Huluian Movie Review

 

Mortal demons and other creatures scurry in dark suburbia. Dark foliage shrouds the visions of death. Intriguing dreams fuel the creative winds of imagination. My souls thirst for amusement and aspiration sometimes journey’s into the blogosphere.   

The nightmares started. Just vision at first, tricks of the mind.  It uses your worst fears against you, to separate you, lure you into the darkness where it can strike and, with every host it consumes, it becomes more powerful and more deceitful. I’ll destroy it, or it well destroy me. (“Shadows of Death,” 2016) October is the month I enjoy twisted tales of life, death, beauty and time.

“Shadows of Death,” fits the Halloween genre of genus, or at least, this movie was worthy of watching. “Shadows of Death” (2016) is a story of teenagers who must ban together to ward off an evil entity exceeding human comprehension. The one weakness of this evil force is light, and the trusting your friends. The pictures below illustrate how this horror flick penetrates the minds of its slain and potential victims.

The plot along with skilled acting added this three-star flick to my Huluian movie list. Enjoy if you dare.

Betrayed by venturous pride, fatal sweetness flows with cheerful wisdom and instructive mirth. (Samuel Johnson, 1749) Residing in a Little Library’s book station, I acquired some timeless words from the 1700s, “Eighteenth Century Poetry and Prose.”  For reasons inside my head, this was a proper intro for my brief review of the horror / suspense movie, “Girls Against Boys.”  

Lulu (Nicole Laliberte) and Shae (Danielle Panabaker) have no patience for the justice system and embrace the dark side of their passion and emotions. Lulu, the red head, allows her life to be consumed with a vengeful heart and a murderous soul. Shae’s mind demons and Angels begin to conflict, and she is forced with the decision to kill her best friend, or remain at her side, to slay for justice, or demented sport.

Lulu possesses the subtle allure to reel in her victims.  

The picture below is of Shae asking another woman; “Is it a guy,” upon seeing her crying in emotional turmoil. The devil is sometimes a beautiful bitch in 2012’s, “Girls Against Boys.”

Mark Izzy Schurr

"Honky Tonk Rock," a Feud original

"Let's Buzz," with a special appearance by Eric Lindell

First Presidental Debate Review

President Donald J. Trump did not denounce white supremist, nor their murder of 32-year-0ld, Heather Heyer in Charlottesville, Virginia on Aug., 12, 2017 when they ran her over deliberately for simply not being a racist. 

Trump told the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by. 

"Trump basically said go f*** them up. This makes me so happy," a prominent Proud Boy said. 

The Proud Boys is an all male cult who adhere to violence and their numbers are have been growing since Trump became president in 2016. 

Trump also made it clear that profit is more important then the environment and the economy is more vital to him then the more than 221,000 people in the United States who have lost their lives to the Coronavirus. Long before this debate, Joe Biden said he'd have the flag in front of the White House at half mass in honor of the Coronavirus victims in the U.S. Trump has yet to express any sympathy for the nearly quarter of a million people who have died under Trump's watch. 

Joe Biden’s long term plan for the environment is to have a coal free world and all electric cars, while Trump is stuck in the 1950s. Biden was not able to make all of his points tonight, because Trump frequently interrupted him, in his lame attempt to thwart Biden.

While Trump was telling lies and interrupting, Biden had some great come backs. Trump said there will be a COVID-19 vaccine by November 1, or shortly after the election. Biden said, this is the same man who said the Coronavirus would be gone by Easter.     

“I’m not here to call out his lies, everybody knows he’s a liar,” Biden said.

Trump said in the debate, he has a 91 percent military approval rating, which is another whopper by the president. Less then 50 percent of the military approves of him. (Military Times)

The U.S. makes up four percent of the world’s population but has 20 percent of the COVID-19 worldwide deaths. There would be more then two-million COVID-19 deaths if it weren’t for Trump, or so he says.

There are 750-1,000 people dying in the U.S. every day because of the Coronavirus, and Biden was quick to quote Trump on his words of wisdom about this deadly disease.

“It is what it is,” Trump said.

Trump has no plan, and he hasn’t laid out anything on the Coronavirus, Biden said.

“You should get out of your bunker and out of the sand trap and get out of your golf course, and go into the oval office and bring together the democrats and republicans and find what needs to be done now to save lives,” Biden said.

Fox News anchor, and debate ones  Moderator, Chris Wallace said to Trump, that his campaign agreed to give each candidate two minutes of an uninterrupted response to their questions, and Wallace had to repeatedly ask Trump to stop interrupting Biden, and said why don’t you follow your campaigns guidelines.

“Will you shut up man?” Biden said to Trump in the first of three debates.

Biden stated how Trump ignored the allegations of Russian soldiers taking out bounties on U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Trump is Putin’s puppy Biden said.            

Trump was foolish enough to say how smart he is, and Biden pointed out how Trump said we should nuke hurricanes to stop them in their tracks. (The Guardian)  

Biden was wrong on Trump’s trade deal with China, but he held his own with the president and proved who the real leader and adult was in their first debate.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Four Days of RNC in a Nutshell

The four days of the Republican National Convention’s disturbing rubbish from America’s despicable liars is finally over.

Ivanka Trump, the daughter of President Donald J. Trump said her father signed nine pieces of legislation to combat the evils of human trafficking, but she failed to mention that the president also wished one of those human sex traffickers well. Stephen Colbert was quick to point this out on Thursday night’s, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

 

A lot of my news about President Trump is acquired from Colbert’s TV show. Yes, Colbert is a talk show comedian, but his news is real despite what Trump and his too many followers may say.

The former girlfriend of the deceased Jeffery Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and former / friend of President Trump was arrested in July on charges of transporting a minor to engage in illegal sex acts with rich powerful men, and conspiracy, two counts of perjury and other crimes. Maxwell assisted and contributed to Epstein’s abuse of young women and was even present in some of the abuses.

“I’ve met her numerous times over the years…I wish her well,” Trump said in July, after Maxwell was arrested. https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/trump-wishes-accused-sex-abuser-ghislaine-maxwell-well-at-coronavirus-briefing_uk_5f17f7f1c5b6128e681e900f

Stephen Colbert made it clear that Stephen K. Bannon, Paul Manafort and Corey Lewandowski, all face criminal charges, and each of these men led Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

“I’m going to surround myself only with the best and most serious people,” Trump said in August 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/08/30/donald-trump-only-hires-the-best-people-at-generating-unhelpful-headlines/

On Thursday night, when the RNC addressed the current rioting in the U.S., the republicans showed rioting footage from Spain to fuel more false fears and lies.

“Right now in America we’re facing a global pandemic that has killed a 180,000 Americans, heavily armed Rambo wannabees are murdering people in our streets, the strongest hurricane in the history of the Gulf Coast has hit land, and the RNC’s message is; whose up for four more years? Why should we pay attention to what they (RNC speakers) are saying if none of what they’re saying is what’s happening in America right now? Why should we watch their reality show if it doesn’t reflect our reality? Why subject ourselves to their lies that stick to your soul like hot tar,” Colbert said.

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has completely reversed their testing guidelines. People without symptoms may not need to be tested, even if they’ve been in close contact with someone known to have the virus. Forty percent of infections are asymptomatic and 50 percent of the transmissions occur before the symptoms. (CNN health) Ignoring this does not make it go away Colbert said.

“If we did half the testing, we’d have half the cases,” Trump said.

The CDC was pressured to change guidance on the coronavirus testing by higher ups within the Trump administration. (New York Times)

We’ve reached the point where Donald Trump is dictating our health regulations Colbert said.

“We’ve watch him violate every norm of the presidency imaginable. Blackmailing foreign governments to get dirt on his political opponents, witness intimidation, crippling the post office and illegally using the White House for partisan campaigning such as his meeting with former hostages, and the pardoning of John Ponder, the first lady’s convention speech in the rose garden and having a campaign naturalization ceremony for five new U.S. citizens,” Colbert said.

Colbert says people should care about all the laws Trump is breaking. We’re drinking from a fire hose of scandal, but Americans can’t catch ourselves getting two numb to all of this.

Personally, I want Andrew Yang or Tulsi Gabbard as our next president, but the simple reality is clear. In November, Trump will be re-elected, or Joe Biden will be America’s next president, and know this, Donald Trump doesn’t care if you die of Corvid 19 or of racism, as long as he wins.  It’s why I’m ridn’ with Biden.     

Mark Izzy Schurr

"The Illustrated Theory of Everything" Reviewed

In the concluding theory of everything, everyone would know why the universe exists and know the mind of god, Stephen W. Hawking said in his 1996 book, “The Illustrated Theory of Everything.”

The majestic spiral, one of the millions of galaxies in the universe discovered in 1995 with the Hubble Space Telescope is about 60 million light years away from Earth. A light year is a measure of distance, not time. It would take 60 years of travelling at the speed of light to get to the majestic spiral, the galaxy known as NGC 4414. The speed of light incidentally is a 186,000 miles per second. “The Illustrated Theory of Everything” has fascinated me with its awesome pictures and intriguing facts about the universe.

Majestic spiral, NGC 4414

Theories are always being changed to account for new observations. With science going in its current direction we will all be able to have some understanding of the laws that govern the universe which is responsible for our existence Hawking said.

I lost faith in the Bible decades ago and the more I read, the more I embrace the quest for knowledge, fantasy and fascination. For thousands of years, the Catholic Church claimed that Earth was the center of the universe, and that the sun and all the other planets revolved around it. Finally, in the 1980s, the Catholic Church officials admitted they were wrong, and that science had indeed proven them wrong. The Earth and all the planets in our solar system revolve around the sun, and not the other way around. Also, our universe is not in the center of creation, which was once thought.

In 1924, Edwin Hubble discovered ours is not the only universe in the galaxy. This book claims that there are 1,000s of millions of solar systems much like ours. Life outside of Earth? Nothing proven of course, but Hawking suggested that perhaps entities from another planet far from our solar system are already here, but maybe they are too small to be seen or heard.

A new cluster of stars being formed, 13 million light years from Earth, NGC 4214

Thousands of years before this book, the Hindus speculated that the Earth may have gone through many ice ages and floods. In other words, like the Hindu’s, Hawking also said the Earth may have been fully formed and destroyed over and over.

Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing? Is the unified theory so compelling, that it announces its own existence or does it need a creator? Does the creator have any effect on the universe other then being responsible for its existence, and who created him?   

Mark Izzy Schurr

Modern Moron Book Review, of the Late George Harrison

 

George Harrison journeyed to god through rock ‘n’ roll, LSD and mystic India. Topple your own greed, anger and illusions if you want to fix yourself, and don’t try and repair others. (Ancient Hindu text)

Each soul is potentially divine and our job is to manifest it. (Vivekanda) Empowered beings and mystical powers fascinated Harrison. The eastern spheres of religion and Hindu philosophy was an interictal part of the late George Harrison’s life. Do some people feel spiritual energy flow up through the roots to nourish plants and flowers to attain comic energy? Despite the massive success Harrison achieved in his short life, he was never fully satisfied.

By the time Harrison was 17-years-old he lived sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. As one the guitarist, singers and song writers of the iconic Beatles, Harrison had amassed a fortune by the time he was 23-years-old. Before the Beatles came to America, Harrison tripled his father’s weekly salary as a bus driver, so he could retire, which his father indeed did. When Harrison was in his 20s, he began his study of Hindu religion, which he kept until his death in 2001 when he was 58-years-old. While in his 20s, Harrison said he wanted to do as well as he could in what he attempts and to die with a peaceful mind.

“The Spiritual and Musical Journey of George Harrison Here Comes the Sun” by Joshua M. Greene should be read by any fan of George Harrison or the Beatles. Harrison was no saint, and certainly not a devote Hindu, but the vastness and wisdom of Hinduism played a major role in his life and music. Music is the highest form of education states Rig-Veda, text from ancient Hinduism.

Ravi Shankara, a close friend and mentor to Harrison said making God in sound or trying to is the goal in music. The highest aim of our music is to reveal the essence of the universe it reflects, Shankar said.  

The Friar Park estate located in England was built in 1896 for Sir Frankie Crisp. The 35-acre estate had an array of homilies carved throughout the property. Homilies are clever sayings that Crisp had posted throughout the property. On Friar Park which was restored in the 1970s and purchased by Harrison, these homilies were sayings about the devil, friendship and life. Crisp was a bit like the creator of “Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland,” Lewis Carroll said Joshua M. Greene, the writer of this book.  Harrison liked to garden in his newly acquired estate and enjoyed the more then 100-year-old Homilies laden throughout his property.  

In August 1997, Harrison was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The first two reactions, or most common ones for people receiving this frightening news about themselves is denial and anger. For George, it was chanting and planting. In this age, the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of god. There is no other way. (Brhannaradiya Purana 38.126) thousands of years before the Bible.

When George was diagnosed with cancer in 1997, doctors gave him six months to live, and George said bollocks! George died on November 30, 2001.

“He wasn’t attached to this world in the way most people would be. My dad had no fear of dying whatsoever. I can’t stress that enough really,” Dhani Harrison said.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Another Modern Moron Book Review

The mythological lore of Hinduism inspires the quest for knowledge supreme, the ultimate truth. At last, I no longer want to fit in or belong to a society that wants nothing to do with me.

The cosmic ocean of creation is a mystery to the gods themselves. Time and the universe came first, then the gods, hence, no one knows how humans evolved. Hinduism has a bizarre barrage about the origins of humankind, yet doesn’t stake their claims as facts, nor disputes what other religions say about human beginnings.  

Hinduism, unlike the other top five religions has many founders, and far too many books to count. A different book on Hinduism would fill an entire public library shelf in every library in the U.S., where as Christianity has two books, the Bible, and "The Book of Mormon".

I’m not a Hindu, and certainly not a saint, but Hinduism has literally saved my life. I was suicidal for much longer then I will never admit too, but that’s all in the past now. Hindu books are extremely poetic, and even though I’m convinced I’m all alone in this world, I have the written words of fact and fantasy on the infinite pages of Eastern philosophy to fuel my fantasy’s and realistic goals.

Believe in one god or many gods, or don’t believe in god at all, but strive to be a good person are words from the Hindu scriptures. As soon as I read this, I was immediately fascinated by Hinduism. Books about Hindu gods and goddess have also seized my imagination. Of all the books I’ve read about the Hindu gods, I have yet to read that I’m going to hell because I believe in the wrong god, or don’t believe in god at all. Know peace, practice peace, it’s a simple philosophy from ancient Hindu scriptures from thousands of years ago.  

Multiple forms of gods and goddess allow human beings to seek personal and spiritual fulfillment through a variety of different paths. (Krishna Dharma; “Beauty, Power, & Grace, The Book of Hindu Goddesses.”)

Brahma, Bumba, The Great Spirit, Buddha, Allah, Muhammad, Ganesha or God is the source and the seed of all that is. 

Maybe the entire universe, and all that dwell within it were formed over billions of years via gravity pulling various elements together, and the dust of the stars merged from the heavens to form human life as we know it today. The timeless question: which came first? The chicken or the egg? Me, like Stephen Hawking doesn’t believe in god, but Hawking made a good argument for god when he said, if we started out as infants, we would not be here. (“The Grand Design,”)

Immortality can be achieved through the conquest of delusion. Hinduism classifies humans into three basic categories. The truly saintly live once and go straight to Heaven when they die. Hindu Heaven is complete with lush foliage, waterfalls, wine and has no leaders or followers, or so it is written. 

The purely evil souls live only once and go straight to hell upon their death. I’ve never read about Hindu Hell, but if the goddess Kali administers the punishment, I sincerely hope I never have to endure Kali’s wrath. Kali can destroy all that we love and like to possess, and it’s been said she uses the blood of her slain victims to mop her dance floor. Kali, like the Christian god is extremely wrathful, yet loving and all powerful. Kali is the goddess of time and truth and can remedy all disease if it pleases her. In short, she is the power of god in all his aspects. (“Hindu Gods and Goddesses” by Swami Harshananda.)  

The last category for we the living is reincarnation. Hindu religion claims most humans are in this realm of life, we’re not gods prized creations, yet, we’re also not the definition of sheer evil. If you’re not worthy of an eternity of endless love and laughter, and you’re also not a sadistic psycho, you keep getting reborn and thrust into this chaotic cocktail known as life on Earth until the end of time itself. 

One of these days, the Earth Maker is going to look you straight in the heart, and you better know what it is you’re doing. (“U Turn,” the 1997 movie starring Sean Penn and Jennifer Lopez.)

The alphabets, grammar, and the wings of speech, may have all started from the Hindu’s. Hinduism is certainly one of the oldest known languages known to humankind.

The delicious dreams of dancing in Dyaus, the heavens. To have mahavidya, knowledge supreme. Sip amrita, the nectar of immortality and to experience the touch of kamesvari, the mistress of desire, this is my ultimate quest!  I yearn for a world where everyone is safe, and the currency is love and laughter.

Mark Izzy Schurr

“George and the Unbreakable Code” by Lucy and Stephen Hawking is the 4^th intriguing story featuring the fictional children George and Annie.

In “… The Unbreakable Code,” George and Annie, both 11-years-old must thwart the evil plans of Alioth Merak. Merak is a man on the verge of ruling the entire world, and while he is building a quantum computer that will enable him to seize control of the entire planet Earth, George and Annie are the only two who know what Merak’s malicious plans are. George and Annie have the knowledge of how to stop Merak from taking over the world.

Merak is so consumed in his insane quest to take over the world, he attempts to kill Annie and George by hurling them into outer space without spacesuits, so the two children will explode.

This book, like the three previous tales involving Annie and George is geared for grammar school aged children, yet fun, entertaining, and even informative for adult readers who enjoy learning about Earth, the planets, and the entire solar system.

“George and the Unbreakable Code,” like the other books involving Annie and George is much more then a children’s adventure. Lucy and Stephen Hawking veer off the main story and give us readers fascinating facts about the planets and their moons. In this book for example, I learned that the planet Saturn is so light in weight, that it would float in water.

This book also has two pages on internet safety for children, and how they can deal with cyber bullying. The two pages also detail how children can detect internet fraud and the importance that children should communicate with their parents / guardians about what they do on the internet.

Like the three previous books about Annie and George, these two children are able to travel into outer space and walk amid any planet they so desire, thanks to Annie’s quantum computer which is named Cosmos.

George likes Annie because she is fun, clever, cool, and brave. Nothing is beyond Annie, no adventure shunned, no theory untested, and no assumption to stay untested George says about Annie in this book.

Merak kidnaps Annie’s father Eric, and George and Annie have no choice but to go to the unknown origins of outer space and walk into the massive unknown darkness. Just before George and Annie enter into the portals of the unknown, George leaves a note that reads as follows:

If not returned by morning, please send out a space rescue mission using coordinates held by Cosmos.

Annie and George

Good note, Annie says to George. 

The unbreakable code for Annie and George is friendship. “George’s Secret Key to the Universe” is the first installment of this series of books about the adventures of Annie and George written by the late Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy. “George and the Unbreakable Code” is a solid three and a half star read for fans of children’s stories and those fascinated by the science of space and the planets.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Government

Liquid lunacy fills the goblet of greed and wets

the lips of the unethical which bleeds across the

world. Harbingers of havoc, apprentices of apathy,

creators of chaos, and distributors of destruction.

Soul destroyers and mindless material builders.

Thrust into there lies and bred to consume.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Bhukti

Mukti, the spiritual liberation of choice. Thou my life is almost over, the only thing I fear is the emotions of hate in my heart.
A positive force in cosmic stability has cured my hatred for religion. Saravati is another goddess I adore, for she is the awakener of happy and noble thoughts.
Mark Izzy Schurr
The above picture was Schurr Shot last year at Palomarin beach in Marin county.

Children

 Innocent eyes breed love and laughter. They harness wisdom and dispense imagination. Youths unfiltered emotions dwell in the adams of eternity,

Mark Izzy Schurr

Hindu Haven

The divine sword of justice lies amidst the far reaches of the cosmos. Durga’s sacred weapon of wonder lies hidden in the cosmic regions of destiny. True law and order have yet to be born, hence all the chaos and divide amongst us all.

Innumerable forms and an infinite variety of beliefs will one day breath live into wisdom and unite the kindly souls. Durga, the warrior goddess will annihilate devious demons and abolish all the emotions of greed and narcissism.  

Mark Izzy Schurr

“Beauty, Power & Grace; The Book of Hindu Goddesses” by Krishna Dharma and David Kinsley’s book, “Hindu Goddesses; Visions the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition” have unraveled an infinite array of word combinations that has sparked my imagination.

I no longer care no one understands me, nor that I have no real friends. I have no one to talk to and to share my emotions. Without the written word, I’d be completely lost and have no way of venting my joys and sorrows.

I have only acquaintances, some close, most just distance laughs and smiles. When someone wants to be around me, its’s always a surprise to me these days, and when people tell me things, or make plans, I tend to ignore them, because the last couple of years, when people make plans with me, they always cancel, so I understand, I am all alone.   

My great acting skills produce the façade of happiness, yet Hindu philosophy instills in me, there is no time for self-pity, so I embrace my creativity with photography and writing the occasional blog.

Mark Izzy Schurr

Library Book Reviewed

William Monroe Trotter, political leader and civil rights agitator was getting into heated political debates with adults when he was just 8-years-old.


Trotter graduated from Harvard University in 1895 and founded the Guardian newspaper in 1901. He met with President Woodrow Wilson on at least two occasions while Wilson was the U.S. president from 1913-1921. Trotter argued with President Wilson and accused him of catering to federal segregation. Trotter was bold on his stance for racial equality and for his time, that was extremely dangerous, but he was also highly respected.


Trotter was also not shy about criticizing the black elite which he was a part of. Black people who owned property were voting in Boston in 1780, more than 100 years before Trotter was born.

Trotter introduced generations of blacks to peacefully protest, the art of black activism, legislative wrangling, and civil disobedience. Lynching a black man a 100 years ago in the U.S. for a crime he may or may not have done without fear of the law by its perpetrators was as common as lies in todays White House.


Trotter was one of the first to advocate for the Dyer Bill in 1918. The Dryer Bill was eventually passed in 1919, which made it officially illegal to lynch someone anywhere in the U.S. Unarmed black people are now choked to death by cops.


“Black Radical; The Life and Times of William Monroe Trotter,” released this year was an excellent library read. I learned some nice facts about Boston. The city of Boston for example had integrated schools as early as 1855.


Kerri K. Greenidge, historian, and director of program in American studies at Tufts University eloquently wrote the following about Trotter; ‘Trotter was an inspiration to the black working class, encouraging them to embrace blackness and all its complexities.’


In 1912, heavy weight boxing champion, Jack Johnson was prosecuted under the Mann Act for alleged white slavery. Johnson, a black man was married to a white woman, and back then, many states passed laws that would not recognize interracial marriages across state lines. This whole Trump thing and his stupid red hat; Make America Great Again? News flash, what was so great about lynching and potential jail time simply for being in love?


Trotter lobbied unsuccessfully to ban 1915s movie “Birth of A Nation” based on a KKK book, the “Clansman.” “Birth of A Nation” was a hit movie then, and many claims is rejuvenated the KKK.

Trotter accused national press of fanning the flames of white fear, which fuels more and more injustice to non-whites.


In 1910, Jack Johnson was arguable the most popular black man in the U.S. and maybe the world. Johnson was the heavy weight boxing champion from 1908-1915. On July 4, 1910, Johnson defeated James Jeffries, dubbed the great white hope in Reno, Nevada in front or 20,000 people. Former President Theodore Roosevelt called for congressional legislation to ban interstate distribution of the fight film.


Trotter was indeed a pioneer for civil rights and this book is for everyone, not just African Americans. Intriguing, and even horrible historical facts are in this book. A solid 3.5 star read.


Mark Izzy Schurr

A Modern Moron Book Review

A kaleidoscope of greed angers the deities of destruction, the wrath of Hindu goddesses, Kali and Durga, have the power to inspire their followers to carry out their vengeful judgements.  


Thrown from the heights of the of the Taj Mahal in India, and spiraling toward a certain death, before your spattered on the marbled floor of the luxurious structure.


A quarter of million dollars was serious loot in 1965, especially if it's divided only one way. James Holding’s 1960s “Career Man” is a timeless tale of a heist for the ages. The quest for a huge payday will never die out, especially in the genre of crime and suspense writing.


“Tales of Terror” was released in 1986 and contains 58 shorts stories chosen by Alfred Hitchcock, the so-called master of suspense. This book is great, because most of the stories are really good, and if you get bored, you can go onto another story that captures the imagination.


Writer, Nedra Tyre’s 1963s “Killed by Kindness” is difficult to talk about without revealing the plot. It’s very clever tale of a husband and wife who after years of marriage tire of one another and plot an odious means to end their marriage. The ending is anything but predictable.


The cobblestone roads in Whitechapel, London in the late 1880s is where the serial killer Jack the Ripper slayed ladies of the night. Annie, as she called herself, decided to take the law into her own hands. 

Annie with her wolf whistle figure and scantily clad dress walked the late-night London streets alone with a large knife in her purse. Her goal was to meet Jack the Ripper, and lure him into a cheap motel, and instead of being another one of his victims, she’d be the one to slay the nefarious Ripper.


The sound of her heels echoed sharply against the cobbles, but it didn’t matter now, it was too late to end her quest to lure in Jack the Knife. The 1976 short story by Vincent McConnor, “The Whitechapel Wantons” was one of many great reads from this novel.


Jack Ritchie’s “ Kid Cardula” was the most original vampire story I’ve ever read. The story adheres to the basic stereotypes of a vampire, they indeed feed on the blood of the living, they cannot be out in the sunlight and are extraordinarily strong. Most of the time, vampires also do not reveal what they really are to humans unless they are killing or converting them.


“Kid Cardula” is the story of a small-time boxing manager eager and desperate to be the sole manager of top prize fighter. The manager does not freak out, nor get scared when he learns Kid Cardula is a vampire. Cardula, with his great strength easily defeats his opponents in the ring to earn money for him and his manager.


Cardula, the vampire boxer is not nearly as greedy as his manager and things begin to go astray, and the ending was very fitting to the story.  


A solid three star read for “Tales of Terror.”  


Mark Izzy Schurr

Modern Moron Book Review

The evil escapades of damable debaucheries and the diabolical ecstasy of certain folks are document in “Weird Tales; 32 Unearthed Terrors.”


The slash of the grim reapers scythe is welcoming under the reading lamps of sleeping suburba. “Weird Tales” is a book with a bizarre barrage of sinister and sometimes funny tales which enlightens the imagination, and feeds upon an addiction to reading.


The holy sepulcher of the mind omits the fear of death, and ignites infinite intrigue about vampires, the occult and a limitless array of dark vapors which seeps into the minds of writers and fans of horror fiction.


This 1988 book contains 32 short stories of terror, sorcery, fantasy, comedy, devil worship and sexual perversion that would make a porn star cringe. “Weird Tales” is a deranged delight to those who enjoy reading.


Some of the 32 stories in this book, I found absolutely boring, but the ones that seized my senses made this a 4.5 star read.


1942s “Masquerade” by Henry Kuttner started out to what I thought was going to be your typical story of a newlywed couple killed by vampires.

Rain comes down in torrents as forked lightning crackles across the sky as the young honeymooners head toward what looks like a deserted lunatic asylum, Kuttner wrote on the first page of his story “Masquerade.”


“Masquerade” is a humorous view of the supernatural. Honeymooners via great writing end up spending their first night of marriage in a hotel managed by a family that is more scary then welcoming. The grandfather of this family is the first one to greet the wedding couple, Rosamond, and Charlie.


Charlie immediately begins ribbing the old man by jokingly asking him if he and his family kill and eat their guests. The old man replies, “We are not cannibals, we just kill our guests and take their possessions. Stranded in a small town rumored to have vampires, the ominous hotel, and its employees, all from the same family offer little if any comfort to Charlie and Rosamond.


“Masquerade” was both spooky and funny, and I had a vivid picture of each and every character from this story while I was reading it. While turning the pages of this story, it felt as if I was watching a movie.


“Call Not Their Names,” a 1954 fable written by Everil Worrell captured my imagination simple by referring to karmatic debts and rewards ala Hindu style. 

She feared the intrusion of her dreams and the swelling tide of her subconscious. She angered Kali, the Hindu goddess of death because she had incurred a mortal debt, and it was time to pay. 

“Weird Tales” has embedded itself into my subconscious and I’m grateful for that. Long after the sun has been swallowed by the night, an off the wall story may strike fear in your heart, yet the weirdness of unexplored thoughts may fuel your aspirations.


A child latches onto to a teddy bear, a move from total dependence from the parents to independent selfhood. Eventually the child disregards the toy unless the toy has other plans! 1948s “The Professors Teddy Bear” by Theodore Sturgeon has stood the test of time. 

Dolls and toys that come to life and wreak havoc upon their owners is still flourishing in Hollywood in case you haven’t noticed. The Childs Play movies and Annabelle films come to mind right off the top of my head.


The novel “Weird Tales; the Magazine That Never Dies” contains more than 40 stories and makes for great reading for individuals who enjoy peculiar horror.


Out of body experiences hurl one mans soul into the paraffin flame of evil, and a morbid journey into the dark spheres of an uncharted existence. H.G. Wells 1925s “A Stolen Body” is one of many “Weird Tales” that begets a cool combination of words and has inspired me to write more.


Mark Izzy Schurr  

Government VIII

Engulfed in a midst of stammering nonsense and enshrined in the malevolent mayhem of injustice. Sedated by a barrage of babble emitting from the narcissistic nincompoop, the fat orange man. Defenders and bringers of the truth are hated by our president and many other prominent world leaders across the globe. The bone-saw of inequality has literally murdered the truth.       


Mark Izzy Schurr

Moderen Moron Triple Book Review

All facets of reality and fantasy are weaved into the core of knowledge, the quarry or our fears and the infinite realms of our imagination.


The ancient text of the Mahabharata has spurned a quest for the definitive truth and superlative justice. Swim in the oceans of your imagination and be fascinated by the mystic tales of the Hindu gods and goddesses.   


The super soul, supreme being, great spirit, all opulent one, the ultimate reality or “The One,” has countless names and has ignited a vast array of believes and intrigues. Hinduism, unlike all the other major religions does not recruit, was founded by many people, and has an enormous array of books as compared to just one manuscript. Hinduism is also the only major religion that is inclusive, the Hindu’s welcome all believes and non-believes.


Strive to be a good person and practice non-violence is a strong theme in Hinduism, while other religions preach, be a good person or else suffer the consequences of eternal torture, for offenses as minor as not bowing and praying to the quote unquote right god.


The lifetime of Brahma, Ganesha, Bumba, Muhammad, Allah, God, or any other name given the great spirit is 311.1 trillion human years Swami Achuthananda said in his easy read, “The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma the Galaxy of Hindu Gods Book 2” This is based on Hindu math of the gods from more than 5,000 years ago. The point I am making is that even in the days of old, the Hindu’s have admired science.


Change in the environment is nothing new. Once upon a time, the Earth was a ball of ice. The Holy Trinity of the Hindus nailed it thousands of years ago, Creation, Preservation, and Destruction. When all life is destroyed, it comes back, and the preservation begins again until another form of destruction arises, and the Holy Trinity begins again and again until end of time itself, then ultimate the judgement, look out now!    


Hindu religion and philosophy adhere to scientific fact. Once upon a time there was nothing. If you go back in time far enough, there is a beginning somewhere.


Time and the universe were here before the gods, who really knows? The gods came afterwards with the creation of the universe. Who then really knows whence it was risen? Hindu’s focus on why were here, not how. (Rig-Veda, the oldest text known to humans)  


No matter what your believes or non-believes are, Stephen King of all people has the ultimate explanation for death. When we die, there is either absolute nothingness, or there is something more, and if there is more what is it?


Indian mythology is my favorite, because the poetry from more than 5,0000 years ago is poignant and often precise.


The human mind is restless, unsteady, turbulent, wild, stubborn, and as hard to master as the wind. (Bhagavad-Gita text from 1,000s of years ago translated by Swami Prabhavananda)


I’ve read several books on Hinduism and have yet to read a single sentence or phrase that condones violence, and the books about their gods stress the importance of each god. No god is more important then the other one.


In the beginning there was one Soul, but alone it was not happy, it desired a second. So, it grew until it took the shape of a man and woman locked in embrace. And so, the One Atna (god) divided into two parts; man and woman, and from that pair came this universe. (Ancient Satapatha text from Krishna Dharma’s book “Beauty, Power & Grace the Book of Hindu Goddesses.”)


“Beauty, Power & Grace the Book of Hindu Goddesses” simply sparks my imagination.


The goddesses Saraswati is a luminous woman of splendid beauty, the epitome of perfect learning and destroys the darkness of ignorance Dharma wrote. The swift and eloquent writing of ancient and modern Hindu manuscript has imbibed my creativity.  


Human beings seek personal and spiritual fulfillment through a variety of different paths, and the Hindu religion and philosophy encourages this. Acquire wisdom and seek understanding. (The Bible, Proverbs) Hinduism encourages us to seek out many sources of information, including other religions, and to be open to new ideas, while not sacrificing our values.


A solid 4.5-star rating for these Hindu books pictured.


Mark Izzy Schurr  

Modern Moron Book Review

The witches and warlocks of Wall Street devour money from the middle class and send it upwards while as alluding justice and continue their quest to pulverize the poor.

New York Times bestselling author Matt Taibbi’s 2014 book, “Divide, American Injustice in the Age of the Wealth Gap” suggests that simply being poor in America is a crime. Taibbi makes some valid points. He talked about the 2008 stock market crash in which huge companies, such as J.P. Morgan and many others skated away with billions of dollars in big business the thefts, while the general public got absolutely nothing in the end, no justice and not even a bake sale as Taibbi some eloquently phrased it.

Wall Street steals money daily Taibbi said, and not a single high-ranking executive from any financial institution has gone to jail since 2008 for crimes that wiped out 40 percent of the world’s wealth in less than a year. Again, this book was released in 2014, so a few high-end executives may have gone to jail since 2014, but I’d bet no on that one.   

“These business assholes,” George Carlin said on one of his HBO specials.

If a single mom in the projects commits fraud on her welfare application, the law is followed systematically and justice is swift, yet when deep pocketed businesses such as the Lehman Brothers, Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo siphon funds from peoples retirement accounts among other sources of income that is not theirs, nothing happens to their leaders. 

The book “Divide…” covers a vast array of injustices done to the general public and it’s often frightening when you really analyze the wealth gap in America that is only getting worse.

“America is in a winner take all economy right now,” Political commentator / entrepreneur Andrew Yang said.

If my math is correct, a business quarter in terms of time is three months. Simple math, there are 12 months per year, hence four quarters in a single year. 

In 2008, the Lehman Brother, before they filed for bankruptcy were borrowing up to as much as $50 billion per quarter, and on paper, those loans were documented as sales, hence, they did not have to pay anything back! I learned from this book, that the Lehman bank robbery was the greatest one you never heard of.  

For Americans who are getting rich now, beware. Even the rich can fall into a legal and financial meat grinder. An enormous collapse in one’s credit score, a robo signed foreclosure, stolen identity or a vaporized retirement account via institutional theft or fraud may happen to anyone in today’s economy governed on sheer greed.

Taibbi also mentions the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. All policemen, sheriff’s, rangers and game wardens have the authority to instantly separate children from their mothers and husbands from their wives. America has become a dragnet Taibbi said.

President Trump did not start ICE, but he has certainly done nothing to end their terrible tactics.

Companies such as J.P. Morgan, Countrywide, Bank of America, Wachovia, TD Ameritrade, Goldman Sachs, Charles Schwab and others corporations have committed $26 billion in fraud, and not a single executive was jailed, nor had to pay back a single dime for their crimes, yet more than 25,000 doors a year are literally kicked in by law enforcement for thefts in the hundreds of dollars.

A solid 3.5 star read for “Divide…” Anyone who likes to read political books, or simple wants to acquire some insight on the harsh realities that go on in the world of big business, Taibbi’s book is a great read.

Mark Izzy Schurr