It's my Birthday Today (6/20/18) and TRUMP :rollseyes:

It's my birthday today, and I live in Minnesota where Donald Trump is scheduled to speak this evening. If I had 1 birthday wish today, it would be for @realDonaldTrump to NOT COME TO MY HOME STATE, unless he was going to announce he was to step down as POTUS. #GoAwayTrump

— AllMediaReviews (@AllMediaReviews) June 20, 2018

I could say a lot more, like why on of all fucking days, does this imbecile have to invade my fucking home? on MY FUCKING BIRTHDAY???


............................................________
....................................,.-'"...................``~.,
.............................,.-"..................................."-.,
.........................,/...............................................":,
.....................,?......................................................,
.................../...........................................................,}
................./......................................................,:`^`..}
.............../...................................................,:"........./
..............?.....__.........................................:`.........../
............./__.(....."~-,_..............................,:`........../
.........../(_...."~,_........"~,_....................,:`........_/
..........{.._$;_......"=,_......."-,_.......,.-~-,},.~";/....}
...........((.....*~_......."=-._......";,,./`..../"............../
...,,,___.`~,......"~.,....................`.....}............../
............(....`=-,,.......`........................(......;_,,-"
............/.`~,......`-...................................../
.............`~.*-,.....................................|,./.....,__
,,_..........}.>-._...................................|..............`=~-,
.....`=~-,__......`,.................................
...................`=~-,,.,...............................
................................`:,,...........................`..............__
.....................................`=-,...................,%`>--==``
........................................_..........._,-%.......`
...................................,

The Minnesota Sports CURSES (Vikings and others)

With the Eagles winning the Superbowl today, their fans cannot claim they have a curse anymore, like they may have previously. They had lost twice before in the SB, and had other teams that failed to make the SB.

The Vikings got beat badly in Philly a few weeks ago. But I would like to just bring up a couple of things.

1) The Vikings had an identical record of 13-3 to the Eagles. and the only reason they had to go to Philly for the NFC Championship game was per their loss to Carolina and the Eagles having beaten Carolina.

2) Had the game been played at US Bank Stadium, I highly question if they would have been blown out, and they likely would have won.

that all being said, those things likely happened differently in a parallel dimension, and the Vikings ended up hosting and playing in SB 52 and while I don't know if they would have won, fate would have had more in-store than just the "Minneapolis Miracle" for the Vikings.

Like this, the 1999 SB in Miami the Falcons lost to the Broncos, I often wonder if the Vikings would have won, but it's all what could have been.

So thinking about that, and all the history, the Vikings Curse feels real. And it seems not even to win a SB, but now it's just to make it to the SB.

I guess if/when they ever make it back to an NFC Championship game, I am assuming they will lose.
I mean I usually assume they will anyway, as I assumed the moment they had to go to Philly, they would.

That stupid statistic about DOME teams who go on the road for a Championship game outdoors have never won. Well, then basically the only chance the Vikings have to go to a SB again is if they get the Home Field Advantage again, or play on the road against another DOME team (Atlanta, New Orleans, Detroit), which even if they did that, they still wouldn't likely win (see 2010 in New Orleans).

I kind of looked at that Eagles game almost like the game against the Giants in 2001. Why did they even show up? they don't have a chance.

But now it's more or less why even have any hope, because they are cursed. They will never win a SB and for that matter, I don't think they'll even get to another one. After '98, they'll never have a better chance, although that Atlanta team was 14-2, but it was at home in the dome to go, and they still lost.

They're cursed to even getting to the SB.

edit: also to add, is there something with the Eagles now? The Vikings have lost 3 straight times to them in the playoffs, and 4 or 5 straight overall. Maybe the #1 goal is for them to face The Eagles next season in the playoffs and win, or the below Yankees and Blackhawk thing may be applying to them and/or the NFC East..Giants and Redskins in '88 (sans for the Cowboys in recent decades at least).

And I think it bodes the same with all the other Major sports teams in MN.

Timberwolves: they are finally a decent team now, after how many years? 2004 was 14 fucking years ago. Granted, even when they were last good, they never seemed to be able to beat both The Lakers nor San Antonio. Which the same still holds true for the Spurs. But how the hell will they ever win an NBA title, or even get to the Finals with the way Golden State is?

Twins: they've had some good seasons/teams since the 1991 World Series team, namely some of the Johan Santana teams, but they never could beat the fucking Yankees. And them losing in the Wild Card game just adds to that. The only way I see them ever winning in the playoffs or at least going to the WS again is if The Yankees don't make it ot get beat by someone else. And they really have had very poor luck with developing long term Starting pitchers. A lot of teams have that issue, but those Gardenhire teams that won the division at least did. The Twins can't seem to keep 2-3 reliable starting pitchers for many years. Especially a bonafide horse.ace. And they also fail to be able to sign them in Free Agency (because The Twins always of course have the money to outbid other teams? lol). But it's fucking sad when you see the Kansas City bleeping Royals win a WS..and Tigers, Indians and Whitesox iirc both getting there in the past decade or so.

Wild: They had that amazing season last season, only to get outed in the 1st round by the Blues. And then of course how many times have the Blackhawks beaten them in the playoffs? ..they can't seem to beat them. I guess at least with them, they haven't been around long enough to have an extensive curse on them, but they still haven't even made it the Finals. And of course the Northstars did twice, both times facing all-time greats who did them in.

Gopher Football: they haven't been to a Rose Bowl since when?..College Football is still fucked up without a real playoff system, but it would at least have meant something for them to make a Rose Bowl, just once in my lifetime. But it never happened. Fucking Wisconsin of course has gone how many times? and others like Northwestern even..Purdue, Iowa..the only ones I can think who didn't are like Illinois and Indiana. Long before my time, Minnesota was a power in NCAA Football. But I think even when they have a good team, they flounder in some game, and/or all the off the field nonsense which adds to their curse.

Gopher Basketball: The latest debacle with them and the suspension of Reggie Lynch adds more to the curse on them. They were supposed to be great this year. Big Ten contender, Sweet 16, etc. Nope.
All the off the court nonsense also plagues them. But just go back in history. The 1997 and mid-90's Clem teams ended up being screwed by the Curse as well. I might even add, the 1990 team with Willie Burton could have and really should have been able to beat Georgia Tech and go to the Final 4. Kevin Lynch missed the prayer at the end of that Elite 8 game, which also in a Curse-less parallel universe, he makes that and we go on to face UNLV in the Final 4. I would not have expected to win, but just getting there would have been enormous.

Gopher Baseball: great teams, yet since I was alive have they made the College World Series? I know they haven't since at least the early 80's. The Dave Winfield/Jeff Ward teams may have, but that was in the early 70's I think.

Gopher Mens Hockey: the Curse doesn't fall too much to them as they won the NCAA twice in the early 2000's, back-2-back. And have made the Frozen 4 a few times this decade at least. But given their stature, that result is only decent, but hardly exemplary actually considering they are sort of 1 of the top 5 or 10 elite Div 1 Mens Hockey programs. I.e. like the Duke or North Carolina of College Hockey. To not have won a title in 15 years, and even consider the lack of a championship througout the 80's and 90's, they still have had a bit of a Curse with that. The fucking Harvard behind the net goal? shit like that and losing to mediocre programs like Notre Dame and Yale in the 1st rounds makes you wonder still.

The Lynx obviously do not have a curse per have won 4 Championships or whatever in 6 years, and are the 1 exception.

Gopher Womens Basketball have been good, and I guess considering where they used to be, since the Whalen/McCarville teams, they seem to at least be respectable if not pretty consistently good.


So, yeah that is my feeling about it. I think The Vikings are the most cursed of all of them, but basically if you are a major sports team in MN, you very likely will be cursed and expect to be disappointed. Don't expect to make to the championship round, let alone winning it.

Lucy pulls the ball away from Charlie Brown. (Charlie being the fans of Minnesota teams, and Lucy being the Minnesota team).

In a parallel universe, the Vikings play either The Bills or Browns in like 5 straight Super Bowls, splitting the 1st 4, and the 5th decides who has to hold on to any part of a curse.


I would like to see the Indians, Mariners, Padres and some others finally win a WS just to be able to say they finally did. And in the Mariners case, even finally just get to a World Series, lol. And in the Vikings case, just get to a SB while I'm alive (the last one I was like 6 months old, which barely counts).

COSMIC JOKE: Existenialism, Life, Death, Human Bodies

How can we be reincarnated if our Brain which contains our Memories did not exist before our Body was created?

All the celebrity deaths, tragic deaths on the news (Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Shootings, Fires, Kidnappings, in bodies of water) and my age (41) along with my current and I'm pretty sure impending Medical issues have me thinking about this stuff.

This video was hardly the 1st or even recent thing I've seen and thought about this, but it does bring up some things I've never thought of or knew.



dgfsgfgdfggsfd


I mean in the grand scheme of our understanding, having your body expire isn't all that important. But when it does, us in a human body at this time and place, our brain, heart, memories, etc are just gone.

I guess I'm starting to feel insignificant. Everything I've experienced and known really. The planet and sun may die out and all matter that we understand will revert to being Stardust.

And our Galaxy, space, etc something will happen to it, but the Human race and all life forms aside from maybe insects and amoeba perhaps will not around to experience it anyway.

And if time is totally different than we understand it as humans and life on earth/this solar system and galaxy, then it may not matter. Everything that we know and do is just a big Cosmic Joke. We're just killing time in a sense.

But since I don't know of anything before my body and brain was created, than why would I know something after my body expires and is converted into another form (energy..that I do believe, the energy in our body does go somewhere after our bodies stop using it).

Maybe I need to understand more about Metaphysics to believe other parts of this. We do only use like 25 or 30% of our brains as I have read/heard. If we used more, like 50 or 60% maybe the understanding of time and life in a linear perspective, will be understood before and after our brain and bodies stop using the energy in it.

President-Impeach Trump

1461 Days until the next Post-election-January 20th. Anyone got a time machine? #TrumpInauguration #PresidentImpeachTrump



Then I'll be able to miss this, lol.

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life

I finally finished watching it into the wee hours of the morning last night.

I give it overall a thumbs up and certainly as somewhat of a fanboy of much of the history of the show, I'm happy to have had any reunion/new content.

I probably would go for analyzing it more in depth, and I likely won't again, but maybe something will get me to. Even with the impending big entries on the Music side coming.

Rory's new boyfriend was dumb. Her judgement to be with a guy like that makes me wonder how much she matured in the 9+ years.

-The Scene with the Musical was more or less a WASTE of time. Other than the fact most of the audience would agree with Lorelai, except I and most fans would have lambasted the group and ideas. But then again, I didn't quite know why Lorelai was even involved. The best part of it was having Carole King.

-Kirk and Michele were hands down the funniest parts besides the Lorelai Rory tandem. Not unlike the original show, but I think they stood out for comic relief in these episodes more than ever.

-I liked the use of "You Bring the Summer" even if it was in the background, although 98% of the GG audience I'm sure had no clue it was from the new album from The Monkees.

-Logan, while it was nice to bring him back, was sort of convenient, and at times reeked of the terrible Season 7. Granted, I guess I wasn't appalled by him being in a lot of the series logistically.

-No Max?..the cameos at points seemed shoe-horned other than Jess and

-Of course Sutton Foster, and the Parenthood cast (Mae Whitman, Jason Ritter and Peter Krause) were funny but also convenient to throw in. Ray Wise I actually liked.

The ending..which is biggest point of contention for many. I get why people are outraged about ****SPOILERS***** Rory being pregnant, not actually showing Lorelai and Luke's wedding and not having the Gilmore home situation resolved. Even Lorelai and Emily are not re-bonded which might have made sense to finally ending the show. And the Book, I get that, although, I would have had her write it along with her Journalism career. Amy SP wanted to use her failed career as a device to move back and write it. I guess I'm too much of a champion of Rory's talents that she still would be working professionally around the country if not world. It's what Richard would have wanted too I imagine.

Not enough Lane of course. Really not much of an update on the band, their kids, etc.

Sookie's excuse for being gone was just last minute. If they have another reuinion movie/mini-series..Melissa has to be a lot more involved. As well as other cast like Jackson, April, Paris..although how she ended up working at a Surrogate clinic is baffling, almost how Rory still wouldn't be gigging as a journalist.

Oh and the baby might not be Logan's, but the Wookie-costume dude we only heard about.

But overall I enjoyed it. It reminded me how much I loved this show and miss it. And how Lorelai and Rory could easily be saying Shawn and Gus lines from Psych and Vice-Versa. Comedic, Clever Pop-Culture dialogue, if done and delivered well always works (unless I hate the actor like DiCraprio).

Get James Roday to appear in the next one, or get Lauren Graham cast in a Psych movie or Mini-Series. Ray Wise and Sutton Foster have done both, Lauren and James need to work together as Lorelai and Shawn..co-written by Amy and Steve Franks.

In my and my Psychic-Crapfest Psych-er Podcast co-host's dreams at least, John Costello. if it ever happens, I will have to reference this!

Electing Trrump (4)

Not Over Yet: Russian Involvement Confirmed, Electoral College Should Deny Trump The Presidency

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-abrams/not-over-yet-russian-invo_b_12901102.html?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004 

 As I posted on FB, this likely doesn't mean much if anything, but if it somehow did, it could create even more Drama.

 Then again, this could be 1 of literally millions of stories like this that we'll see. Huffingpost though, while not The NY Times, is somewhat credible from memory.

 

Electing Trump (3): Documentary idea

This is just something I posted on Social Media yesterday.

if Michael Moore, Bill Maher or someone else does make this, I would be totally in support of it. But at the same time, I'd like to think I came up with this idea on my own (although it would not be surprising if others also thought of it).

Maybe a Facebook Group has already been Created?

"American Refugees from Trump Presidency?"

someone should make a documentary of Americans leaving the country per Trump's winning.

Show them talking about why they are leaving and when they are packing up, making arrangements, etc

Then show where they move to, moving, etc and interviewing them again at that point.

Then a 6 mos, 1 year, 2 years later, interview with them again.

Also maybe include any online or real-life communities or networks they may be involved with others who've done the same thing.

If I had the time and money, I would totally try and make this.

Electing Trump (2)

I give him a max of 6 months after the inauguration on January 20th, 2017, before his the vast amounts of personality flaws are manifested to show up in his words and even worse, ACTIONS as president to show all the people who voted for him that it wasn't purely to get attention and get elected.

Or that

1) He's a pathological Liar

2) If not that, he is that way, not just in what he says, but his personality, character and actions will show just what we got in this abomination of a mistake.

For those who voted for him just to not vote for Hillary, it will prove to have been better for them not to vote at all, or write-in Bernie or Jeb Bush or whoever else they wanted instead.

For those who voted for Trump purely to not vote for Hillary, I almost look worse upon than those who genuinely wanted Trump as President.

again, 6 months.

July 20th, 2017, if not earlier. If he hasn't embarrassed or displayed that personality that was highly evident for the last 18 months, than I may actually give an ounce of credit. Granted, that hardly seems like it'll give him a massive radical personality change. The man is 70 fucking years old afterall. Far too old to be able to change his personality that dramatically.

But then again, the opposition may eventually get to him so much, he may decide to resign even before the 1st 6 months.

But, President Pence we may find just as many personality flaws, although at least we may be able to guess on them already given how traditional of a Republican he is.

Electing Trump (1)

Not sure how I may do this, but I'm finding myself biting my tongue a bit on both Social Media and Forums/Message Boards a bit.

So I may just start including things that I don't there, in here.

I likely won't be sharing this anywhere of course, but if it finds others per websearch, or a reader here, that's fine.

My 1st thing just to ask/point out.

Why are people explaining their vote for Trump as "needing change" or "something different," when if they actually considered why they did for that reason, "Change" and "Something different"..whether it be outside of Traditional Politicians/Washington, etc or just different than whose in office can be understandable. However, changing for THE SAKE OF CHANGING is hardly a justifiable reason in that making a change, especially as drastic with someone of Trump's character, lifestyle, etc..could quite easily make things A LOT WORSE.

Sure, it could and very well may be a lot different, but there are many others who would change things and would not be a traditional politician or similar to the current regime, that still would have been a lot less volatile and risky.

Given him and Hillary, the obvious safer vote is Hillary.

I said this many months ago, whoever wins this election should really only serve 1 term, assuming there is a more appealing candidate to come in 2020.

The Silver Lining could be, having Trump as President will inspire someone to become so appealing and intriguing, that it could be the best thing to happen indirectly.

However, surviving 4 years until then, or even less if he were to get impeached (and then have possibly the even worse Mike Pence as our temporary leader), is the challenge we see that inspirational candidate come.

REACT TO Watchmojo Top 10 Underrated Movies 1980-2016

So here's the series Watchmojo.com did with Underrated movies. And while there are a few on each of these I can get on board with (The Dead Zone certainly), I have posted many (but hardly all) of my favorite movies from each decade I see as underrated or just criminally unknown and under-appreciated.

Like most of these, I don't bother with the Best of All-Time which is just a compilation/ranking of all the movies listed in each list anyway.

1980's:



My comment:
The Dead Zone, They Live and Local Hero make sense. But there are so many other underrated movies from the 80's that could have been included. Especially comedies. Moving Violations would be my top pick.

I didn't go through my list of ratings to include in that comment, but had I, just quickly to add besides Moving Violations (an all-time favorite of mine).


Night of the Comet

The Hidden
Running on Empty
Cinema Paradiso
Someone to Love
Where the Buffalo Roam
Dressed to Kill


1990's



New Waterford Girl
Rosetta
Whale Music
Palookaville
Manny and Lo
Jude
The Spanish Prisoner
Buffalo'66

2000's



My Comment:
The Jacket? 
The Science of Sleep? Never Been Thawed? Snow Angels (the Sam Rockwell movie I would include on here, not MOON as it seems that's the most mentioned movie of his career now, lol). Transsiberian? Sleepwalking? The Square? Brick should be on the most OVERRATED movies of the 2000's. THE LOOKOUT is the Joseph Gordon-Levitt movie that should be on this list, or frankly, just more well-known.

To add:
Waydowntown
In the Bedroom
Funny Haha
The Motorcycle Diaries
The Machinist
Wrong Side Up
Alpha Dog
Michael Clayton
Synecdoche, NY
Easier With Practice
Fish Tank
(Untitled)

2010's



My Comment:
It's a Disaster? God Bless America? Sound of Noise? The East? Short Term 12? (the best thing I've seen Brie Larson do) The Sessions? Everything Must Go? Begin Again? Even the Rain? Winter's Bone? Exit Through the Gift Shop? The Ghost Writer? Safety Not Guaranteed? Ruby Sparks?

Anomalisa (2015, Charlie Kaufman)

I wrote this comment on Facebook a bit ago:

Just got back a little bit ago from seeing the new  Charlie Kaufman​ stop-motion animated movie Anomalisa​. Being someone who loves more or less all of Kaufman's movies, I can't say I was disappointed in it, in that it has the unusual, unexpected story line and characters that engage me. But at the same time, it is a bit more subtle and less-is-more in many ways, compared to say SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK​ or Eternal Sunshine.

The mindset of the lead character is very important in the perspective. Which perspective often is what I get from his movies. What we see are from 1 perspective, but then another perspective is revealed eventually, or at least Kaufman may want us to consider. I'm giving it 3.5 stars, although I may plan to pick it up on DVD and see if my feeling changes, as many of his others have as well.

I guess to add to this, I really like the whole mystery/mysterious element throughout this movie, which like I said, isn't unusual for Kaufman, but maybe it was done a bit differently.

Alright..*spoiler****

Other than the main character Michael Stone and Lisa, every character/person has the same voice and same face, I just came to realize the whole perspective thing.  I suppose also with the voice being done by a male, even though that voice being identical and portraying both genders, I wonder if the lead is gay or bisexual, or if the world he exists in, seeing people not by gender, was relevant. Now later, when we meet Lisa, his sexual orientation is shown, at least more directly, to a point.

But like when seeing the Hotel manager in his dream, I got a Scifi/Twilight Zone/The Outer Limits kind of vibe, and then when we see part of his face come off. Also earlier, when he hears Lisa's voice through part of his face.

It's haunting. The whole society seems like a Prisoner kind of environment in some ways.

Another thing is how when the lead arrives in Cincinnati, every one wants to be his friend. They go out of their way to make extended small talk with him, It got to the point of being annoying actually, and I'm not fully clear on that tool, but maybe with seeing it again a few times, it may be more clear to me.

And the love scene, while was nice and created good intimate atmosphere, went on a little too long. This film is 90 minutes, and I would estimate the love scene lasted at least 10 minutes, maybe more.

I guess I initially feel this is an original and new movie for Kaufman to make, and working with Duke Johnson was potentially a new good relationship to have. But amongst his body of work, off the bat I would not rank it as high his others at this point. I suppose part of that is how outstanding his other movies are.

But at the same time, this was a movie that I recall seeing, took quite awhile to make. His last work was Synecdoche, NY in 2008. I hope we see something else from him before 2022, but who knows. I think especially since he began directing with this and Synecdoche, he may have become even more of a perfectionist, because he can and isn't concerned about being prolific. But the Charlie Kaufman fan in me wants as much as possible from the guy.

Favorite Comedy Movies (re: WatchMojo.com By Decade List w/ MY OPINIONATED COMMENTS)

I'm not going to write up a whole diatribe about each of these, but I think it's worth sharing the movies I included in my comments.

Of course these are just lists made, in part by votes on watchmojo.com's user votes, but like more or less all of their lists, these lists are also based on many of the staff who work there's personal taste and feeling about these.

That hardly means those folks or the masses don't have some questionable taste, but that's hardly shocking.

Maybe I'll try and follow this up and rank my favorite 10 or 20 comedies soon.



Dumb and Dumber and Superbad? blech. And showing 21 Jump Street in the HM's among some of the others is just pathetic. Even Anchorman, while isn't bad, hardly deserves to be compared to stuff like Caddyshack or Dr.Strangelove.


Add: God Bless America, It's a Disaster, Sound of Noise, Despicable Me 2, The Lego Movie, Wreck-It Ralph.

Keep: Bridesmaids. 
Remove everything else



Add: Ghost World, Napoleon Dynamite, High Fidelity, School of Rock, Never Been Thawed, Bruce Almighty, Fanboys, Bridget Jones Diary, Untitled. 

Keep: The 40 Year Old Virgin. 
Remove the rest.






Add: Buffalo'66, White Men Can't Jump, Free Enterprise, Dazed and Confused, Groundhog Day, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Remove: American Pie, Tommy Boy, Dumb and Dumber, There's Something About Mary.





Among many others missing (and not given at least HM): Fletch, Major League, Three Amigos!, Better off Dead, Police Academy, UHF, Moving Violations, Strange Brew, Revenge of the Nerds, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. 

Remove: Tootsie (more Drama), Naked Gun, Planes Trains and Automobiles and even Ghostbusters (it's more Scifi than Comedy anyway). I agree with some other comments, it would probably make sense to make a top 30 for the 1980's as I've believed for quite some time, there has not been another decade as good or as in-depth with Comedies. Also which adds to the fact Chevy Chase should have been regarded as 1 of the top 10 Iconic Actors for the 1980's (How many renowned and successful 80's comedies was he in? a dozen? LOL).





Remove Cheech & Chong. 

Add: Kentucky Fried Movie and Smokey and the Bandit should have at least received HM.





no comment.





The 1950's: The decade where "Comedy" also meant "Musical." Also noteworthy: "Some Like It Hot" was somewhat used as the premise for the short-lived Tom Hanks sitcom Bosom Buddies.





no comment.




no comment apparently. More Marx Brothers movies should have been included though. Duck Soup, I'm fine with as it probably is my favorite and maybe their most recognizable. But Animal Crackers, A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races among some of the others, were favorites of mine when I was growing up, catching them at my Grandparents.

Psychic Crapfest: Series Finale, Movie and History commentary

a better late than never commentary about Psych's series finale, the history of the show, a movie and more. Apologies for it being Shrunk (mpeg file I am guessing).

we may do this again for the movie or others.

Medora (Documentary Film, 2013)..Davy Rothbart/Documentaries

Here's what I posted on Mike Portnoy's forum a little bit ago:

Tonight there were a bunch of 1-time, special screenings at Landmark theaters (and others?) across the US of this new Documentary about a small rural town in Southern Indiana and the kids on it's struggling basketball team (struggling on and off the court). 
  
Very compelling film. I would say it's almost like a cross between Hoop Dreams and Hoosiers, but with more emphasis on the town and how much the High School basketball team means to them and how the kids on the team persevere through adversity. They are one of those cases of a team that has an extensive losing streak, but still hold hope they will end it eventually. A team that while disadvantaged compared to their competition, it doesn't seem to matter to the kids on the team nor the people of Medora who support them, regardless of their lack of winning or their own downtrodden circumstances, in many cases.  
  
One of the best films I've seen this year certainly, and documentaries of any kind. Davy Rothbart was a co-director/produced of this movie, which given the fact I loved the movie Easier With Practice that he co-wrote the screenplay to (and was based on an article he wrote of his real-life experience), I am not surprised how good this film came out. And he (and the co-director Andrew Cohn) are definitely 2 filmmakers I want to keep up with in the future. 


There's more to add here of course, even if I feel I'm up against the clock as I always seem to be.

For one, I can relate to the basketball players and the team in some ways (and I'm sure many others can as well, which is one reason this film is so compelling I found).

-I played on a High School Basketball team from a HS with an enrollment of frequently less than the teams my school played against. I.e. my HS (Grades 9-12) I think had maybe 150 students when I was there. And while many of the schools we played against weren't huge in enrollment either, they usually were larger than us, and frankly, many emphasized athletics more. However, one reason I attended the HS I did, was enrollment and class size, and thus I was given the ability to play some varsity sports, whereas at others schools I may not have been good enough, etc.

The kids on the team, you do want to root for and almost are given the sense they become people you know. I just read an interview with Davy and Andrew HERE that they really emphasize that from their experience spending a year or more in Medora with the kids on the team, from the HS and the people from the town.

I do think this documentary does show a lot of what a lot of small towns, downtrodden or not, are like, not only in America, but around the world  as well (although not like how towns in the Philippines are right now, or Oklahoma, New Jersey etc in terms of physical devastation). They seem to be isolated and very community-based. And for better or for worse, they do have a close-knit connection that is not often felt in larger cities.

You want to see the kids at least win 1 game, and it will lift a large chip off their shoulders.

It almost seems metaphorical for some people's struggles in life, in that you go through your every day life, trying to attain even a small goal, and it seems to take forever, almost to the point you wonder if it will ever happen. But when it does, it means all the more to you, for multiple reasons. But maybe 1st and foremost, it will give you something to draw upon whenever you face other challenges.

But then again, had I been there, I may have told the kids, it's only a game. Try and enjoy as much about it as you can, and the winning will take care of itself.

Although had I been their coach, based on what the film shows on the court, I might have used some alternative strategy ala slowing the game down like Princeton, Wisconsin, etc. Perhaps it wouldn't end up being as entertaining, but it would likely cut down on their turnovers and keep them in games. However, protecting the ball against pressure and a full court press didn't seem to be as emphasized as it could have been. That's something that the teams I played on would practice frequently. That and applying our own pressure, which also was something the documentary didn't really show if the Medora team did much if any at all.

But as I posted on mp.com, I would like to see what both of Davy Rothbart and Andrew Cohn do next, which based on that article I posted above, it's a little odd how they are from Ann Arbor, MI. Mayer Hawthorne is from Detroit I recall, but his real name is oddly similar being Andrew Mayer Cohen, lol. I wonder if the two of them have met (or if Mayer knows about Medora or even like Hoop Dreams, given I know Mayer is a big basketball fan). Although there have been/are likely many "Andy/Andrew" Cohen/Cohn 's given a relatively famous baseball player in the 1920's I recall had that name as well.

But in looking at Davy's imdb page , he has a reasonable list of credits besides Medora and Easier With Practice, including a film about Andrew and his magazine Found titled My Heart Is an Idiot. In fact I heard Davy interviewed on 89.3's morning show about a year ago when he came to Minneapolis for an appearance for Found.. Unfortunately I couldn't come out and see him for that event, since I had a Wedding that same day/evening to attend. But I messaged him on Facebook about my regrets and he was nice enough to message me back and friend me on there.

Which kind of got me thinking about him and documentaries actually. I've always wanted make a film about among others, Kevin Gilbert. But of course the time/money and knowledge of how to do it are among the many obstacles I may face. But maybe not Kevin, or just a documentary about something I personally find important to me. Like the music/progressive rock (or even just Dream Theater) culture (almost like a Trekkies for prog nerds? lol). Or blogging culture. I'm sure some have been made, even up on Youtube. But if I didn't do it, I wonder if someone like Davy and Andrew may or at least lend some advice/insights on how, if it would make sense, and just how much time/money it may require. Of course the ole, you'll likely "get out of it what you put into it," would come up, but the idea sort of crossed my mind. If not a documentary about Kevin, could a documentary about some of the culture I am involved with, music/scifi/blogging (or even some of my gf's interests) warrant a documentary (even if it's not even a fraction as compelling or successful as Medora or the even the best films on Youtube)?

I might only cite a short film like this as something that gives a bit of evidence.

Paralyzed

I've found myself paralyzed to an extent about work, lack of the ability to listen to new music, or be able for others to understand my situation fully.

It's not just new music.

And then with 3 family pets gone in the last month, and a friend in the Hospital along with my gf's mother in the Hospital. And it seems time keeps going by, I seem to have acquired some kind of depressive state of mind about time, space, my own life's history.

Things change so fast, I am depressed when I think of when I was younger and the future; how more things and people will be a thing of the past. 

I also wish I could display, preferably on video, how I am unable to listen to much music at work now, and how I used to be able to listen to so much at work in the past.

I wish I could find a way to display the work I used to do, and do now. But I'm unable to really, other than describing it in words.

I also have come up with an idea for a story, really a premise, that probably loosely has been told before. It is about a person who instead of a day, is stuck in A YEAR. This person lives within the same time frame, only each year after December 31st (or another date, maybe their Birthday), the clock, year, etc stays the same. The mentality of everyone and thing is from that same time frame. The only thing that is different is this person and their knowledge, age, etc. It's sort of Groundhog day or Groundhog Year in some ways.

Test 2

final paper pathfinder zine strategic plan

Casual Encounters (2013)

The below words are what I just posted on Facebook. I haven't unfortunately had the time to post much in here about movies or television (let alone keep up with the main blog's music demands) for Life-based reasons.

I will say, 2013 has been somewhat lacking in great movies. Probably the best 3 movies I've seen before seeing this have been.

-The East
-Short Term 12
-Despicable Me 2
(Oz the Great and Powerful and some others had their value, but, were hardly great. And I'm a The Wizard of Oz-fanboy)

but I would probably include Casual Encounters in this group.

I am hoping though some good stuff will be coming this fall, both Independent and Hollywood

(Anchorman 2? The Hobbit Part 2? The Zero Theorem-the new Terry Gilliam movie without known distributiion?).

I also haven't seen Gravity which maybe mostly on hype, I will think about seeing soon.

http://www.casualencountersthemovie.com/
Facebook Page

I saw this funny little film last evening at the Twin Cities Film Fest in Casual Encounters . As the title suggests, it was about "Casual Encounters" from an previous online communication (Craigslist presumably).

This is a film that shows these people meeting with unexpected results, but I guess that wasn't what made it so interesting. The way many of the characters meetings intertwined with other characters, added a lot of humor.

In one, an Asian gay man talks online to a straight Caucasian man, but the gay Asian man impersonates a Japanese girl in the process; then later the exact Japanese girl whose picture the gay guy was using to say he was, is shown having a casual encounter of her own, but with another guy, but her interest is purely platonic. But the straight Caucasian guy who we are introduced to in that previous casual encounter, sees the Japanese girl in person meeting with another straight Caucasian guy, and runs in and causes a funny argument (and more) between the 2 guys.

It was basically a series of vignettes of personals with different intentions. But it seemed so light-hearted that it worked better than you might expect. No big names and not a huge budget or anything, but it didn't matter.

I'm sure there have been other films of it's type (some of Woody Allen's vignette-types like To Rome with Love for example), but maybe not done as well or in the way this one does.

I would be surprised to see many other people talk about this movie, but so be it. It was one of the better movies I have seen in 2013 (which I have not seen too many great movies this year, for whatever reason). And it also supports like in 2012 with It's A Disaster ,for the 2nd year in a row, the Twin Cities Film Festival has stuff to check out that I may not be able to see other places.

 

CONvergence: How the cool became lame

I have written about my issues with CONvergence, the largest Scifi convention in the Upper Midwest, mainly back on my myspace blog and perhaps even on the livejournal I kept. But even then, that was many years ago. Let's see:

I know I 1st attended CONvergence along with the Renaissance Festival around 2002 or 2003. Maybe 2004 was the 1st year I finally made it to Ren Fest. I forget exactly, but I do recall that I had never attended either until about 10 years ago.

And the 1st year or 2 I went to both, I really enjoyed both. Actually, with Ren Fest, I only have 1 or 2 memories where I didn't enjoy everything that happened. Why that is? I think part of it is, the people at Renaissance Festival aren't stressed out and frankly, anal douches.

But with CON, the 1st few years I went, I really dug many things, namely:

-The Karaoke ..which the 1st few years, you would be able to get a song in at least every hour, sometimes the wait time would take 20 minutes or less. My friend John and I would sometimes stay there until 4 or 5AM (or he would even later)..the last few years at CONvergence, and I recall even MarsCON, the wait could be up to 2 hours or more, lol. What's the point? and if I recall, the last year I went to CON, in 2011, there was no Karaoke room.

-the Bellydance room and drum/spin jams. Back in the day of MiniCON, I guess some of the drum/spin jams were awesome. But then this 1 chic made it her agenda to limi/monitor the rhythm patterns people were  drumming to, and it got really lame. But I want to say around 2008 or 2009 the drum/spin jams stopped happening altogether or at least they became *exclusive* to certain level of badge holders. I recall in 2011 or maybe even 2010, trying to get into the area on the 2nd floor where they were held, and that entire section was TAPED OFF to badge holders.

But the biggest beef I and many others have had with CONvergence is the BADGE ENFORCEMENT. The 1st and foremost.

I attend CONvergence and some other CONs many times, I'd guess at least a dozen or more, really without anyone having any issue with demanding a badge. Why?

a) I would come to the CON at 8 or usually closer to 10 or 11PM, and would stay until 3 or 4AM..sometimes later. But I would leave by Sunrise, if not earlier

b) I wasn't needing access to all the *exclusive* rooms, but I recall around Midnight or 1AM, they really didn't monitor NOR CARE if you went into some of the CON suites because IT WAS LATE and all the planned events WERE OVER. And that was totally justifiable. But I'd guess around 2008 or maybe 2009, they started making a huge stink about those areas, even in the middle of the night when the activity and planned activities/events were over/dead/quiet..

c) The Badges are WAY TOO FUCKING EXPENSIVE. And even if you were to buy one far in advance (like before January 1st), you still have NEVER been able to purchase DAY PASSES (like MarsCON)

http://convergence-con.org/registration/

at the Door, unless you're not an adult, there is only 1 rate for a "Membership" and it's $100. ONE HUNDRED FUCKING DOLLARS, LOL. For myself, who spends 5-8 hours sometimes only 1 night, but at most 2-nights.

Everyone who buys a badge spends what potentially up to 72 hours or more there? and me, maybe 10-15? yeah, THAT MAKES SENSE.

If I spent even 10 hours at the CON, I would be spending $10 a fucking hour to be there for that. WASTE.

If I registered before December 31st for next year's CON, it would be $60, or approx $6 per hour. To do Karaoke and people watch in what is now a lame event that the hipsters have hijacked.

If I waited and bought my "membership" at the door, it'll be $120 for 2014. $120??? uh, and they wonder why people try and "ghost" even more now. With the size of the CON, I can only imagine that'll give people even more motivation to.

A party with delusional security measures, and an uptight, stressed out atmosphere. Yeah, that's what I always enjoy experiencing.

An event that I once didn't have to spend anything but a bit of a sleep cycle altering and I estimated about $12 in gas to drive back in forth 2 evenings.

Why can't they set up day or even HOUR passes? because they don't have to, but it would be much more reasonable for people like me.

I don't plan my YEAR around this event. I don't HANG OUT AT THE PANELS. That shit often is boring. Unless the guest they get are worth hearing, but those also happen much earlier, often during the day on Saturday anyway.

If only it were a bit more like KFAI's lot, the cost of paying to park there IN THE EVENING is MUCH LESS. Why the fuck the morons who run this CON and MNSTF don't consider changing the badge or "membership" format and options is only explained by how lame the CON has become altogether and how it's become this media event that the Hipsters have tried to claim as their own. I bet most of those hipsters don't even like or know Babylon 5 or Deep Space 9, lol.

So this year (2013),  it's become so pathetic, people are having to wait in-line to spend $100 on a badge, for 2.5 hours.

2.5 Hours????

I saw their tent at Pride last weekend and some woman was asking people "Do you like Star Wars or Star Trek?" and I said "Yes, but I don't attend CON anymore, sorry."

CON could be cool

-I wanted to setup a Movie/Album synchro room a few years back. I went to one of the meetings for registering Party Rooms, and they ASSUMED you had all these things planned out and setup as far as fire regulations and the cost of removing the beds. Duct Taping wiring.

They also gave me the realization of the COST of paying for THE ROOM for up to 3 nights. Getting Food for guests. And of course the whole pathetic process of SHOWING A MOVIE at a public event, there are legal issues that come up. I'm not sure how anyone would be able to pursue some kind of lawsuit with the CON or hotel if someone did. What would be the point? greedy people in Hollywood who have nothing better to do.

That all being said, i talked to Scott from Cinema Apocalypse and was possibly going to be able to do a movie/album synchro thing (not just Dark Side of the Moon/The Wizard of Oz), but the 1 year it could have been done, the people in the room next door were WAY TOO LOUD, that it would have been pointless. The next idea was at MarsCON, but Scott and his partner stopped doing it I guess, and so I gave up.

1 year I even brought a dvd player and stereo in and tried to set it up in the middle of the 1st floor near the pool after actually askiing "OPS" about it and I'm pretty sure they told me it wouldn't be an issue. That was on Friday night, but when I brought the stuff in on Saturday they flagged me down telling me I couldn't for INSURANCE reasons or some other bullshit. Although even at 11PM or whatever it would have been, it likely was too loud in there to really have it work effectively.

Damn, but that's water under the bridge. The best bet to do something like that would be either at a private movie theater like the Parkway Theater (or maybe even the Trylon, although that would require some serious convincing I imagine), or just at someone's home.

there's more to this, but this will have to do for now. FTR, I still for the most part love Renaissance Festival, and while I think MarsCON make something of Badges, they don't like CONvergence.

I also would love to attend San Diego Comic-Con of course, but that would make CONvergence seem like a Ghost Town.

The hipsters and often personality/nature of people who run these things always have to suck. When something is underground, it often is not. I guess the best lesson to learn is, not to always talk about these things so in detail. But then again, the hipsters are making "Nerds" mainstream, which is kind of a dichotomy.

Doctor Who - Series 7 Trailer

Looks smashing. There's no confirmation date as of yet, but it will be this Fall (sometime October perhaps?).

There is mention of a 50th Anniversary, which it is sad given 3 of the companions from the past have died in the last few months with Mary Tamm, one of the Romana's passing just last week.

Gotye's Somebody That I Used to Know (Star Wars Parody)

535,000 hits in 2 DAYS?, LOL

This is worth sharing (as I am), and it does have some Weird Al-ishness to it in a Star Wars-Fan/SciFi-nerd/DVD-nerd kind of way. But that number of hits in 2 days? Rather pathetic. It doesn't take much (despite how much time/money/resources etc this required to make) to get attention.

Also, they should have got Chad Vader to appear.