Health Care Reform Resources

If you want to learn the facts about something, ask a librarian.

Case in point is this week's Kansas Government Information blog, one of my favorite librarian-produced blogs on the Internet.  Follow this link to the KGI blog and a tremendous list of information about how the Affordable Care Act will affect you, your business, your health, and your finances.

Apocalyptic Movie Nights!

Last night we showed the first film in our "Are You Prepared... For the End?" apocalyptic film series.  Our general idea is to show movies either in a category of apocalyptic tales, like "things crashing into the earth" or "nuclear apocalypse" or "alien invasion" and/or to show movies that have been remade along with their original counterparts.

We're going to show movies through the remainder of the summer and into fall and winter on the 2nd and 4th Monday evenings of each month.  That means we will screen our next film on July 23rd.  Unless otherwise noted, films will start at 6:30pm.  All ages are welcome, HOWEVER:  Many of these films are rated PG, PG-13, or R, so be aware of this if you are considering bringing younger people.

The first movie was The Omega Man from 1971 with Charlton Heston.  It falls into the general category of science fiction films where a plague wipes out nearly all of humanity.  It is based on the Richard Matheson novel I Am Legend.  There was an earlier film version of this book called The Last Man on Earth starring Vincent Price.  There is also a newer version of Matheson's story starring Will Smith.  I remember really liking this movie when I first saw it.  Sure, it is low-budget and low-tech, but the story is fascinating and Charlton Heston is, well, Charlton Heston-like in every way. 

I am very happy we are doing this film series.  Although our public screening license agreement makes it awkward to advertise exactly which films we are showing, I think the chance to see some of these movies is worth the effort.  What is the title of the next film?  I think I've dropped enough hints here as to how we are organizing the films, but we'll be happy to tell you if you call us or stop by the library and pick up a title list.

It was a lot of fun to see this film and upcoming films will be great fun too, I am sure.  Thank you to those of you who came to see The Omega Man - I hope we see you again!

Monday Movies

Twice per month we'll have movie night at HPL.  Until we get past, December, the movie series will have a decidedly "End of the World" feel to it.  Once past December 21, all bets are off though and the series subjects will broaden!

Because of the way the public performance rights work, I can't use the actual movie titles, but we can make a little game out of it, can't we?  See if you can figure out the July 9th movie from this description:

The movie stars Charlton Heston as an Army doctor struggling to create a cure for the plague that has wiped out most of the human race.  This 1971 film is based on the Richard Matheson novel, I am Legend.  Further hint?

Here is a synopsis from IMDB:

"Robert Neville, a doctor, due to an experimental vaccine, is the only survivor of an apocalyptic war waged with biological weapons. The plague caused by the war has killed everyone else except for a few hundred deformed, nocturnal people calling themselves "The Family". The plague has caused them to become sensitive to light, as well as homicidally psychotic. They believe science and technology to be the cause of the war and their punishment, and Neville, as the last symbol of science, the old world, and a "user of the wheel", must die. Neville, using electricity, machinery, and science attempts to hold them at bay." Written by Roald E. Peterson III

I've left a few blatant clues here hinted at the next movie we will be showing in our movie series.  Finally, here's a screenshot from the film:

Have you figured it out?  It's a great low-budget adaptation of a science fiction novel and Heston is at his campy best.  Come down to HPL on July 9th at 6:30pm and enjoy the film (and the cold AC!)