port facility at least a half dozen times in the past few years. He has also accompanied groups of Chinese government officials. On other occasions Chinese governmental or commercial representatives have also paid visits without the presence of Ambassador Shuxue.

The visitor logbook indicates Chinese officials have visited the port more often than officials from any other country, including the United States.

The logbook also shows that on June 2, 1999, the Cuban ambassador, Lazaro Cabeza, also paid a visit to the facility. Cuba is a strong ally of China's.

"If they have no connection to Hutchison and the port, if they are not interested in this company, why is China sending its ambassador there?" asks retired Admiral Thomas Moorer. "Why are other Chinese officials showing up there? Why is Castro's ambassador going there?"

Moorer, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also served as former commander in chief of the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets.

"Of course the Chinese military sees the benefit of having a base, a future base, so close to the United States," Moorer said, adding, "What China is trying to do is get a kind of maritime position worldwide, and they need a home base  so to speak  in every ocean."

"Not only are the Chinese in the Bahamas, they're in Panama and the Spratly Islands right off the Philippines. They tried to get Long Beach," Moorer said.

"There's no question about the fact in my mind that the Chinese military forces are affiliated with Mr. Li, who in turn runs Hutchison Whampoa," added Moorer.

Moorer said while the port facilities appear harmless today, they could be used as a staging ground by the Chinese at some future point if hostilities were to arise in the Korean peninsula or over Taiwan.

The Bahamian government said they are pleased with Hutchison's activities, however.

Lindy Russell, the parliamentary secretary in the office of the prime minister for the Bahamas, said that Bahamians are excited about the economic development the port brings to the island nation.

Besides development of the port, Hutchison has other investments on the island including a 370-acre resort in Lucaya, Grand Bahama, which includes a 49-acre beachfront site.

Russell said that U.S. officials have expressed concerns to him regarding human cargo of Chinese labor possibly coming through the ports. They had no concerns about the actual operation of the port, Russell said.

-- Mary Jo (MaryJo_5@Yahoo.com), January 19, 2000.

Jennifer Grey was in it also. This was before she and Patrick Swayze did "Dirty Dancing".

WOLVERINES!!

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.COM), January 19, 2000.

Love the movie. Also rent V, the original series, and THEY LIVE with Roddie Piper.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), January 19, 2000.

They Live...a classic...

"I have come here to kick ass and chew bubblegum...and I'm all outta bubblegum!!!" (commence alien-slaughter here)

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan101st@Aol.com), January 19, 2000.

LONG LIVE THE EIGHTIES! Parachute pants are even back in style! Is there a better movie couple than Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze? Nah! Not even John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John come close.

Rock on, ya'll!

-- Just Curious (jnmpow@flash.net), January 19, 2000.

And the Best Movies are...

BLOOD SIMPLE (drama/suspense)

The Color Purple (tragedy)

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (humor)

Leaving Las Vegas (music)

Casino (wardrobe)

Scarface (Pacino at his zenith)

Marathon Man (Hoffman's best)

Brazil (the way it will be, soon)

Cavalleria Rusticana (Zefferelli's finest work)

Tomorrow (if you want to feel humble)

-- Joseph Almond (sa2000@webtv.net), January 19, 2000.

Hi, Joseph, long time no see. Re the movie Red Dawn: it had flaws, but was instructive and well worth seeing. Try these other movies on for size:

1) "Coming Out of the Ice"

2) All 3 "Phantasm" movies

3) The (animated) "Animal Farm".

For some books you don't often hear about:

1) "You Can Trust the Communists" (Schwarz)

2) "The Gulag Archipelago" (Solzh.) - for what WJC and HRC really stand for.

3) "Inside the Soviet Army" (Suvorov)

4) "The Art of War" (Sun Tzu)

Then, there is the poem "The 'eathen" by Rudyard Kipling.

Good day, all (with the exception of the polytroll near the bottom).

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), January 19, 2000.

WOW! I thought I clearly said it was entertainment. Didn't I? Where did all the nasties come from? I was trying to relive all those great eighties movies. Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, Dirty Dancing, Red Dawn. Good grief people, you get a life!

-- Just Curious (jnmpow@flash.net), January 19, 2000.

Red Dawn, the sequel, coming soon to a continent near you!

Troglodite Kook

-- Y2Kook (Y2Kook@usa.net), January 19, 2000.

While thinking about the situation in Panama, don't forget that COSCO is about to be handed NYC on a silver platter by the Port Authority.

-- Ron Schwarz (rs@clubvb.com.delete.this), January 19, 2000.

Actually, I liked "Brother from Outer Space" and "Suburban Commando" better...but Red Dawn was ok...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), January 19, 2000.

Oh please, Red Dawn is one of the dumbest God-awful movies I've ever seen. When the communist Mexicans attack, you can be sure they are going to target the high school in butt-fuck back woods America as a primary tactical target. What dip shit likes this crap?

-- reagan starblender (nothere@abc.com), January 19, 2000.

reagan,

Sit back, shut up, and enjoy the popcorn while watching cheap entertainment like Red Dawn. But whatever you do, never, never watch Roadhouse-got to be the all time stupidest movie ever.

-- trafficjam (road@construction.ahead), January 19, 2000.

How about "Rocket Boy"? (not Rocket Man). It was so bad (therefore good) that even Amazon doesn't list it. Fortunately I caught it on my VCR one early am several years ago.

-- A (A@AisA.com), January 19, 2000.

Oh come on! The best movie ever made has GOT to be "Joe's Apartment". Can't get enough of those dancin' bugs :)

-- justme (justme@myhouse.com), January 19, 2000.

Red Dawn OK; Zulu Dawn much,much better!

-- Ducking (allthosespearsthrown@me.net), January 19, 2000.

Red Dawn was good! It is an 80's thing you know!!

The all time worst waste of money and film---Beetle Juice--IMHO of course! ;-)

-- (I Believe(Repent@time is now.com)), January 19, 2000.

Best Worst Movie? "Dead Heat" with Joe Piscopo, Treat Willilams, and Darren McGavin. Next Best Worst? "Galaxis" with Richard Moll and Birgitte (Stallone. can't remember her last name. Forgettable.) Next-Next Best Worst? "Oblivion." Awful. So bad it's good.

Don't like Sci-Fi but like crappy movies? Try "Nothing But Trouble" with Chevy Chase, Dan Ackroyd, and Demi Moore

-- Liz (lizpavek@hotmail.com), January 19, 2000.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

More Movies

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), January 19, 2000.

Ah yes, working title: "Solving World Problems Through Superior Firepower And Massed Saluting"

-- Servant (public_service@yahoo.com), January 20, 2000.

ALL TIME WORST MOVIE: JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO

-- Just Curious (jnmpow@flash.net), January 20, 2000.

No, no, no. You all need to see Assault of the Killer Bimbos (which contains the classic lines, "Oh no... A bimbo with a gun!!!" and "You must be one of them killer bimbos!!!"). Two thumbs up!!!

-- Roger Ebert (got some@more.popcorn?), January 20, 2000.

No No No No!!! Who could forget the classic 80's films from the Troma Film Gang!!! Classics Like "Surf Nazis Must Die!" and the best "CLass of Nuke'm High, part one and two" and the other classic shlock films, "The Toxic Avenger" Now you are talking premium cheese!!!

-- Billy Boy (Rakkasan101st@Aol.com), January 20, 2000.

Thinking of movies like Red Dawn, any body out there got a idea where I can get a copy of Panic in Year Zero. Its from about 1960 and has Ray Milland in the leed .

-- Capt Dennis (capden@hotmail.com), January 20, 2000.

Thought "Band of the Hand" as an alternative Brat Pack combo movie was better. Kinda Miami Vice style "Dawn" in the Everglades so to speak. Way cool. Best soundtrack? Tough call here between Breakfast Club, Repo Man and Pretty in Pink. BTW am a child of the seventies, MY ten best list features two David Lean epics (lush cinematography) Apocalypse Now, (Forget it, its Chinatown Jake) Chinatown,(best original screenplay) The Sting (best costumes/novel adaption) etc. 80's can't touch 70's for creative stylization and dialogue. The 90's had too much profit driven explosion man crap. Just my two cents.

-- Movies(inthe)Buff (tenbest@tropicalisland.com), January 21, 2000.