Friday, March 31, 2023

The Friday Link for 3/31/23

This week we look at old films and why some of them are well worth watching.

First, did you know there is a missing Best Picture winner?  In the first year of the Oscars, they handed out two Best Picture Academy Awards.  One was for Outstanding Picture and the other was for Most Unique and Artistic Picture.  The Outstanding Picture winner was 'Wings.'  The Second was technically also the Best Picture winner, 'Sunrise, A Song of Two Humans.'  

Both films are silent films and both actually hold up somewhat well today.  'Wings' was actually lost for many years before a copy was found in 1992.  The movies feature fairly imaginative technology and artistic advancements for their time.  The second Academy Awards had reverted to only one Best Picture Winner, and before too long, the Academy only recognized 'Wings' as the sole winner for 1929.  

For a breakdown of the two films and the war between 'popular versus artistic' films over history, Too Much Film School has a nice feature.


I think old horror films are FAR scarier than anything that's released today.  There is something about how those early directors used realism to convey horror and in turn making it very believable.  Realism made them terrifying, even if they weren't trying to be.  Think of Jaws.  I think it's one of the best horror films ever because it's realistic, not some reanimated long-dead serial killer who goes after high school kids. 

Two more videos tonight feature films I encourage you to watch.  1928's 'The Man Who Laughs' is actually far more known as the inspiration for the Batman villain The Joker.  Also, it technically wasn't a horror film but it is as crepey AF.  Another terrifying movie is 'M' from 1931, which is considered to be the first popular movie about a serial killer.  The first one is a silent film, and the second had sound and came from the great early German cinema.  Both of these clips are from Dark Corners Reviews. 



Enjoy these old films if you can find them. By the way, I would also HIGHLY recommend finding 1920's 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, mentioned in 'The Man Who Laughs' feature.  That movie still seems to be a primary inspiration for many actors, directors, and producers today.

Have a great, safe weekend and make sure to stay up to date on vaccines.  




Friday, March 24, 2023

The Friday Link for 3/24/23

This week we start with the return of Ted Lasso, a show I have become addicted to.  But a lot of us have. 

Season three kicked off and here's a clip with Jason Sudeikis displaying his banter with the press corp of the fictional soccer team he coaches.  I feel the way these scenes have been written over the seasons has been a great example of why this show is loved.  Ted disarms the reporters who are there to make him look bad, turning them into a loyal group of followers. You can't help but cheer him on.

Also tonight from Ted Lasso is the actor Brett Goldstein, who plays the near-perfect Roy Kent. His character on the show is an extremely rough and aggressive soccer player, but it has resonated as he has gone on his own journey through the series.

No Roy tonight at Brett joined Elmo and Grover on Sesame Street for games.  This is smile-inducing. 


Finally tonight, away from Ted Lasso, is a restoration video of a long-lost machine, the egg scale.  This is actually a really cool invention and when it is restored it's so cool I want to get chickens and try it out myself. It really becomes a centerpiece conversation starter. 


Have a great weekend everyone and make sure to get vaccinated! 

We're all safer when we are all safer! 








Friday, March 17, 2023

The Friday link for 3/17/23

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone! 

This week has to be short and sweet as I have places to be tonight so we start off with what ended up being a pretty good opening monologue and a pretty good overall broadcast of the Oscar Awards last Sunday.  I think pretty much everyone who should've won, won.  Jimmy Kimmel, realizing he had to right the ship after last year's debacle with Will Smith, did so perfectly by setting the right tone.  He didn't ignore what happened but successfully moved past it by recognizing the scandal.  Just watch for yourself and see Andrew Garfield steal the show with one fantastic look.


Also tonight another awards show, this time with ZeFrank and the True Facts crew.  


And finally a pretty good skit from SNL.  If you want a realistic portrayal of something, look no further than the spot on Waffle House skit. 


Like I said short and sweet!

Have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day celebration and please do not drink and drive.  There are way too many options for a safe commute. 

Make sure you're vaccinated and have a great weekend! 






Sunday, March 12, 2023

Calling the Hater's Bluff

Yesterday I did something I did not think would be controversial.  I posted this picture:


For people not from Minneapolis/St. Paul, that is the stunning mural of Bob Dylan painted by the fantastic Brazilian street artist Eduardo Korba.  It's located on the east side of Hennepin Avenue at S. 5th St. in downtown.  I took that photo while waiting for a traffic light as I drove home from the Guthrie Theater after a performance Saturday afternoon.  I labeled the picture "my city is cool" on social media.

Most of the response to this image was positive, but this morning I've had a few Far Right nut bags belch out the same ignorant talking points from last Fall's election season which did not resonate with voters. They bellowed about how everyone in Minneapolis is robbed and carjacked, how you can't roam the streets without being murdered, that the crime rate is so bad the city is far less safe than an occupied Russian town in Ukraine, and (laughably) how the downtown is 'So Much Worse' than it's ever been. WOW!

Let's put aside the pathetic nature of these insults.  The Right banked on bad-mouthing the Twin Cities as their path to victory in the 2022 elections, and it spectacularly backfired.  The Democrats now control all of the branches of Minnesota government and all the Right can do is rage hate the Left.  This rehashing of these failed talking points today is like an aged washed-up former high school quarterback who keeps talking about how "if the refs wouldn't have screwed us over we would've won the game!"  You lost.  Your hate mantras of the metro did not help, nor were they true.  That bad game plan is on you.  You trying to make "fetch" happen sounds more and more pathetic with each passing day.

By the way Idiots, don't ask why Republicans can't win in a city when all you do is constantly insult that city.

Now I could spend this blog post counterpointing the crime issue in Minneapolis/St. Paul, how violent crime is actually down in Minneapolis (https://kstp.com/kstp-news/top-news/minneapolis-violent-crime-numbers-drop-significantly-in-2022/), how statistically Minneapolis is far safer than its size as the 16th largest metro area in the US, coming in at #36 (https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/blog/top100dangerous), and if you actually count all the cases of caused mortality, not only is Minneapolis/St. Paul the 14th safest city in the US, but it shows you how rural counties across America are FAR less safe than MSP (https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-06-07/is-new-york-city-more-dangerous-than-rural-america).  I could, but let's be honest, the Rightos won't read these stats because God forbid anything actually correct the narrative they want to believe.

I know many of the people bashing the Twin Cities are sad pathetic douches, who live either in outstate Minnesota or elsewhere, who have never even been to Minneapolis, pathetic losers who are desperate to prevent from having to see what a freaking tragedy their own lives are, so they attack others in hope their inadequate miserable cold existences actually get some false warmth by being twisted and demented.  I don't care about those losers.  Just forget those people.  It's easy! 

This blog post is going to ask a simple question of the Right Wing haters who live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul's metro area but yet constantly attack it: Why the hell are you living here?

Seriously! This a legit question.  Why, if you live in the metro area and can't stop bashing the city, do you live here?  Costs alone make living here difficult so you'd better like it.  If you stay and really hate it here, you're an idiot.  Let's expose the truth about these pathetic losers.

We all have one trip on this spinning rock.  It makes NO SENSE to be miserable while you are here.  Your entire life should be a search for what makes you happy.  Find the person you want to love, work the job that makes you smile, and live someplace which makes you happy.  Yes, I'm going to take a few shots here, but the truth is if you truly hate it here, I'm only trying to help.

Most likely they'll first say "My job makes me stay!"  No, it doesn't!  It really doesn't, unless you are something really specific, like the Twins mascot.  You can leave at any point and find work elsewhere.  Marketing, accounting, legal, plumbing, grocery store worker, and corporate executive; these jobs exist everywhere.  With your experience, you'll likely get hired quickly in another location.  And if you are like a lot of people who work remotely, you can work from anywhere!  If you really hate it here, your work is not a legit reason to stay.

This goes for business owners too, whether running a large company, small business, restaurant, or stand-alone shop. You can move your company at any time and relocate elsewhere, probably with major tax incentives and, if you go to a Republican state, they'll likely let you pay your workers peanuts.  Go! 

Next, you might say family is the reason you stay here.  This is a mixed bag.  If it's for kids and their school or sports, once again that is a weak answer.  There are schools in other states.  There are sports teams in other states.  Your kids will be fine if you move.  Do you think your kids are having a good time when every time they come home their parents are bitching about the community they live in?  You are probably doing more damage than good staying here.

If you are staying here because of the health reasons of a loved one (elderly or not), that gets a little more complicated.  For clarification,  I'm not talking about people who say they have to stay for a parent when they really don't.  Your parents will be fine without you, stop using them to hide YOUR fear of moving.

If you do have a parent who legit needs family here for medical reasons (it is Minnesota) I would suggest moving away from the city and living out in the country.  That way you can at least avoid the areas you really hate.  Even with health care needs, you never have to come to Minneapolis if you don't want to.

How about a weird reason? I know a lot of people who say they can't leave because the metro area has so many fun things to do, fun things they never once have done.  They convince themselves the quality of activities in Minneapolis St. Paul (a self-contradictory reason) is too much to leave.  Let's not talk about theoretical things you might do.  If you never go to them, you're only using the metro's incredible calendar as a false crutch.  If all you do is go to chain restaurants in the tertiary suburbs, fearing to go anywhere inside the 494/694 loop, you'd be just as happy in another place.  If you're bashing the city, don't be a hypocrite by using its truly stunning activities as your excuse to not leave.  

House? You can sell it.  Favorite sports team plays here?  You are supposedly too terrified to go to a game and can always follow them nationwide with a sports package on your TV.  Do you have a good friend who lives here?  You can still have them and make new ones in your new town too!  The vast majority of reasons you'll produce to try to validate your staying are just garbage.  You're a fool if you think you can't leave tomorrow.

GO! You'll be happier and we won't miss you!  Or are you too lazy?  Could be you're just a lazy ass.

But let's be honest.  It's more likely you are lying, and you know it.  It's how you try to make your sad life tolerable.  You KNOW Minneapolis St. Paul is not nearly as dangerous as you insist. You know the city is amazing, with plenty to do, great restaurants, and beautiful parks. You know the quality of life here is much better than in other places.  You know the schools in the metro area are better than most other states, and even if you don't like yours, you can open enroll, home school, or go to private schools if you don't like your local one.  You know the pay here is good. You know the medical care here is good.  You know the people here are good.  You know ALL OF THIS and you still choose to be an evil jackass who hates just for hate's sake.  You're a bad person and you probably should leave anyway.  Go see if you can redeem yourself. 

If you insist I'm wrong, that you really hate it here, then call my bluff.  LEAVE, and go be happy elsewhere!  I will applaud your decision and wish you the best.  Like I said, you got one trip on this spinning rock so don't waste it.  Go be happy!

If not, and I called you out correctly, just shut up!  Your bellowing didn't work in 2022, and it sure as hell will not work on the people who love Minneapolis/St. Paul!

I will stand by my original statement:  My city is cool! 








Friday, March 10, 2023

The Friday Link for 3/10/23

Today is a good day!  I was told I could finally stop wearing the back brace which has been glued to me for the last three months.  Healing is wonderful! 

This week a bevy of food options for you, starting with the Anti-Chef.  

Anti-Chef is great.  Jamie might be a professional cook (I'm not sure of his complete background) but he sure has an unorthodox style to his cooking technique.  It's not polished or clean.  He rummages around his kitchen looking for the utensils he needs, he cooks in a very relatable small apartment kitchen, and (best of all) he makes mistakes.  He's not afraid to admit when he does and that's what I like about him.  He's most of us cooking, imperfect, but yet successful.  With his determination, he plugs through and recreates great Julia Child recipes, many of which look delicious.

This one in particular looks AMAZING! Cinnamon toast flan with a strawberry topping.  I will make this one myself in the next few weeks.


Also this week another edition of Tasting History with Max Miller. This time he tackles a dish many of us from the Iron Rage savor, the pasty. Pasty bakes were an annual tradition in my house and I just recently had a discussion with Minnesota musician Paul Metsa about who had the best pasties on the Range (It's Paul's in Eveleth). 

This pasty looks very different from the ones we have, but then again it is a recipe from the age of Robin Hood. 
 

Finally tonight, another video about food, but not a cooking video.  Robert Reich puts out the warning about a massive merger about to happen in the grocery sector, and how it will eventually lead to much higher prices for all of us. 

I especially like him pointing out something I've said for about a year:  It's not Inflation.  It's plain old fashion Greed!


I'll let you know how the Cinnamon Toast flan turns out.

Have a great weekend and remember to keep up to date on your vaccinations!





Friday, March 3, 2023

The Friday Link for 3/3/23

Hi all!  

This week I have an absolute gem from Jon Stewart.  He absolutely dismantles OK State Senator Nathan Dahm for his blind allegiance to guns.  Stewart expertly works him into a corner.  As Dahm tries to insist the individual is the problem, not the gun, so putting more guns out into society is the best option, Stewart (BRILLIANTLY!) points out that's like trying to cure obesity by giving everyone ice cream. 

I don't do it justice.  Watch Stewart do what he does best, point out the Right's ridiculous hypocrisy. 


Also tonight a clip with Al Franken.

I was listening to the David Spade episode of SmartLess and he brought up the worst Saturday Night Live host of all time, Steven Seagal. The episode is the stuff of legends, but not in any good way.  As a matter of fact, it's way beyond "so bad it's good" territory.  Seagal was basically Trump before Trump, a deranged person who somehow managed to become a celebrity.  

I'll let Franken take it from here.  This is from an interview he did with comedian Tom Segura on a show (podcast?) Your Mom's House. 


Have a great weekend.  Enjoy the melting.

Make sure you get vaccinated and stay safe!