Page 16
March 24 - March 30, 2017
The Town-Crier
www.gotowncrier.com
FEATURES
My Thoughts On ‘Cave People’ And The Dawn Of Civilization
I have been thinking about cavemen. I think about them far too much, especially when wondering how things evolved. I think cave people, in general, get a bad rap. We tend to think of them as slow and dull-witted when, the truth is, they were constantly chasing down their food and also invented the wheel. The wheel! Can you imagine what our lives would be like without it? Have you ever walked to Orlando? It’s pretty far. And, once you got there, no trams. No baby strollers. No roller coasters. Why even go? But I digress. These under-appreciated cave people harnessed fire, used it to light their caves and decided to eat cooked food rather than raw. Do you know what a mental leap that
Deborah Welky is
The Sonic BOOMER was for them? “Igor put fish on stick. Put over fire. Eating it.” “That crazy loon gonna poison himself.” “He call it ‘barbecue.’” “Stop! You crackin’ me up!” Pretty soon Igor was leader of the tribe,
brandishing fire on a stick to widespread awe and wonderment. (“He calls it ‘flashlight.’” “STOP! You killin’ me!”) Maybe one night in mid-December, Igor was the one who watched the clan run over to a tree that had been hit by lightning in an effort to get warm. Maybe he was the first one to have indoor heat which, immediately afterward, required the invention of the flue. Maybe his wife invented the bellows to keep the fire going when Igor went fishing. “She call it ‘stove.’” “So now she inventing words? Me hate her.” Pretty soon Mr. & Mrs. Igor had heat, a stove and a pantry. One day, Little Igorette fished a piece of dry tinder from
the fire and started drawing on the walls, recording daddy’s hunts. (“The kid calls it ‘charcoal.’”) Other cave children tried it, but their parents preferred their cave walls clean and washed the artwork off, demolishing most of early recorded history. Only the Igor family museum survived, all because the parents thought it was “cute.” Now I take this a step further, comparing the Igors to today’s “doomsday preppers.” Both live in caves, stockpile food and worry about venting smoke. Today’s preppers are getting ready for manmade disasters — terrorist attacks, dirty bombs, nuclear radiation and World War III. Natural phenomenon such as hurricanes and tornadoes are child’s play, although
preppers are always on the lookout for electromagnetic disturbances, solar flares or a series of earthquakes. For the Igors, however, every day was doomsday. A saber-toothed tiger strolls into the cave and it’s over. The pantry catches on fire in the middle of the night? Ditto. Even a jealous neighbor with a club could spell doomsday for them. But one thing remains the same — people spending weeks and months in a cave with nothing but their family for entertainment are bound to doodle. So someday, thousands of years from now, people will still be viewing the progress of humanity on cave walls. Unless, of course, some idiot cleaned up.
New Version Of ‘Beauty And The Beast’ Is A Wonderful Remake
The new Beauty and the Beast still fits the lyric “Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme,” as it weaves its magic. Although it’s a more or less live version of the wonderful 1991 Disney cartoon (after all, the candlesticks, clocks, etc., are computer-generated), it makes a real change. The earlier 84-minute film was like a dessert soufflé, floating through legend. This time, it is more of a main course with a lot more backstory, which works in some cases but also slows the course of the story. Belle (Emma Watson) is an out-of-place bookworm in a small town in 19th-century France, mocked and despised for wanting to do things like teaching girls to read. The major exception is “war hero” Gaston (Luke Evans), who plans to marry her because she is the prettiest girl in town. Her father, Maurice (Kevin Kline), spends his time building mechanical devices and dreaming of the past. He goes off to a
‘I’ On CULTURE By Leonard Wechsler distant fair and along the way wanders into what seems to be a deserted castle and is taken captive by a beast (Dan Stevens), a prince who had been cursed for not providing refuge in a storm to an old woman who turned out to be an enchantress. Belle goes to save him, volunteers to replace him and, while terrified of the beast, becomes enchanted with his servants who, despite being changed into a variety of household items, still serve. Leading those is candelabra Lumière (Ewan McGregor),
clock Cogsworth (Ian McKellen), teapot Mrs. Potts (Emma Thompson), wardrobe Garderobe (Audra McDonald) and others. Belle and the Beast fall in love as they learn to understand each other. He lets her go to rescue her father, which brings Gaston and his followers to the castle in an attack. The beast is injured, but as he lays dying, Belle declares her love. Well, we all know the story. It is a fascinating one, a feminist version of Sleeping Beauty. The cursed prince, who the movie shows was nasty because of a twisted childhood, is rescued by a plucky woman who displays as much courage as your average prince. Of course, the fact that the spell also ruins the lives of devoted servants is barely touched upon. Part of the magic is ruined in this new version simply because we know what to expect. “Be Our Guest” is a wonderful song, and it continues to be a spectacular
The Western Business Alliance, Inc. A new era in building business relationships.
number. But many of us saw the original and were blown away by it the first time. Watching plates and silverware in a Busby Berkeley number was fabulous. Now, anticipating it, even the incredible technical expertise does not make up for the first “wow” that it got 25 years ago. But when Belle and the Beast meet in the ballroom for the title number, all is forgotten and forgiven. That wonderful song overwhelms everything, and our hearts are swept away by the sheer romanticism of the moment. The moment Belle does her deep curtsy and the Beast follows with his bow and they dance is wonderfully moving. That song would win this year’s Oscar if it were allowed to enter again. The cast is really good. Watson dominates, and the role fits her gloriously. She sings well and seems to embody everything we could want. Evans is excellent as the villain, and Josh Gad as LeFou, his
THE WESTERN BUSINESS ALLIANCE
The Western Business Alliance is an alliance of businesses committed to strengthening and supporting our members through economic growth, education, and community awareness. Join now and see for yourself. www.TheWesternBusinessAlliance.com 561.600.3820
BUSINESS OVER BREAKFAST The Western Business Alliance would like to invite its members to our next “Business over Breakfast” on Tuesday, April 4th. No Fee to attend. Just show up. Buy your own coffee or Breakfast and connect with other TWBA members as you grow together in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. (Members only, please)
somewhat over-loving servant, is particularly effective. His eventual realization that his idol does have feet of clay is very pointed. The actors doing the voices were all effective, and McEwan turns out to be a good singer as well. Thompson was also very good, although I think Angela Lansbury gave the ideal performance of the title number. We even got a chance at a somewhat extended ending to see them as the people they once were. You should definitely see the film. If the crowd there when we saw it is a real sample, a lot of people are going to see it. Everyone seemed to love it, and even the kids (and if you have young ones, take them!) sat quietly, entranced. This is one of the loveliest movies I have seen and well worth the cost of the tickets. Many of us fell in love with it a quarter-century ago, and the magic continues.
We meet on the 1st Tuesday each month at: 8:00 AM- 9:00 AM at The Wild West Diner 12041 Southern Blvd, Loxahatchee, FL 33470 Phone: 561.469.2333
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT J Campbell Decorative Concrete is a family owned and operated company serving the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast region of Florida. Our mission is to provide a long lasting, durable coating that will not only add elegance to your home but provide you with an outdoor living space that can be admired and enjoyed for years to come. We believe by going the extra mile, not only can we create extraordinary surfaces but long lasting relationships. Email: mike@jcdci.com | Website: www.Jcdci.com Phone: (561) 578-0358
Welcome New and Renewing TWBA Members
A One Stop Garden Shop Inc. ......................................... Raina Adams
J Campbell Decorative Concrete Resurfacing, Inc. ..........Michael Shinkevich
R2 Innovative Technologies ...........................................Rich Schoenfeld
City of Pahokee ............................................................. Chandler Williamson
Keane Telecom Solutions, Inc......................................... Lynne Keane
Renaissance Charter School at Palms West .................... Steven Epstein
Cobblestone Grill and Bar .............................................. Patti Gatti
Legal Shield/ID Shield .................................................... Joan Quittner
Sea Breeze Air Systems, Inc............................................ Nancy Cook
CSI Palm Beach .............................................................. Marc Melnick
Lion Country Safari ........................................................ Jennifer Berthiaume
SunTrust Bank ............................................................... Mario Camacho
Keller Williams Realty Wellington ..................................Don & Maureen Gross
Men’s Wearhouse.......................................................... Jeffrey Femenia
Tree’s Wings & Ribs ....................................................... Erin Townsend
Darell Bowen Realty ...................................................... Harriet Offerman
Palms West Monthly ..................................................... Robert Harris
We Insure ...................................................................... Ana Cusell