WAITING FOR CUPID
Tom Caruso spied this female cardinal on a Bittersweet vine during a recent visit to Arthur Kunz County Park in his hometown of Smithtown. He writes, ‘I found the bird sitting on a branch looking at the barren trees around her as if she was reluctantly resigned to the cold, unforgiving months of winter to come. Although the park is small, it has a lot to offer as far as wildlife and scenery.
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By Jeffrey Sanzel
Did you ever stop to think that the “disaster” in “disaster movie” could have two meanings? You’ll have plenty of time to contemplate this during the two-hour running time (one hundred and twenty minutes (twelve thousand seconds)) that Moonfall takes to grind through its machinations.
Roland Emmerich directed, co-wrote, and produced Moonfall. His other science-fiction films include Stargate (1994), Independence Day (1996), Godzilla (1998), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), and Independence Day: Resurgence (2016). So, Emmerich is the guilty party.
On a 2011 Space Shuttle mission, a mysterious black swarm kills an astronaut. A fellow crewmember, Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson), is accused of negligence, blamed for the death, and fired. The other crewmember, Jo Fowler (Halle Berry), was unconscious when the attack occurred.
Fast forward ten years. Harper, now divorced, is on the verge of eviction from his seedy apartment. Fowler (also divorced) holds the position of NASA’s Deputy Director. Conspiracy theorist K.C. Houseman (John Bradley) discovers that the moon’s orbit has shifted, bringing it closer to the earth. Failing to get Harper to listen, he goes public on social media. “Moon panic” and looting ensue. A failed attempt to investigate the moon situation leads to the exposure of the black swarms that attacked ten years earlier.
An hour into the film, Harper, Fowler, and Houseman venture out on a space shuttle taken from a museum; they are off to save the world. Spoiler Alert. In a convoluted explanation, everything comes back to rogue Artificial Intelligence destroying a civilization that colonized earth. The moon is a megastructure built by the aliens. (A fun drinking game would involve imbibing on this oft-repeated word. If you don’t want to wait for the myriad recurrences, say it to yourself ten times before going to the movie and take a nap instead.)
Meanwhile, on earth, a subplot involves Harper’s semi-delinquent son, Sonny (Charlie Plummer), rescuing his mother (Carolina Bartczak) and her new family, as well as Fowler’s son. They are trying to get to a Colorado bunker where Fowler’s ex-husband (Eme Ikwuakor), an Air Force four-star general, is holed up with the keys to the about-to-be-released nuclear weapons. Sonny outdrives a tsunami in an amazing feat of auto-heroics, possibly the greatest plug in Lexus history. He is also involved with a preposterous rescue involving the moon’s gravity saving the day.
Science fiction movies have been built on less but have triumphed in style, special effects, and an appeal to a sense of wonder. Moonfall manages to tick no boxes. What is not CGI looks like cardboard models. The same is true for most of the performances.
Academy Award-winner Halle Berry is truly an exceptional actor and rarely disappoints; here, the headline should be “Halle Berry Cashes a Paycheck.” Patrick Wilson usually does not lack charm, but he comes across as a low-rent Captain Kirk meets Hans Solo.
John Bradley (best known for his role as Samwell Tarly in Game of Thrones)gives the most interesting performance as the backward Houseman (attached to his mother and his cat Fuzz Aldrin). But, today, something is disturbing in the conspiracy theorist as the voice of reason. Donald Sutherland’s minute-and-a-half of screen time is a minute-and-a-half of screen time. (Beneath Berry’s headline should be “So does Donald Sutherland.”) Often, the performances seem one beat away from Airplane. We wait for Wilson to turn to the other two and say, “And don’t call me Shirley.” Alas, he does not.
Movies like this can be entertaining. Unfortunately, Moonfall is not so much fun as unintentionally funny. With lines as painful as “I work for the American people,” “The sand on the hourglass is dropping quickly for all of us,” “I hope the moon holds together at least for a little while,” “I didn’t come this far to fail,” “I hate to tell you this, but we’re running out of time,” and (multiple times) “I’ve got a plan,” the script is cobbled together from The Big Book of Movie Cliches. A personal favorite is “If the earth gets a second chance, I think we deserve one too.” The pseudo-scientific jargon does not help the situation.
Moonfall makes us yearn for the integrity of Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon (1902), in which a cannon propelled capsule lands in the eye of an annoyed moon.
No words can truly describe the Moonfall’s final moments. They must be seen to be believed. Or better, not. Among the film’s promotional taglines is “Earth … We have a problem.” Yup. With deep gravitas, Harper says, “Save the moon. Save the earth.” Perhaps it should have been, “Save your money.”
Rated PG-13, Moonfall is now playing in local theaters.
Every year Hoover the Goat at Sweetbriar Nature Center in Smithtown picks the winner of the Super Bowl and for the last 4 years he has predicted correctly! This year Hoover chose the Los Angeles Rams — Lets see if he gets it right again! Place your bets!
*This video has been reposted with permission from Sweetbriar Nature Center.
The Stony Brook University men’s track and field team competed in the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invitational on Feb. 5 at Boston University.
Senior Robert Becker has been breaking records ever since he got to Stony Brook. He took it to the next level by becoming the first student-athlete to run a sub-4-minute mile in program history. Becker clocked in at 3:58.98 in the mile run setting a new personal best and breaking the previous mile record (4:02.45) that was also set by himself in 2020 at the ECAC/IC4A Indoor Championships. Becker’s record-breaking time also qualifies the senior for the IC4A Championships.
“Robert Becker made history today at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet and White Invitational by becoming the first Stony Brook student-athlete to break the 4-minute mile. Rob ran 3:58.98 to achieve this great moment in his career. It is truly a landmark performance, one that many chase but never attain – Rob has joined an exclusive club. There were many super performances today, career bests, and IC4A/ECAC qualifiers were the nature of the day,” said head coach Andrew Ronan.
“Considering the news that we received earlier this week about being ineligible for the conference championships, we had a great meet. This group of athletes pulled themselves together, got focused, and showed the kind of quality performances that could have been on display at the conference championship meet,” he added.
The Seawolves are back in action on Feb. 11 when they compete in the Fast Track National Invite on Staten Island.
By Barbara Beltrami
Whether you’re watching the 56th Super Bowl or the Winter Olympics with a couple of ice cold beers or having a romantic and cozy Valentine’s Day with a couple of glasses of bubbly, cocktail meatballs with surprise centers are the perfect accompaniment. All of them are easy to make ahead of time, then refrigerate and re-heat which leaves you lots of time for being a spectator or someone’s special Valentine.
South of the Border Meatballs
YIELD: Makes about 50 bite-size meatballs
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cup unflavored bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh coriander
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 eggs
1/2 pound pepper jack cheese, diced into half-inch cubes
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl combine the beef, bread crumbs milk, cilantro, parsley, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper, garlic, shallot, and eggs. Divide mixture into 50 to 60 equal portions, place on baking sheets, poke a piece of the cheese into the center and roll into balls; bake, gently turning once, until brown on all sides, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm with tortilla chips, sour cream, salsa and guacamole.
Dinah’s Cocktail Meatballs
YIELD: Makes about two dozen meatballs
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup unflavored bread crumbs
1/2 onion, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 to 3 scallions, sliced into 1/2” pieces
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine beef, egg, cheese, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, two thirds of the mustard, the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Form into tiny 1 1/2” meatballs, poke, a scallion slice inside, cover and place on baking sheet. In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the remaining third of the mustard, ketchup and brown sugar; brush on top of meatballs, then bake them until they are lightly browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve hot or warm with crudités.
Buffalo Meatballs
YIELD: Makes 16 to 20 meatballs
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons neutral oil
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 slice white sandwich bread, doused with warm water, then torn into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons + 1 cup Frank’s hot sauce
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 large egg
2/3 cup diced celery
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Nonstick cooking spray
4 ounces blue, Roquefort or gorgonzola cheese, cut into 16 cubes
6 ounces unsalted butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat; add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly golden, about 5 or 6 minutes; set aside to cool. In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, bread, 2 tablespoons hot sauce and whisk into a paste. Add chicken, breadcrumbs, egg, celery and salt and pepper; mix well, then cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 F; line a shallow baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Roll mixture into 16 balls, poke a hole with your finger and insert a cheese cube in center, then cover with meat mixture. Place on aluminum foil and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, melt butter, add maple syrup, remaining cup hot sauce and barbecue sauce, stir and cook until heated through. Place meatballs on platter or in bowl; pour sauce over them and serve hot or warm with celery and more blue cheese.
Organic Krush, an organic eatery with locations in Connecticut, New York and Virginia, has announced a partnership with Stony Brook University Athletics which includes a unique opportunity to fuel the athletes within the athletic arena, giving them direct access to healthy organic meals pre-and post workout.
Krush worked directly with George Greene, Associate Athletic Director of High Performance and Competitive Success at SBU, to create the program, working together to select dishes based on macro-micro nutritional value, satiety and calories as well as variety, ultimately providing the athletes fueling options that reduce their body burden and allow then to train efficiently.
“Healthy clean eating is the wave of the future for athletes” said Michelle Walrath and Fran Paniccia, co-founders of Organic Krush. “As moms and parents of college athletes, we know the importance of food as fuel. Access to great tasting organic and plant based food can be difficult for college athletes. We started Organic Krush to make healthy food accessible to all. Our partnership with SBU Athletics gives us the opportunity to showcase the benefit of healthy eating to young athletes!”
“Organic Krush is the perfect partner for our athletes” said Greene. “Our goal is to keep our athletes healthy and strong on the field, court, track, and pool. Giving our athletes healthy balanced meals and uniting the passionate fans of SBU with the power of Organic Krush is a slam dunk for us! We are excited to welcome a partner that shares our commitment to improving the lives of our student-athletes as well as in the local community.”
Krush recently opened its 10th store around the corner from the Stony Brook University campus at 1111 Route 25A.
The partnership will kick off with a “Fuel Up with Krush” campaign echoing the importance of eating well for performance. Digital activations and event integrations spotlighting Organic Krush during games and events as well as a community-based summer fun run are planned.
Legislators Stephanie Bontempi (Centerport) and Rob Trotta (Fort Salonga) recently held an emergency preparedness program that was open to the community at the Northport Public Library. The training was led by Ken Kutner of the Suffolk County Office of Emergency Management. Kutner has an extensive background in the field, most notably via his decades of service in the East Northport Fire Department in addition to his work with the County.
Some of the topics covered were the weather outlook for the region in 2022, putting together basic preparedness lists for homes and automobiles, ways to stay informed during emergencies and how to volunteer with emergency organizations. Some people in attendance were unaware of what it takes to be prepared for a variety of potential emergencies. Similarly, others were happy to learn that so many free resources are available to stay informed, such as handy emergency-related cell phone apps.
“This training is really a must for everybody, even for those who think they are already sufficiently prepared for what life throws our way. I was surprised to learn that I need to take some steps to improve my family’s ability to be ready and have more peace of mind. It’s never too early to get these things in order,” said Bontempi. “If someone has not attended a program like this, seeking one out in the near future is highly recommended,” added Bontempi.
Those who are interested in learning more about the resources and opportunities mentioned above should visit: https://suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/FRES.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison and Commack Fire District Commissioner Pat Fazio joined Susan Ciano, widow of Suffolk County Police Officer Glen Ciano, and representatives from New York Blood Center during a press conference on February 10 at the Commack Fire Department to announce the 12th annual blood drive named in memory of Police Officer Glen Ciano on Saturday, Feb. 12.
There has been a chronic shortage of blood supplies in New York since the start of the pandemic and the recent blizzard resulted in 1000 fewer donations due to blood drive cancellations and low donor turnout. Blood supplies remain below the ideal five-day safety level, and types O-, O+ B- and A- continue to hover at less than two-day levels.
The annual event is held in honor of Officer Ciano, who was responding to a call when he was killed by a drunk driver in Commack on February 22, 2009.
The 12th annual Glen Ciano Blood Drive will be held at the Commack Fire Department, located at 6309 Jericho Turnpike in Commack, on February 12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 631-499-6690.
The Perfect Pancake for Your Valentine
(Culinary.net) Finding something unique and special to do on Valentine’s Day for your significant other can be a challenge. Every year, the day to celebrate love rolls around and every year it may seem like you’re out of ideas. Many people feel the same way. However, with just a couple bowls, a cookie cutter and a skillet, your Valentine’s Day could start off a lot sweeter.
Try these Red Velvet Heart Pancakes, which are one of a kind and a delicious way to spend your morning with your loved one. Celebrating the day of love has never been easier.
Add your favorite pancake toppings like butter, syrup, powdered sugar or raspberries. In the end, you will have yourself a scrumptious breakfast, made with love and as sweet as can be.
Kids also love the fun shape and color of this breakfast. It’s a neat way to have them help in the kitchen and make a meal for the whole family.
Valentine’s Day is a big reason to celebrate. You don’t have to stick to the same flowers and chocolates as last year. Mix it up with this delectable recipe meant to spread some love on a significant day.
Find more breakfast recipes and sweet treat ideas at Culinary.net.
Red Velvet Heart Pancakes
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus additional for garnish
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
30-40 drops red food coloring
nonstick cooking spray
syrup, for garnish
powdered sugar, for garnish
raspberries, for garnish
Directions:
In large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In medium bowl, whisk egg. Add buttermilk, 2 tablespoons butter, vanilla extract and food coloring; whisk until combined.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Spray heart-shaped cookie cutter with nonstick cooking spray and place in skillet. Add enough batter to fill heart. Cook 2 minutes. Remove heart cutter. Flip pancake and cook 1 minute.
Serve with butter, syrup, powdered sugar and raspberries.
Note: If mixture is too thick, add water until desired consistency is reached.
America’s VetDogs, a Long Island based national non-profit that trains and places guide and service dogs with veterans and first responders with disabilities, is thrilled to announce future service dog in training “Kirby” will be competing in this year’s Puppy Bowl XVIII on Animal Planet on Super Bowl Sunday, February 13th at 2 p.m. Kirby will be one of more than 100 adoptable puppies running around and scoring touchdowns for a chance to win the “Lombarky” Trophy. The Puppy Bowl pre-game show begins at 1 p.m. with the game to follow at 2 p.m. They will air on Animal Planet and stream on Discovery+.
On Saturday, February 12, Kirby will be taking over Animal Planet’s Instagram for a “day in the life” feature of what it’s like to be puppy co-raised by NFL team Houston Texans and what training goes into raising a future service dog for a disabled veteran or first responder.
Kirby, a male Labrador retriever, joined the Houston Texans last July at 10 weeks old and was named by Texans fans through a voting contest. He is currently training to be a service dog in a partnership with America’s Vet Dogs. Once his training is complete, Kirby will be placed with a veteran or a first responder with disabilities. You can follow Kirby’s puppy raising journey but visiting his Instagram page at @Texanspup or @americasvetdogs.
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