MicroSummit is an annual convention of micronations started in Helsinki, Finland, in 2003 which was held for the first time in Las Vegas in 2021. The great success of last year’s event has led to the annual event being scheduled once again for Las Vegas August 5-7 at the host hotel, Hampton Inn by Hilton Tropicana at Dean Martin. It is only one block over the freeway from the strip, and the closest hotel to the new Allegiant Stadium.
Micronationalists from all over the world attend. The three-day event has a diplomatic reception Friday evening with the main slate of activities taking place on Saturday. In addition to micronations having informational tables exhibits which the general public may view free of charge, this year’s main activities include a memorial for DeWayne Corbett who passed away in 2021. Mr. Corbett was the host of the first MicroSummit held in the United States in 2009.
There are lectures on topics of interest to micronationalists as well as display and sales of micronation coins, currency, and stamps. Later Saturday evening, scheduled at the Excalibur Hotel Casino on the fabulous Las Vegas strip, is a Gala dinner at Buca di Beppos private room followed by a Gala dance with a Neil Diamond impersonator providing the entertainment.
There will be plenty of socializing, lectures and activities for all who attend. Anyone wishing to attend or for more information can contact me at shelleystepanek@aol.com.
The event concludes on Sunday with the general public once again being able to attend and view display tables free of charge.
I was in San Diego at Belmont Park, right on the sand in Mission Beach, and cruised throughout the whole park. My friends and I stopped at three separate on-the-water restaurants and sampled a little beverage and food at each.
At DRAFT, the San Diego brewery and craft beer movement is out front and well worth going to. Featuring over 69 beers, this is the place to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. The food is terrific and the view of surf and sand is unlimited.
We tried the Baby Gem Caesar, with full leaves of lettuce separated and stacked on the plate drizzled with plenty of Caesar dressing. The giant grand pretzel is monstrous, served with three dipping sauces, green olives, and spiced crudités. We also split one of the pastrami sandwiches that you can see pictured. There is Lobster mac and cheese, Cobb Greek wedge salads, pistachio crusted salmon sandwich, and Wagyu sandwiches to name a few.
Join them on the boardwalk to experience craft beer paired with elevated cuisine in a family friendly environment. Fresh, tasty, and flavorful, with plenty of tables and high chairs to pick from, great music. They are open from 11-8, Monday through Thursday, until 9:00 p.m. on weekends and open at 9 a.m. for weekend brunch. Mostly local breweries to pick from.
Enjoy panoramic beach views just 20 feet from the sand alongside a 31-foot LED screen, perfect for the big game.
AppleTV+ gives us the best picture of 2021 with CODA, an acronym for Child of Deaf Adults. Here is a picture that puts you through a rollercoaster of emotions. You’ll find yourself laughing, crying, and feeling great by the time it ends. Perfectly cast with the wonderful Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God) turning in as marvelous a performance as she did in her screen debut that won her the Oscar for Best Actress. Here, she has matured and plays the loving mother and wife of her deaf family. Ruby, the daughter, is the only one that can hear and is relied on to interpret for the family fishing business.
But, Ruby is a senior in high school and not only has a love for music, but she is slowly discovering herself. Sadly, she suffers from insecurity, not being sure if she is any good at singing. She only joins the school choir because of a boy she is interested in. The music teacher recognizes the possibilities in her and offers to coach her for an audition for Berklee College of Music. As exciting as this is, the offer becomes a big conflict in her life. Her family cannot afford college, they need her for their business and they do not understand why she would want to sing. They just can’t relate.
The family dynamic in the movie is touching, funny, heartbreaking, and very relatable. Many of us have family members that are odd and we may hesitate to introduce them to our friends. Ruby and her older brother, Leo, happen to have parents that are real characters. They can’t keep their hands off one another after years of marriage and even though they are deaf, they have no bones about telling people what they think. They are completely unfiltered which makes for much hilarity and embarrassing moments for the kids.
Then there is the eccentric music teacher, Bernardo Villalobos aka “Mr. V,” who demands that anyone wanting to be coached must also be dedicated. This is hard for Ruby while juggling school and work. She can barely stay awake in class with the hours she keeps. Mr. V has enormous faith in her, but little patience for her untimeliness. Too add to Ruby’s complications, the teacher pairs her for a duet with the boy she is interested in.
Kudos must go out to writer/director/producer Sian Heder who successfully brings all the emotions and humor to the English remake of the 2014 French film, La Famille Bélier, which received six nominations at the 40th César Awards. Her film genuinely captures Emilia’s struggles all the while delivering the heartwarming and heart wrenching view of the family and the endearing love they have for one another. It’s not easy to breathe new refreshing life into a foreign film. Many have tried and failed miserably, i.e. the lackluster City of Angels (a ’98 remake of the German film Wings of Desire), ’96s ridiculous remake of the classic French film Diabolique, and the awful 2013 remake of the South Korean masterpiece Oldboy, to name a few. Heder’s adept retelling gives us the best film of the year.
Not only does Ms. Heder give her all to this wonderful story, the entire cast is a pure joy to watch. It’s hard to say if anyone of them stands out because they are all so good. Emilia Jones as Ruby captures our heart the moment she comes on screen. Troy Kotsur as her outlandish father Frank is warm and hysterically funny, and so is the wonderfully dynamic Eugenio Derbez as the music teacher Bernardo Villalobos (Mr. V). I cannot heap enough praise on Marlee Matlin as the mother Jackie along with the passion of Daniel Durant as Ruby’s brother, Leo.
CODA is not artsy, mind bending, or controversial. The film tells a simple story in a beautiful way and makes it very relatable. Ruby’s journey will lift your spirits and her family will warm your heart. What more can you ask for? At this time, CODA is playing in limited theaters and on Apple+ and that alone is a good enough reason to start a subscription.
It’s almost daylight saving time, which means more daylight hours will soon be upon us. What better excuse to brighten up your home and welcome spring?
Some good old spring cleaning can certainly help, but if you want to make a real impact, there are a few other minor changes you can make as well.
Want to give your space a quick refresh as brighter days approach? Try these four options around your home.
Add some floral touches. Bring in some bright bouquets, and use them as dining table centerpieces or to freshen up any room. Floral art or a nature-inspired wallpaper may be a great addition to your home too.
Ditch the heavy winter fabrics. Once you don’t need them anymore, put away the cable-knit blankets. Any heavy drapes can go too. Focus on airy materials — breezy crepe, linen or silk — for the new season. These fabrics reflect more light and can make your space feel brighter.
Change up your color scheme. Replace darker throw pillows and linens with ones in more muted hues: pastels of all shades, plus greens, blues and yellows. Colors found in nature can make your place feel sunnier.
Bring in the light. Have you been thinking of swapping any of your light fixtures? Now is the time to take action. Get more natural light by opening the curtains and windows. Bonus tip: Adding a mirror or two can help brighten a space immensely.
Spring is also a great time to buy a new place. If you’re considering a change of scenery, reach out today.
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I was On The Road Again this last week to my favorite town in California, San Diego, where I lived for 20 years.
I stayed in downtown San Diego for the first time as I was working a big travel convention there, and I dined with friends at a fantastic new Asian restaurant at the base of their building called Sovereign Thai at 1460 J. Street. We let them select the dishes and I couldn’t have been more pleased. We started with a Thai beer, always good after a long drive, and then had the Lao Papaya Salad.
This was unlike any salad I have ever tasted, and I have been in Thailand. It was fresh, spicy, totally crunchy, and we all loved it. We moved on to Lao Beef Salad and Thai-Style Steamed Chicken and Ginger rice. Next up was spicy Thai Basil Lamb skewers, and my favorite was the Hat Yai Fried Chicken. We tried fat tallow fried rice and purple sticky rice, which combined sounds like an awful lot of rice, but each was unique in its own cooking way. For dessert we finished off with the mango rice.
The place is sparkling clean, a wonderful accommodating wait staff, high table and low table seating, and a great view right out the window to the neighborhood park.
Be sure to go and tell them how much the writer from Las Vegas loved it.
Thanks to Robyn Spencer, the manager of group sales for Belmont Park for turning me on to this marvelous restaurant.
Once again, Vegas Vibe pulled off another incredible event, this time at the Strat’s Skypod & Observation Deck which looks out over all of Las Vegas from 108 floors up. The appetizers were amazing, drinks flowed, and there were plenty of followers of the show iLuminate which we were all there to see. Vegas Vibe really does it right, throwing a party each month to celebrate the shows, restaurants, and venues that Las Vegas has to offer. It was amazing! Dusty and Christine, our hosts, are the best around.
iLuminate (pronounced eye-luminate) puts on an electrifying show inside The STRAT Theater each week with a performance full of incredible dance numbers, fantastic costumes, great music, comedy, illusions, and more! I went to the opening of this show back in the fall, and happily returned last night for a great party. They did everyone well.
The show, which is performed entirely in the dark, was featured on America’s Got Talent where the group was proclaimed Best New Act in America and became finalists in their season, which now has led to much greater things. Fans of all ages gathered after the show to meet the cast. I am giving a shout out to this new pack of performers in our city.
iLuminate performs Wednesdays – Saturdays and Mondays at 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. For me, this will be the show I will be attending whenever I have company in town. The Strat has free parking, the box office is at the base of the escalator to the 2nd floor on which the show is located. There is a full service bar at the entrance to the showroom.
Writer/director Ti West was once asked why he chose a western as his latest film when he was primarily known for horror. West seemed agitated and quipped (I’m paraphrasing), “What, you think that’s all I can do?” No, he is very capable of doing all genres, but the man knows how to bring forbidding horror to the screen as few others can.
Take for instance his latest foray into horror with A24, X. Out of all of West’s films, his latest is his most creative, shocking, and unexpected. You may even see things you wish you could unsee. Ti West takes us back to the good ol’ ’70s era of terror that launched the original The Hills Have Eyes and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Rob Zombie came close to this with House of 1000 Corpses. But, West is not just out to shock. He plays with our minds and gives us some rich characters that we get involved with.
It’s 1979 and Wayne and his film crew and cast see the financial future in shooting an X-rated film for dirt cheap at a rural farmhouse in Texas. It makes sense since this is the time when porn was becoming popular to the VHS home market. Wayne has not told the old couple who own the farm their intention. His story to them is he just needs a place to stay for a day or two purposely neglecting to tell them about the others.
When they arrive, the old man is none to happy. But, Wayne slips him some extra money to keep him happy. Even though they are in an extra cabin, away from the farmhouse, the old man warns them to keep it down because his wife is none too well. Already you can see where this is going. But, West’s story and the way he shoots it is far from the average slasher film. There are plenty of surprises in store.
For instance, there is the aspiring young actress, Maxine Minx, who truly believes that she can make herself a star by starting in the porn business. She is urged on by her boyfriend and producer, Wayne. The crew/cast includes bleach blonde porn actress Bobby Lynn, who appears to have had plenty of experience along with her co-star Jackson Hole a black porn actor. RJ is the wannabe filmmaker who insists he is going to shoot the film unlike any other porn. His picture is going to be artistic. At first, his assistant and quiet girlfriend, Lorraine, disapproves of him wasting his talent. But, soon she becomes intrigued with the shoot and wants to be part of it. Already we become immersed with all of them, their quirks, dreams, and openness. This is when we almost forget about the creepy old farm couple.
That old couple is not the typical threats you would think. The old man just wants to keep his wife safe. He’s also suffering from a bad heart and abstains from sex with his wife for fear of dying on her. Now, when I say old, they are not your warm grandma and grandpa types. They appear to have more than one foot in the grave, liver-spotted and all. The old woman just wants to be loved and begs her husband to make love to her. She longs for the touch of human skin, but not in a cannibalistic manner. Okay, so now you know this is not going to be your typical horror romp, or is it?
Ti West goes in and out of the horror tropes while infusing new life into them. Horror fans will get the build up, know what’s coming, but the writer/director will still manage to surprise and shock them. The film almost feels like an A24 film with some of the quieter moments, but then it throws a curve ball that feels like a cross between Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights and Tarantino/Rodriguez’s Grindhouse.
Mia Goth as Maxine Minx has a certain naïveté going for her, but at the same time gives off a trailer trash vibe. She could easily be the new screen queen of the decade. Brittany Snow, known for the Pitch Perfect movies, gives us the trashiest side of herself along with her co-star Kid Cudi and both are pretty damn funny. Those who are suppose to be behind the camera, Owen Campbell as RJ and Jenna Ortega as Lorraine aka “Church Mouse” are well suited as the corruptible innocence.
X is a rollercoaster of a shocker that is outrageous, funny, dark and not for the faint of heart or prudes. You will also need a strong stomach and that’s not just referring to the gore. Writer/director Ti West has taken the R-rating to its limits, but it’s not for cheap thrills. He has something more in mind and in the end we can’t help thinking about everything he has to offer.
In 2021 I got notified about a 15-year-old, close to my family, who had gone missing. All that she left was a note that said, “I’ll be back”.It was the first time the distraught parents went through this.I managed to locate the precious one and within hours, she was safe in my custody. Her naiveté wronged her, she somehow thought it would be cool to go boating with her female friend and a bunch of grown men whom no one really knew.With human trafficking and drug rape being at an all time high, I believe by the grace of God almighty that this life was spared. Mandy Lady’s story reminds me of these dangers and thinking of it still sends shivers down my spine.
Mandy Horvath, victim of a date rape drug nightmare whom some of you may be familiar with, cannot say she came out unscathed from what appeared as an innocent and safe situation.She is still here (thank you God) to tell you she is alive, well, and not a victim but a “victor” on a mission to make a difference.
Mandy was born in 1993, raised by her parents and lived a fairly normal life in Smithville, Missouri. Shortly after moving to Kansas, all of that changed. On July 26, 2014, at roughly 2 a.m. in Steele City, Nebraska, she was struck by a locomotive.
After an innocent night out with people she thought she could trust, consuming two beers and two shots throughout the course of the night (of which her bar tab and blood alcohol content later reflected), the worst part of this is that it is suspected she was incapacitated by a date rape drug. The investigators of the small town simply shoved the case under the rug, she was written off as a suicide attempt. Yet, the conductor of the locomotive that severed her legs from her body put her date of that night at the scene of the crime. The stories never matched up, and despite Mandy and her mother seeking answers and justice, the police ignored them. She was left with no other choice than to accept what had happened, forgive, and move on. She loved him, surely he couldn’t have been responsible for something so heinous… right?
In November of that year, the heavy equipment operator whom she was dating at the time of the incident, “accidentally,” parked his truck in a garage, closed the door and went for a long sleep. At least that’s what the coroner’s report claims. It has been eight years since, and Mandy still hasn’t seen a police report.
An aspiring MMA fighter, mountain climber, actress, model, writer, and public speaker–Mandy’s resilient spirit has not said its last word. Mandy is near graduating with her bachelors in English.In her journey for answers on a spiritual front, she spent countless hours studying Christianity, the bible, and sociology. Mandy believes modern Christianity is nothing like Jesus wanted and that it is filled with narcissism. I agree. But I’m not turning my back on God, or these poor pew-warming souls, and I am certain Mandy isn’t going to turn her back on truth either.
The journey to walk wasn’t without pain.After six years of trying various prosthetic sockets that would cause skin degradation and infections, Mandy swore them off. That is until Steve Chamberland, founder of 50 Legs, came into the picture in 2019. Within four days of her arrival at Prosthetic and Orthotics Association, she was up walking comfortably!
Today, she is patiently waiting for a kick-ass documentary to be completed through post-production that follows her life journey and trek up Kilimanjaro in 2021—by crawling and being the first woman in the history of the world to do so. The documentary is directed by Edward John Drake, Founder of Good Complex Productions. Edward is most predominantly known for directing and producing titles such as AMERICAN SIEGE, APEX, BREACH BROIL,COSMIC SIN, and GASOLINE ALLEY, working alongside names like Bruce Willis, etc.
Additionally, she’s training again; and this time she won’t tell anyone for what. Dancing around the question, the only response I can get is, “It will be my Everest. It’s not literally the mountain, but it will test me in every capacity you can imagine.”
I just hope the teenage girl I helped this past year will never go through anything like this. I hope one day she reads Mandy’s story and realizes the dangers she exposed herself to. That she will learn before it’s too late. I know her parents intimately, her dad especially.He would give his life for her—just as Mandy’s parents would, I am sure.
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment presents Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast with a well-deserved six nominations from the Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. It has also won Best Screenplay from the Golden Globe Awards and Outstanding British Film from BAFTA. This is perhaps writer/director Branagh’s most personal film telling the story of a young boy growing up in Belfast, Ireland, during the tumultuous late ’60s.
There is young love, a devotion to family and neighbors, intolerance, religion, and a wonderful lesson to be learned in Branagh’s melancholy look into the journey of a nine year-old boy, Buddy, and his Protestant family living in Northern Ireland all to the music of Van Morrison who also came from Belfast. In the beginning, we are treated to kids playing in the close-knit neighborhood where everybody seems to know one another. The scene is relatively peaceful and nostalgic until Protestant “loyalists” attack the homes and businesses of Catholics on Buddy’s street. It’s violent and chaotic, and Buddy finds himself caught in the middle of it until his mother valiantly grabs a metal trash can lid for protection and scoops her child out of danger.
Afterwards, the neighborhood sets up barricades to prevent further conflicts just in time for Buddy’s father to arrive back from work where he travels many miles and stays over for weeks at a time. As the family unites and goes to church for some peace, Buddy only finds more conflict with a fire and brimstone minister who declares there are only two pathways in life: the one leading to heaven and the one leading to eternal damnation where the Catholics are heading. This proverbial “fork in the road” is a constant in Buddy’s life.
In the meantime, the boy grows fond of a young Catholic girl in school. She seems no different than him, being a high achiever and respecting elders. There is also a beautiful relationship between Buddy and his grandparents portrayed charmingly by Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds (both up for supporting Oscars). Then there is Buddy’s family, loving parents that are fighting debt and trying hard to keep their children from bad influences.
Unfortunately, Buddy’s younger brother is helping one of the hoodlums, Billy Clanton, that leads the Anti-Catholic movement. Billy approaches Buddy’s “Pa” about being part of his movement and gives him an ultimatum; contribute money to the cause or take up arms with them. Pa refuses to be involved and Billy levels threats against him and his family.
Pa longs to escape the environment and wants to move to Sydney or Vancouver with his family. Just the idea of this devastates Ma and Buddy. She does not want to move far from family and friends and she definitely does not want to move somewhere and fears that they would be just as hated for their heritage and their accents. Buddy does not want to leave his grandparents, friends, and especially the girl he intends to marry even if she is Catholic.
In the meantime, Buddy is invited to a “secret” gang by his older cousin, Moira. She entices him into joining and tells him all that is required is that he pass a test or two. One of the tests happens to be stealing something from the local store. Buddy knows that this is wrong, but gets caught up in the plan by his cousin and her friends. In turn, Buddy is questioned by the police and refuses to give any information. He’s in more trouble by his mother than the authorities.
Branagh tells his story in a casual style much like the music to Van Morrison. It may feel slow at times, but Buddy and his families’ story all eventually lead to something very special. Although the writer/director relishes in the nostalgia, he never stoops to over sentimentalizing the period or the family. Branagh gives us exactly what he’s aiming for, a slice of a very turbulent life of those who survived.
Dench and Hinds as Buddy’s grandparents practically disappear into their parts. They are the standouts whenever on screen and evoke the spirit of many loved elders who have been in our own lives. Jaime Dornan’s portrayal of Buddy’s father as a fine man who only wants to do the right thing by his family and has no tolerance for bullies like Billy Clanton is also a standout.
The film begins in color displaying the Belfast of today and swiftly turns to black and white echoing the long gone era. This is a first class production from beginning to end. Acting is top notch. A wonderful attention to detail in production and sound design. The black and white cinematography is put to beautiful use. It all adds up to a great piece of filmmaking that is as assured as some of the best in 2021.
Belfast is currently playing theaters and available on PPV and at Redbox. Personally, I would stick to viewing it on Blu if you rent a disc or in 4K if watched on Amazon. Belfast is so rich in its presentation it would be shame to view it on a mere standard definition display. For many, subtitles will be a must since you can tend to lose some of the great dialogue with the heavy accents. This is one of the top films of 2021, and it is said that the Oscars could be a three way race between CODA, Power of the Dog and Belfast. The later being a perfect example of British filmmaking at its best.
Micronationalists from all over the world attend. The three-
day event has a diplomatic reception Friday evening with the main slate of activities taking place on Saturday. In addition to micronations having informational tables exhibits which the general public may view free of charge, this year’s main activities include a memorial for DeWayne Corbett who passed away in 2021. Mr. Corbett was the host of the first MicroSummit held in the United States in 2009.
with plenty of Caesar dressing. The giant grand pretzel is monstrous, served with three dipping sauces, green olives, and spiced crudités. We also split one of the pastrami sandwiches that you can see pictured. There is Lobster mac and cheese, Cobb Greek wedge salads, pistachio crusted salmon sandwich, and Wagyu sandwiches to name a few. 
spicy, totally crunchy, and we all loved it. We moved on to Lao Beef Salad and Thai-Style Steamed Chicken and Ginger rice. Next up was spicy Thai Basil Lamb skewers, and my favorite was the Hat Yai Fried Chicken. We tried fat tallow fried rice and purple sticky rice, which combined sounds like an awful lot of rice, but each was unique in its own cooking way. For dessert we finished off with the mango rice. 
