Spontaneous Musings

Better mood today - I got sleep, and my digestive system cleared out the toxins. (Note to self - I really need to stay away from processed food, specifically french fries. I had some last week - and I think it played havoc with my digestive system. Also, no pie for me, or no Meredith's gluten-free pies, although I think it had built up over time. I had to take anti-biotics earlier in the year, and that always screws with my gut.)

Pop Culture news that is cheering me up and making me happy. It's the little things. The sky was blue today. It was cool but sunny. And there's cool pop culture news about upcoming films either newly released to streaming, or in the works to look forward to. (I'm taking a break from the national/international news for a moment for well my mental, emotional and physical well-being?)

1. Marvel Live Stream Reveal

"Earlier this month, co-directors the Russo brothers said they see Avengers 5 and 6 as a “new beginning” that will lay the foundation for whatever comes next in Phase 7 of the MCU.

“The only thing I’ll say about the movie is this: we love villains who think they’re the heroes of their own stories,” Joe Russo said. “That’s when they become three-dimensional and they become more interesting. When you have an actor like Robert Downey, you have to create a three-dimensional, well shaped character for the audience. That’s where a lot of our focus is going.”

Avengers: Doomsday is currently set to arrive in theaters on May 1, 2026, and Secret Wars arrives about a year later in May 2027. Before then, Thunderbolts* comes out in May 2025, TV show Ironheart is out in June, and Phase 6 kicks off with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July.

In October, Marvel Studios added three untitled movie projects to its 2028 release schedule: February 18, 2028; May 5, 2028; and November 10, 2028. It seems increasingly likely one of these movies is X-Men."

Go Here

I also love Robert Downy Jr, although I managed to miss his one-man show at Lincoln Center - I couldn't afford it. I'm considering joining Lincoln Center, and getting discounted tickets that way.

There are ways?
( ways to get discounted Broadway tickets )

Other good entertainment news?

2. A Complete Unknown is now streaming on Hulu!!! Yay!

Sing Sing is currently streaming on MAX (this is the film about the inmate who starts a theater troupe within the prison).

More and more Oscar nominated films are popping up for free (with a subscription) on streaming platforms.

3. Doctor Strange 3 has been confirmed and has exciting casting news. Sam Rami is returning as director.

And..."Benedict Cumberbatch will return, and it’s likely that Charlize Theron will also reprise her role based on the cliffhanger from the previous film. Wong is expected to return as well. However, the report also confirms an exciting addition: Dormammu!

Yes, the villain from the first film is making a comeback, and we’re thrilled to share that he will be portrayed by Denzel Washington. This suggests we may see more than just his head in the third installment."

[The Marvel movies continue to have the best casting and directors. They cast folks I'd go watch read the phone book.]

4. Upcoming Superhero Films for 2025 and 2026

Ah, I'm right, Fantastic Four: First Steps is going retro - it's in an AU, and takes place in the 1960s. Fantastic Four Trailer - this could actually work? Fantastic 4 works better as retro - because a lot of the things that happened in the comic don't really work now, but did in the 1960s, it solves the problem.

And the Superman Trailer (Superman has a large cast)

1, Not doing the daily Corona Virus/Pandemic posting/blogging - has allowed me time to catch up with my DW correspondence and correspondence list - finally. And I'm beginning to wonder if I should kick John Scalzi's blog, Smart Bitches blog, and scans daily to the curb? I just can't though. I keep getting cheap book recs off of Smart Bitches. I've bought a lot of books for less than 2.99 because of Smart Bitches, and gotten several for free - off of Amazon. They keep track of the daily deals. And they rec literally everything. I got The Vine Witch for about a $1.99 plus the free audiobook because of Smart Bitches. Now both Smart Bitches and John Scalzi want me to buy his latest book, but I'm on the fence. I liked Red Shirts well enough, and his writing style works for me. So...but on the other hand I kind of need to read the 760 some books that I've already got. (Those are the ones on the Kindle, I'm not counting the ones on the book shelves, stored in a credenza, and in my nightstand.

2. They finally decided to do a television series about the creation of Playgirl magazine. [Okay it's loosely based on creation of an erotic heterosexual female magazine.]

Minx Series on HBO Max

( what the series is about - and how nudity has been unequal up until well now )

Minx reveals that not all nudity is created equal

3. Vampire Diaries Paul Westley (aka Stefan) is nabbed to play James T Kirk in the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Outside of a passing resemblance to Chris Pine and Shatner...I don't know.

He is more understated than Shatner - but Shatner's over-the-top theaterical antics, were entertaining.

Paul Wesley to Play Captain Kirk

I still need to finish watching Discovery, and try out Picard. I'm admittedly more of a Star Wars, Farscape, The Expanse, Bab 5, BSG fan than a Trek or Doctor Who fan. What can I say? I like space opera. Episodic problem or case or monster of the week tends to bore me.

4. American Song Contest Airs Monday March 22

I knew it was only a matter of time before the US decided they had to do a version of the Eurovision Song competition. After I watched it on Peacock, which carried it, I thought okay why hasn't NBC or another network done their own version except in the US?

Eurovision Song has fifty-two countries competing. The US can beat that - we have 50 states plus territories.

On March 3, NBC released the competitors from each U.S. state, each U.S. territory, and Washington D.C., for a total of 56 acts competing for the prize of Best Original Song. As promised, it's a combination of well-known acts, like Jewel (Alaska), Michael Bolton (Connecticut), and Macy Gray (Ohio), and others you've probably never heard of.

See? The US is a diva. I'm sorry we are. We like to prance about and talk about how great we are. (No one is truly great. Egotistical yes, great no.)
US has a big ego. And love competitions, and awards.

So, I figured it was only a matter of time. But it did take a heck of a lot longer than it should have. I mean Eurovisions Song Contest has been around since...1956. The US is kind of behind the times.

What it has in common with Eurvision is outside of maybe five acts? I've not heard of any of the people or acts. I'm guessing the big name ones aren't that interested?

5. Dolly Parton tried to remove herself from the nominations for this year's Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame (to ensure they didn't split the vote) but alas they ignored her.

Rock Roll Hall of Fame Rejects Dolly Partons Request to Remove her Nomination

Apparently my definition of rock and roll, Dolly's definition, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's aren't in sync?

6. I am amused by this...So, the Whedon Studies Association finally got around to changing their name, and their group's name to The Association for the Study of Buffy +. Which isn't really all that interesting in of itself. What is amusing and interesting is that it controversial.

A few, ahem, academics, one a psychologist, are a bit put out over it.
( Read more... )

As an aside? Whedon doesn't own any of the television series that appeared on WB or Fox. Fox owned them - and sold them to Disney. Kuzei's owned Buffy the Movie. Fox owns the Television Series. Whedon owns nothing. He sold the rights to the Kuzi's outright and was too dumb to hold onto the residuals. When Fox hired him to show-run Buffy - it was your typical television writer/director/show-runner contract - in that he was given creative control and paid to write and show-run it, but given no shares in residuals or anything else. It was a straight work for hire.

Television writers and comic book writers and screen writers are not the same as novelists, song writers and play writers, they do not get royalties from their works. They are straight work for hire - which means they are paid to write on demand, but get nothing more than that.

Don't feel too sorry for them - they get paid very very well. In the 7 figure range.

Also yet another person has written a book about their love for Buffy, and the whole back stage scandal - but they aren't a cast member, just a self-important fan with a podcast. So according to the negative review on Good Reads - it's more memoir than expose.

7. New Amsterdam is ending with Season 5 - which I'm kind of relieved about since I'm 8 episodes behind and having troubles staying on top of, but refuse to stop watching or delete.

New Amsterdam to end with Season 5

Also, no television show should go beyond five seasons or very few should.
It stretches out the content.

The only one's that can are things like Doctor Who, long running serials or soaps, and Law & Order franchises - which are basically police and legal procedurals where the characters don't really matter that much.

1. After years of fawning over the celebrated musician, Rolling Stone finally admitted that ahem, Clapton's not exactly an exemplary human being, or necessarily that great a musician (they appear to be on the fence in that regard). This kind of goes back to our discussions about how we reconcile artists whose "work" or "art" we love with their ahem behavior and views.

Hear an Eye-Witness Account of Clapton's Full-Tilt Racist Rant in 1976

In the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, senior writer David Browne discusses his recent blockbuster feature on Eric Clapton, which delved into the rock icon’s embrace of COVID-19 vaccine skepticism and his anti-immigration onstage rant in the Seventies — which was, by Clapton’s own description, “full-tilt racist.”

Eric Clapton isn't just spouting anti-vaccine nonsense, he's bankrolling it

( excerpt )

I'm kind of rooting for these folks to die of COVID. I wish they'd die instead of the nice musicians. Can we trade David Bowie for Clapton? I liked Bowie better as a musician. I did. Frankly I was never a huge fan of Clapton. Music critic boyfriends were, I was not. My brother wasn't either.

Apparently...he did some concerts against the vaccine with Van Morrison. Et Tu, Van? Sigh. First Brown Sugar by the Rolling Stones, now Eric Clapton. Frigging hell, Information Age. I want to go back to being blessedly ignorant, naive and idealistic.

Mother: I remember when you were idealistic...I worry for your niece. All idealists become cynical it seems..
ME: Law school beat it out of me, and volunteer work. They got ahead of the internet, then New York City, unemployment, and the information age drove it home. People suck. I'm giving money to cats.

Oh well at least, I wasn't a fan of Clapton's work. But I did like Morrison. They can't take Moondance from me! (Oh, wait, I can always jump over to the Clearance Clearwater Revivals - Bad Moon Rising.) I don't care about Brown Sugar - didn't like that song to begin with, it's an earworm. Kind of like We Didn't Start the Fire.

2. The 100 Greatest TV Series of the 21st Century (Uhm, isn't it a bit early to do this list? I'd wait at least fifty years, granted you might be dead but who cares.)

Ah they have a disclaimer that addresses my annoyance: "As ever, this list is designed not as an end in itself but merely as a starting point for discovery, discussion and debate. Tell us what you think – and what you think is missing – using the hashtag #TVOfTheCentury on BBC Culture's social channels. We hope you are as inspired and exhilarated by reading the results as we are – as collectively, they not only offer a celebration of TV itself, but a view of the modern era like few others. "

So this is clearly the BBC Cultural Critic's view of the best of the century. They do admit our mileage may vary. It does. And it doesn't.
It's notably not a cult list - everything on it is "mainstream" critical darlings, well known, and written about by mainstream critics. I don't see much cult in there. So if you like Asian television series, Supernatural Teen stuff or are into off-beat or cult stuff, you probably won't find your fav's in there. There are a few exceptions but not many. And no, Breaking Bad is NOT a cult series - it's a critical darling and very mainstream. Sorry.

( the list )

3. SmartBitches.com (the book reviewing/romance reviewing site) loves things, I don't. OR so I've noticed. They love Thomas Hardy, I can't read Thomas Hardy. He annoys me. I want to smack him. Also they love contemporary queer romance novels or contemporary romance period. It annoys me. I find the characters annoyingly cliche. In fact I wrote my own in protest.

And apparently Bec McMaster is the thing? I can't read her.

I've noticed something the better you market something - the more likely folks will want it. And positive marketing and negative marketing work wonders.

That said, I've bought a lot of cheap romance novels and other books because of Smart Bitches...I will admit to that. I just grabbed a contemporary romance that is basically Pride and Prejudice in a flower shop for free. Also grabbed one rec'd by Cat Sebastian via Twitter that was on sale.

Storm appears to be slowly moving in along with cold front. Although not doing a lot at the moment.

Otherwise it was sunny and mostly clear today. I made a trip to the hardware store, and snagged another milkshake from Carvel.

Mother is living vicariously through my brother and niece. Well actually both my parents appear to be. So am I, I think.

Mother: Your niece got a nose ring.
Me: Why?
Mother: It's trending? I don't know. Apparently her parents said no when she was in the States, so she waited until she got to London, and got one other there. Your brother doesn't get it, since she gets nosebleeds the same way she does.
Me: She's like her parents, she'll do whatever the in thing is, particularly if your parents are opposed to it...and even if it makes no sense. The appeal of nose rings continues to be lost on me.
Mother: it's not a ring around her nose - it's an earring in the nose -
Me: I know what it is, I've seen a lot of them. I don't get the appeal, looks uncomfortable and painful, and considering I barely wear earrings. She has multiple ear piercings. I feel like an oddity - I don't do things just because they look cool or are in.
Mother: No, you are like me.
Me: Well, it's worth noting that nose rings weren't exactly ever in for my generation. They didn't become popular until the 21st Century or well into it. And mainly for those ten to twelve or more years younger. Although I've seen a few folks my age doing it.

My brother is building windows for his barn. He's decided he has to install 40 windows.

ME: 40?
Mother: Yes, that's the number he needs for the side of his barn.
ME: But wouldn't it make more sense just to do a few big ones?
Mother: Not according to your brother. He needs it for insulation.
Me: I get it, I do. But, I'm trying to envision this.. I've seen his barn. The side with the screen that would require windows for better insulation is facing North, the rest doesn't have screens, just walls.

See Barn below.


Eh, I looked over more photos, and he has a point. There's more window and screens than I remembered.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to get up the gumption to recaulk my top and enamel the bottom of it. I do have the supplies now, well for the most part at any rate. Also got insulation for the windows, will get more. I have horribly insulated windows.

**

Okay this is getting out of hand, I've had a lot of cousins come down with COVID now. Two of which were vaccinated. One of the vaccinated died of it, granted he was in his 80s and immune compromised.

See? This why I'm still taking precautions.

I need to set up the booster, but I'm kind of holding off to see if I can get it through nutty agency.

**

Finished Baking Impossible - the last challenge was a suspension bridge that required a boat to go beneath it, and a car over the top, plus weights. After I finished watching it, the thought occurred to me that that is a lot of "food waste" right there. What do these reality shows do with all the foods cooked on them? Do they give them to the crew? And for shows like Baking Impossible - do they just go to waste? Because I don't see anyone eating a cake that has been demolished and fallen on the floor, or epoxy made of modeling chocolate, sausage casings, and ramen noodles.

Watching these shows makes me realize how wasteful our society currently is, and how ungrateful. I mean it would be one thing if there weren't a lot of folks in every country around the world starving to death, but there aren't. There's one scene in Maid that is painful to watch - where the maid, whose not eaten all day long, and has hardly any money for food, is told by a woman who is getting her house cleaned out prior to showcasing it for sale - to clean out the fridge and throw "everything" out. The fridge is filled with unspoiled, and good food. A cake. Fruit bowl. Milk, etc. To the brim. And this poor woman who hasn't eaten well in days, and is counting every penny is asked to throw away good food, expensive food, without blinking.

So, I'm thinking as I'm watching these reality baking series - wow just think how many people could be feed with the supplies on these shows. They should do reality baking and cooking shows - where the contestants feed orphanages, or homeless shelters.

***

My difficulty with my writing career - is I'm not good at promoting it or setting up websites that can promote it. I don't even know where to begin.
I'm like my father - I can write, but I can't promote or sell. I remember in college, an art teacher grousing about the problem with the art world is the really good and talented artists had no business sense and couldn't promote themselves effectively (see Van Gough) while the not so great ones, or mediocre artists could (see Andy Warhol). This is true of writing as well, J K Rowling is not a great writer nor is Jim Grishom, but both knew how to market themselves. Yet, there are millions of lovely and interesting writers out there that don't.

I realized this today when I was envying a friends web site, it was so beautifully done. She does do coding for a living, and designs stuff like that, as do my brother and sister in law. (And no I wouldn't feel right or comfortable asking any of them for help. We're not that close.)

***

Mark Hamil made me laugh on Twitter..

Mark Hamill (MarBactrian camel)
hamillhimself
· Oct 15
Not sure how to feel about so many people suggesting I be shot into space.Rocket

LOL!

It still makes me laugh.

He apparently doesn't want to be shot into space in the giant penis. While I do find it fitting that Shatner was shot into space in a giant penis, because...of course the actor portraying James T. Kirk would be.

***

Oh and...

( Here's Vincent Price and an Armload of Cats )

Neil Gaiman keeps informing/arguing with his twitter feed regarding Sandman's release date on Netflix. It's not being released this fall, they just finished filming it. It takes a while to put all the music, SFX, and other crap in. It's kind of amusing really.

I find him charming as well.

Replying to neilhimself
Fans: “Why won’t anyone
tell us if Sandman is coming out this year?”

Neil Gaiman: “It is not coming out this year.”

Fans: “Why must they keep us in suspense!”


LOL!

He also keeps fighting with fans over the casting. Honestly folks, if the writer is approving the casting - then I'd go with it. I want to see what is in his head, not what is in your heads. I feel the same about fanfic in a way - I'm more interested in the creator of the characters take on the story than a random fan's take. Unless - I'm looking for something specific that the creator won't give me, and a random fan does - I'll go for the fanfic. Or I get obsessed with a pairing, trope, or character and want to see all the angles or takes on it, then fanfic.

**

COVID? I'm debating ignoring it, and taking a trip somewhere by myself to a spa in upstate NY. Also, have more or less decided to see Dune in the movie theater, even if I have to drag myself to it, and deal with the craziness.
I just have to figure out which theater to go to. I may research it out.

**

Allergies are making me nuts. It's fall, hello.

Today, I had chestnut flour pancakes with raspberries in them, bacon, a little melted butter and maple syrup. Also for lunch? Chicken and cheese quesidillas with blue corn chips and salsa. And a cold brew ice cream milk shake.

**

Random Photo of the Day..

Sleepy kitty..

1. Finished S1 of Ted Lasso - which I think cleaned up at the Emmy's or maybe it was S2? The last episode made me cry and laugh, but my hormones are all over the place at the moment.

It's a feel good, warm hearted comedy, with some nice zingers or one liners about Americanisms vs. Britishisms. Ted says at one point, for example, the Dick Van Dyke's accent in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was the best proximity of a British Accent ever done. (He had an American accent in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang because his British accent in Mary Poppins was atrocious and Van Dyke refused to repeat the mistake in Chitty, insisting that he be allowed to use his own accent or not do it at all.)

That's just one example. The series is hilarious if you know the British and American differences.

2. Someone on the GH fan board complimented me on my in depth analysis of the storyline and characters. They said..."I wish others in the fandom had the same inclination and ability to analyze to this degree - it would make for some great discussions." Alas so do I. I've found a few here and there. My mother and I have done it for years. I had the same problems in the Buffy fandom - it wasn't until I stumbled upon the ATPOBTVS site that I hit analytical minds who liked to discuss storylines and characters. Everywhere else I went it was, alas, shipper wars.

3. So, Dune isn't the only big adaptation of a classic series of sci-fi novels coming out. The big one is Apple TV's adaptation of Isac Asimov's classic "Foundation", which basically influenced a lot of sci-if. Everything from Star Wars to Star Trek to Farscape, was influenced by Foundation. (Which I've never read and always intended to.)

Trailer..



It has a good cast. Lee Pace, Terence Mann, Jared Harris, among others.

It premiers on Apple TV on Friday - I'll let you know what I think of it.

Also, Robert Jordan's classic fantasy series (possibly the longest and most extensive with 58 books, which was concluded by Bradford Anderson), Wheel of Time.

The Wheel of Time Series has been developed by Amazon.



( article regarding the series and the recast for S2 )

See link: Recast in Wheel of Time Series

4. Mini-meme.

I am a culture junkie. Like most stuff. Have a weakness for relationship melodrama, soap operas, and super heroes.

This is all subject to change of course. It's odd though that most of the stuff on the list is old. Most new stuff I've seen doesn't appear to stick with me long for some reason or other.

( meme )

5. Today saw two covers of songs by Bruce Springsteen of all people that I didn't know he'd done...

Bruce Springsteen does the Clash - London Calling

And..

Bruce Springsteen does The Ramones, I wanna be sedated

I think he's better at the Ramones than the Clash. The Clash sound furious, Springsteen sounds exhausted.

Well, the vaccine and COVID-19 do have an effect on menstrual cycles. Also it may be the vaccine's jump start of my menstrual cycle that was partially responsible for the bad headaches I've been having.

Mother: I just heard from your brother, your sister-in-law and her friend both had their periods start after getting the Moderna vaccine.

I text message co-worker.
( Read more... )
She sent me a link about how COVID affects menstrual cycles...According to the article she sent me, a 55 year old woman who'd gone through menopause two years previously, had her period start after getting COVID-19.
( excerpt )
So I looked and found another article on this...from Israel, which was ahead of everyone on the vaccinations.

Does the Covid-19 Vaccine Disrupt Menstrual Cycles

Israeli women have been reporting menstrual bleeding after being administered the COVID-19 vaccine, leading to increased scrutiny by officials. The women, which have shared the experience on a Facebook forum called Talking about Vaccines, have reported an early period and various other instances of bleeding.

The comments to the article were even more interesting.
( some of the comments )

I think there is a link between COVID-19 and sex hormones. Also, I know understand why they are wary of giving the PFizer and Moderna vaccines to pregnant women at the moment. It could induce a miscarriage.

Definite pattern at any rate. ( Read more... )

I wish we would be more open about sharing this sort of information with each other - it's the type of information that can help.

***
Cancel Culture? Reconsidering the Art

I found an interesting article on Canceled Culture? Reconsidering the art of controversial artists.

One of the things I've noticed over the years is how people are willing to hand-wave favorites, and denounce people they don't like. I don't think anyone is immune from that? (shrugs) I mean I do find it entertaining that folks are willing to cancel Whedon, but are still fannish about David Boreanze and still watch Bull. Or have no issues with say Alfred Hitchcock, while they won't watch Woody Allen. Hitchcock was just as bad. Granted he's dead so it probably doesn't matter.

I mean it's sort of like saying, you need to give up those evil brownies, but I'm still eating my cookies, thank you very much. Hmm, yum, brownies.
I want brownies now. Particularly pot brownies. Never had pot brownies.
When and if marijuana is legalized? I'm totally making gluten free pot brownies.

Anyhow, I've been wrestling with the whole cancel culture idea or the need to "punish" folks. I admit it - right now, I would love to do away with the entire Conservative Branch of the Republican Party in the US, and see Trump cancelled in every way imaginable.

But I'm on the fence about some of it. Also the cancelling - basically just means the mainstream platforms. They mainly jump to the fringes again. Instead of posting on Twitter - it's well another lesser know platform. Which isn't a bad thing.

And the article - along with the Video make a good point about how it does force the artist to be held accountable. OTOH - should we stop enjoying their art? Stop watching it? Or does it provide us with the opportunity to focus on other less controversial artists?

( excerpt )

I don't know. I'm on the fence, clearly - I fall somewhere between D'Souza and Ross, to be honest. I admittedly don't think I can watch Woody Allen, Bill Cosby or Louis CK any time soon, also Roman Polanski...not so sure about. Not that I was a huge fan of any of the above to begin with, although there are a few Woody Allen films I enjoyed. And I liked Bill Cosby - I was more upset about Cosby. It's easier with musicians, somehow. I forget the musician is singing the song. I have no vocal recognition skills whatesover. Also in some respects - films, you can forget someone did a film, in some cases. Actors - it can be harder with, and it is impossible with Standup Comedians.

On the writer front? I admittedly have never liked Orson Scott Card, David Foster Wallace, or Virgina Woolf - so no problems there. And two are dead, so not sure it even matters. Joss Whedon on the other hand? I've mixed feelings about.

That brings up another question if we cancel someone - and they are dead, does it matter? (Whedon isn't dead, but Hitchcock, Kurbrick and Woolf are, as is Margaret Mitchell and WB Griffith.) I think the third critic and film professor - Richard Pena makes some good points - in that, it provides an opportunity to revisit and reconsider the art from a critical perspective. To look at it deeper. I've been thinking about Whedon's work for example - and picking up on a few things I hadn't before - such as cruelty of his jokes, and where some of that comes from. Also the degree to which that was influenced by others such as Roseanne, who had a toxic brand of humor.

At any rate - it's a topic that I've not made up my mind about.

Mother made an interesting comment last night...she said that I couldn't be manipulated by men. I retorted that I can't be manipulated by anyone, folks have tried. I make up my own mind about things, and it often takes a while.

***

It's a gray day today. I find myself watching birds outside the window, fluttering about the branches of the trees. And I wonder if it will rain some more - it looks like it.

I slept through a good portion of the Church's Palm Sunday service on FB, it had nice instrumentals and music, but way too much on sermonizing on recent events. News events that I've been deliberately avoiding. I had to shut it off finally. Yes, I know the world is a nasty place for us to live in - but I honestly don't know what I can do about it. I can't figure out how to help my poor decrepit parents in South Carolina, let alone deal with idiots who like to buy guns and shoot people, and a society that continues to hand-wave this kind of violence. Or the voting rights problem in other states. I can't change what Georgia does. (I've already sent money to the cause.)

Had nightmares last night about my inability to drive, and missing work because I got the days confused and couldn't get there in time. Basically transportation nightmares. I think I'm worried about the transportation pass, and visiting my Mom. I'd planned on visiting her as soon as I got the vaccine - by early May or late April. But she's injured and it can't happen. And if I could drive this wouldn't be as big an issue - and I could go down and drive her to appointments, and go grocery shopping for her and...but I can't drive, so that's out. And I'd just be in the way. I have wasted a godawful amount of time and energy beating myself up over this - just so you know. My mother keeps telling me not to go there - she understands, also, she adds, a lot of folks don't drive or can't drive - even where she is.

Anyhow, the good news is most of my family seems to be COVID free and vaccinated. Along with many of my co-workers - those I know and work with.

This is good news.

Last night's sunset again...there won't be one tonight, I don't think, since it's very overcast.

1. Black Feminist Activist Professor Loretta Ross Teaches a Course Critiquing the Cancel Culture

This is a rather fascinating article on a controversial topic.

( excerpt )

I agree. I've changed more minds in my lifetime with kindness than shaming or self-righteous ranting. I turn people off when I attack them.
( Read more... )

2. The Crown Stokes Uproar Over Fact vs. Fiction

I talked to my mother about the Crown - my parents had finished watching the latest season. They agreed with the critics - it's not quite as good as previous seasons. Part of the problem is much of this season takes place during a period of time and regarding a series of events - that have been written to death about. We've all seen the story played out before - both in press reals, live coverage, tell-all books, movies, and television documentaries and mini-series. We've all watched the wedding. We've all
seen the accounts of how horrible Diana's life was in the palace and how nasty Charles allegedly was to Diana.

Add to that - the people are still living and the wounds are still raw.

Mother didn't think they handled Thatcher or Diana all that well. And really didn't like how they portrayed Camilla and Charles. And my mother doesn't care that much - she's ambivalent about the royal family and Thatcher. I can only imagine how people who do care - reacted.

I've not seen it yet. Will most likely watch it over the holidays along with His Dark Materials and The Expanse.

3. Hillbilly Elegy - which a lot of the folks (the ones who care about such things) have decided is a disgrace and misses the point.

Ron Howard Defends Hillbilly Elegy Against Various Critics

Negative Review

This is the book everyone felt the need to read after the 2016 election in order to figure out why Trump was elected. (I didn't read it - I already knew why Trump was elected, and wasn't at all surprised by it - actually kind of saw it coming. I work with Trump Supporters - also Wales brothers and sister supported Trump. And I had an uncle who voted for him. Add to that - I know a lot about the working class in the United States.)

My parents read it - found it interesting, but didn't recommend it. It's a memoir - memoir's always are problematic. Also, in the book I'm currently reading "How to be an Anti-Racist" - the author's professor states that everything in life is subjective. Objectivity is impossible. Very true. Memoirs tend to be a subjective view of one's past, family, etc.

I really have no interest in a Harvard Law School Granduate's take on his dirt poor Kentucky roots.

But, Janis Ian apparently loved the movie. So I may watch - just to see what it's like - plus it has a decent cast.

4. The Prom...

James Corden Should Stay the Hell Away From the Prom

Corden, who is straight, is so bad in The Prom—somehow both appalling and terminally bland—that it had me thinking maybe the hardliners were right along. Forget the whole case-by-case thing: No more straight actors playing gay men until the sins of The Prom are properly atoned for. Murphy, a gay man, has led some straight actors into fertile gay territory before, like Darren Criss in The Assassination of Gianni Versace. But Corden, flitting and lisping around in the most uninspired of caricatures, misses all potential for nuance, and thus never finds even a hint of truth in the role. And this is in a movie that’s supposed to be about empowering queer people!

This was posted on FB, and the poster stated that only gays should play gay roles. And I thought, but what about all the gay men and women who played straight roles? Also doesn't that limit actors?
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Ah, just when I was feeling depressed about comics - along comes the news that my favorite comic book team - Brian Lynch and Frank Urru are doing a Spike version of After The Fall - where we get to see the events happening in Angel After The Fall, from Spike's point of view or rather see Spike's story.

This is great. Lynch makes me laugh in a way that Whedon doesn't. I think it's because Lynch cares about the characters in a way, I'm not sure Whedon does. A way a fan cares about them. So his humor is not directed at the characters, but more at the situation. It's a different type of humor at any rate.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=335358&blogID=366009535&indicate=1

On political front? Not at all suprised Spitzer resigned. He's facing potential criminal prosecution - resigning from office may help him on that front. I honestly don't care about the man's sex life. Don't understand it. But then I don't understand why people use others for their own sexual gratification regardless of the cost to the other person or people in their lives. Honestly, is masturbation really that hard to do? What I find despicable about the whole thing is how incredibly hypocritical Spitzer has been. He built his reputation on breaking up prostitution rings, and exposing corrupt officials. Ever heard of the expression - people in glass houses should not throw stones? Patterson looks like he's going to be a much better Governor. NYC is happy at any rate. Spitzer was refusing to give NYC more money or for that matter the MTA. Now...things may be different.

Obama vs. Clinton. This is reminding me a great deal of 1968 election and 1960. With Obama in the Bobby Kennedy role, Clinton in the Lyndon B. Johnson role (she's manipulative like Johnson was - I liked Johnson by the way, so this is not necessarily a criticism), and McCain in the Barry Goldwater role. In 1968 - we had Vietnam war, a Democratic Primary that required super-delegates and was quite volatile, and a horrid economy. What happened? Bobby got shot (we had a lot of assainations during that time period) and died, LBJ declared he wouldn't run and dropped out, and well, Nixon won. No one was going to vote for Goldwater - he was pro-defense, pro-staying in the war, and a fiscal conservative. In 2008 - Bobby's a black man and not a Kennedy but been compared to JFK, Johnson's a white woman who had been first lady and a senator and whose husband has been compared to JFK, not a VP and a senator, and Goldwater is the Republican candidate. Interesting.

Regarding the issues? When it comes to OBama vs. Clinton, you might as well throw them out the window. They agree on the issues. They disagree on how to resolve them. I prefer Obama's approach - which is more logical, less bureaucratic in character, and a bit more realistic - this comes from a background in administrative jobs. In other words :If you are liberal and for stem cell research, universial health care, pro-choice, education reform, re-negotiating NAFTA, getting out of Iraq, an end to moral legislation, and gay rights - Obama agrees with you. Actually both Hillary and Obama agree with you. McCain not so much. All three agree that President Bush is a dingbat and should never have been elected president. Actually, 75% of Americans agree on that. There's still approximately 10-15 % who still like him, for reasons I'll never understand.

I really don't think Hillary Clinton can win a general election. The independents and Republicans won't vote for her and 40% of Obama's Democratic supporters probably won't - if you believe recent polls. Also she's only winning the big urban states - the same states Kerry and Gore won in previous elections. Why? She comes across as increasingly negative. My own mother, who had voted for Hillary in the primary, is now beginning to regret her vote and is wishing Obama would win. That said, she does have an outside chance due to two things: the horrid economy and the war - both of which the country wants to see end. And well, the increasing dissatisfaction in both parties regarding Bush.

A lot of democrats don't think the independent and Republican votes matter. Have you learned nothing during the last two elections? Swing voters matter a great deal. There's quite a few conservative Republicans who may vote for Obama because McCain is running and they hate McCain, there's also a couple who may vote for Hillary. Question is - how many will vote for Nader because they don't like anyone?

This is so hard to predict. It could go any way. Going to be a nail-biter until the bitter end.