Rocky III and Baoding Balls

Plugging Away:

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Brown Panda Adventures:

One day I found myself in some village in a remote part of Mindanao and I met this young Arab chap who was holding an AK-47. He nodded at me and gave me a greeting in Arabic. Since speaking Arabic is a sign of brotherhood in Mindanao, I returned his salutation and gave him the slightest of nods. He gave me a toothy smile and motioned for me to come closer.
I unslung my backpack and placed it near a banana tree as I approached the young man. He handed me the AK-47 and said, "Shoot that can over there."
Being a veteran of Bosnia, I aimed the weapon and hit the target. The man smiled and said, "You should join my cause."
I shook my head and said, "I am on a quest to find myself. I have no time for war."
The man said, "But I fight for the side of righteousness."
"Righteousness is in the eyes of the beholder," was my reply.
He pointed at his Holy Book and said, "The rules are laid out in my book. I know what is right because God already told us what is correct and what is incorrect."
I did not argue with the young man. I opened my backpack and handed him a Hershey Bar which was smooshy from the hot and humid air. His eyes lit up and he consumed the sticky mess with a few quick slurps. He nodded towards me as a sign of respect. There would be no more theological discussions, for chocolate heals all heartache.
That is a lesson I learned while searching for the elusive Brown Panda. No matter how convicted somebody is, a small gift can help them see clearly. And chocolate can cure all ills in this world.




Movie Review of the Day:

Rocky III
What can I say that has not already been said? This film has to be my favorite of the series and for good reason: great action, great story, and most of all... great villain! Apollo Creed was not scary, he was not mean, and he was not a serious threat to our hero. He was tough and playful; not the most frightening mix.
Now Mr. T... he is badass! I love his character (even though he is merely playing himself) and I love how he can stand toe-to-toe with Rocky. Mr. T is my hero. If this movie were made today, I would have to hire Ving Rhames to play this part. Mr. T totally owned his role and carries this film.
Stallone is good as always. He is capable and he actually looks like a boxer in this film. He is shredded and looks like he is going to eat a small child. I have no inclination for homosexuality, but Stallone is just plain beautiful in this film.
The opening montage is clean, fun, and I love how the music carries the action. This film is very Hollywood with not much realism in terms of boxing, but that does not matter. This film sets a standard for Hollywood boxing that stands to this day. Nobody can do boxing flicks like Stallone.
The fight with Hulk Hogan is clean fun. It has little danger for our hero but it plays just like a professional wrestling match. Hulk Hogan is playing himself and he plays himself well. He is a scary dude and that goofy haircut does not distract from his character. His skin is the color of a burned hotdog and he stands a few feet taller than Stallone, so he looks REALLY scary to me.
The plot is standard Hollywood fare, but it remains fun and action-packed. I never get bored with this film and the training montages are some of the best ever. Stallone came close to this with Rocky Balboa, but I have to say that Rocky III is my favorite.
Baoding Balls:
If Rocky had used a set of Baoding Balls in his training, I am sure that he would have not lost to Mr. T the first time. Baoding Balls are an excellent fitness tool and should be owned by every serious athlete or armchair quarterback. You can get them here: http://www.freewebstore.org/brownpanda