Eight Below is a movie about the honoring of an ancient alliance.
I didn’t expect much from Disney, but I liked this movie. I was a bit of a tear jerker for me.
(I would totally go back to the Antarctic to rescue my kitties, whom I love, but fortunately for us. We aren’t polar explorers.)
From a film making point of view, I liked that the humans looked different and wore different Artic gear. I liked that we were introduced to each of the dogs twice, and the dogs looked different. Things like that help me, cuz sometimes I can’t tell peoples apart.
I’ll give it an A-.
Hey sports fans, long time no see.
Quote of the day is from Francis Bacon, "The human understanding when it has once adopted an opinion ... draws all things else to support and agree with it. And though there be a greater number and weight of instances to be found on the other side, yet these it either neglects and despises ... in order that by this great and pernicious predetermination the authority of its former conclusions may remain inviolate." -- Novum Organum, 1620
from an interesting article in Scientific American.
Basically the article says that people generally stick to their opinions even in the face of contrary evidence.
Which got me thinking?
Have I been wrong?
Yeah. You know it. Ha! Take that Francis! You’re wrong! I can change my mind.
Here are a few examples.
I used to use the fact that America has a worse infant mortality rate than, say Cuba, to mean that we don’t have the best health care system in the world.
Then I heard that our rate is low because there are premature babies USA medicine tries to save, that other, better ranked countries, would simply call a miscarriage.
Can anyone back me up on this? Does America try to do more?
So now, I don’t use infant mortality as a piece of evidence of the weaknesses of American health care.
I used to use as proof of human evolution the evidence of mitochondrial DNA being solely derived maternally. Upon further investigation, I see that there are instances where mitochondrial DNA is paternal. I need to look more at the implications of this.
Hmm…the more I think of the above, me being wrong, the more I see that I haven’t changed the basic opinions I had a year ago. (American health care system not best in world, and humans evolve.) I just don't use some of the facts that I used to.
Maybe Francis was right.
How about you? Have you been wrong? How do you go about changing your mind?
So, I don’t know what song to cue up now…either
“New Dress” by Depeche Mode
You can’t change the world
But you can change the facts
And when you change the facts
You change points of view
If you change points of view
You may change a vote
And when you change a vote
You may change the world
Or the Police….
Too much information running through my brain
Too much information driving me insane
alright sports fans, you know the drill, if ya ain't seen Veronica Mars, the coolest show on The TV these days, then don't read anymore until you've seen the first two seasons of Veronica Mars.
So, not that gripped by the season 2 finale.
Sure we wrapped up some things, but some things were brought up that shouldn't have just gone away.
1) the FBI were only around for an episode? and at the end of that episode they were looking pretty heavy at VMars as a suspect/accompliss in a kidnapping.
2) V found a body in a ice maker, and she doesn't get questioned by the cops?
3) How's MrsMars doing? Don't they care? she was a motivating factor in season one, now, it's just...oh, yeah, had a mom, she was a drunk, and a thief, what can ya do?
The bad guy was Beaver? Ho-hum, it's always the quiet ones, blah-blah-blah. Seriously, I wanted it to be Dick. The expectations for him are so low, he would have been perfect, and the writers could slowly set it up all season, drop tiny hints. What I hoped had been a hint/red-herring was while playing video-games Logan said to Dick, "you're really a simple guy, aren't you Dick." "I try to be."
Once again, the boy has to save the girl. Why couldn't Mac run up to the roof and save Veronica? Or, V couldn't use her famous wits to get out of a bad situation?
Hey, if V couldn't get to Mac & Beav, couldn't she have just pulled fire-alarm to the hotel?
She falls for Logan?? Sure, he's got that John Cusack look, and he's cute, but...last year he set up bum fights (slight character flaw). At Sr Prom he confessed his "epic love" for V, and then that night sleeps w/ Kendall Casablancas. (Did he think they were on a break?) Logan is a self-centered scumbag who is only intrested in thrills. Have we seen any decent behavior from him, proving he's a human, without him trying to get something? Sheesh. Girls seem to toss common sense aside when they see a cute boy...fortunately I've been able to use that to my advantage.
Word on the street is that "Veronica Mars" may not get enough cash to finish out season 3. Oh well, all good things must come to an end.
back in the day, I ran cross country. There was this course, at Wilson highschool, and since they didn't want to send us off campus, that had to make up for distance by us running 10 meter "W"s in the brush on the hill. Terrible course. A friend sprained his ankle, because there was a 90 degree turn, behind a muddy backstop, 25 meters from the finish. Hated that course.
Well sport's fans...I thought alot about the Wilson Weave this morning as while SnarkyKat was trying to kill me in a half-marathon. The course sucked. There was a lot of going out, switch back, and go out again. A couple of times, I was up on a hill, and looked down, and saw the course - two parts, people going both directions. I know, logistically it is much easier to organize a race with few streets needing to be closed.
Well, SK didn't kill me. (As you pro'lly figured out, y'all are smart like that.)
My time, about 2.5 hrs. Not really happy with it. Should've, would've, could've trained better had my stoopid knees not given me trouble recently.
(now with corrections)
Since Sleater-Kinney is calling it quits, I need a new pop culture infusion of grrl power. My boss suggested Veronica Mars. Currently I’m watching the second season.
V-Mars is working off the old standard “high school is hell for former popular blonde who now fights evil” template. Kinda like Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
So which do I prefer?
[warning: argh, there be spoilers ahead, matey]
They have the same taste in boyfriends, boring-pretty boys. Duncan reminds me of Riley. But they each had a dark secret, Duncan has mental episodes, (suspected of killing his sister), and for awhile was thought to have been V’s half-brother. Riley was a secret agent (terrible plot twist), but in trying to get his macho back, submitted himself to being fed on by hottie vampires. I preferred Riley, just because every now and then we would get to see Buffy throw him across the room.
Point: B
Both live with a single parent. In first season, the parent-child chemistry is much stronger in Mars household. I’m a little disappointed so far in second season; Keith Mars has a much-reduced role, probably because too many plot lines. It was OK with Mrs Summers being kept in the dark about her daughter’s evil fighting. But eventually she found out, didn’t like it, but realized she had to deal with it. I’m bothered in 2nd season of VM that Keith Mars, always seems to be a step behind his daughter in finding out what crazy stuff she’s been up to. And keeps forbidding her to stop being a Private Investigator for her own safety, she apologizes, and then keeps on doing it. C’mon Keith, you taught her the tricks of the trade, either a) find out what she’s doing or b) accept it and use her as a teammate of equal stature.
Buffy did have the best “death of parent” episode on TV.
Still, rapport better in Mars house.
Point: V
High school Nemesis: I view Logan as V’s nemesis. I guess it would have been Cordelia for B. Logan is much more interesting. (Funny enough, “Cordelia” has Logan as a sex-buddy, and makes a pass at V’s boyfriend.)
Point: V
Hero saves the day: sure Buffy had super powers, but Buffy was fighting demons. So far Veronica has been rescued by her father when trapped in fire, Logan from a DEA agent (oops), and Logan when she stumbled into local Irish gang HQ. I don’t think Buffy ever needed a boy to save her, sure some helped her, but if the boys disappeared, I think B would’ve found a way to still save the world. (Maybe evil Willow was exception…but Xander didn’t save with muscle, he saved with Love.)
GirlPower Point: B
Buffy had much better invented slang.
Buffy had better pop-culture references.
(I do notice that every time someone sees her its "well...if it isn't Veronica Mars", just in case we forget what show we are watching.)
Buffy is funnier.
Veronica is snarkier.
V seems to be gathering her own little scooby-gang.
Nerdy loyal guy friend in office. Girl Computer wiz.
Biker dude (He'll play the Spike role.)
Overall story arch: In V season 1, I do like the continual hints that her dad may not be her father. "Who's your daddy." "It's love to raise someone that isn't your child." There seem to be hints dropped through out the season that reveal significance at end of season. This is probably because V is mystery, B is adventure.
Point V.
I wonder if V will ever think about if she would grow up to be mean/shallow had it not been for a murder. Did she care about the little people when she was in the in-crowd? This was mentioned early in season 2.
I liked when Duncan jumped off bleachers and busted his head. Very realistic guy response of what to do when someone is making moves on the girl you like.
The team: Buffy had a cadre of friends that each had their own strength that she trusted and relied on. Veronica has a few associates that she goes to for favors. Every now and then this is pointed out, Mac is silent for awhile, when V asks why, “just wanted to see how long we could have a conversation with you only asking the questions.” Several times Wallace points out that he does what V asks without asking, and doesn’t ask for anything in return.
Buffy has friends & teammates. Veronica has henchmen, lackeys, gophers, maybe a side-kick.
Point B.
Well, the grades have been tallied, and not all categories have equal strength.
I am gonna call it, Buffy the Vampire Slayer wins. Because B is a better friend, and the show was cooler.