Can Christmas gatherings be more than glitz, food, drink?
I love Christmas but one aspect that troubles me is the way our holiday gatherings seem to be more about [...]
HALO offers hope after loss
Laura and Chris Rector, members of St. Mary Parish in Marytown, stand in the nursery originally decorated to welcome home [...]
Baby’s broken arm builds community
Mayra, our youngest, just had her cast removed. A month ago, she tumbled head over heels out of her crib [...]
More than a case of infatuation
At a recent meeting with all of the players in our foster daughter’s case — social workers, attorneys, birth parents, [...]
Think you know everything about the Nativity? Maybe not
The Christmas Story – often referred to as “The greatest story ever told” – is as familiar to us all [...]
The little girl who can talk big wants to climb rocks
I’ll admit it. Yes, I can certainly write a lot of big words, but when it comes to actually doing [...]
Call him, ‘Most Reverend President’
If there was any doubt that Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan was the leader, the face and voice of the Catholic [...]
Family dinners can require an extra serving of patience
Joseph PirilloEating meals together as a family strengthens the family unit, fosters fellowship and overall cohesiveness. I know that, I [...]
Colorful Gospel for Nov. 18, 2010
Illustration by Phil YounkClick on the photo for a printable PDF! Based on the Gospel of Luke 23:35-43The soldiers nailed [...]
Unstoppable
NEW YORK –– In a 2001 incident that rail enthusiasts call the "Crazy Eights," an unmanned train carrying, along with other cargo, thousands of gallons of a highly toxic compound called molten phenol hurtled through the Ohio countryside for two hours before finally being brought to a halt. That episode provides the factual basis for "Unstoppable" (Fox), a gripping suspense tale that transcends simple entertainment by showcasing altruism in the pursuit of public safety.
Though a boxcar load of salty language indicates this is not a ride for the kids, adult viewers will find the proceedings kept on track by positive underlying values and by the engaging human dynamic that develops among the main characters.
The fictional emergency unfolds across the Rust Belt areas of southern and central Pennsylvania after inept railroad employee Dewey (Ethan Suplee) makes a series of corner-cutting mistakes that leave a 39-car freight train rolling along at full speed with no one onboard.