Sunday, June 24, 2018

Random Thoughts June 2018

Politics are front and center of media these days, thanks to Trumpworld.  Every day... he does something to piss off the masses and prop up his minions.  If you support this monster, I don't have a lot to talk about with you.  You are backing a chronic liar and someone as close to the antichrist there's ever been since Hitler.
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I said it years ago when he got elected that I was worried... but NB premier Brian Gallant is driving our province further and further into debt, like his predecessors David Alward and Shawn Graham.  NBers go to the polls soon.  Will they choose more of the same yet again?  Yes, they will.  I've lost a lot of hope.
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I've taken a real liking to CNN these days.  They've taken on a galvanized anti-Trump tone that I think is necessary, simply because of the mere existence of Fox (or Faux) News.  Yes, it is flawed.  No, they're not truly a 'news' network, because they don't actually cover much real news.  But they do cover much of the truth that needs to get out there.  Watch Chris Cuomo's show on weeknights if you want to see what I mean.  #LetsGetAfterIt
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I do find it encouraging to see so many States south of us eschew Trump's pro-coal, pro-fossil fuels agenda and reap the benefits of renewable energy.  The only way countries can achieve true independence is to generate their own power through non-polluting means.  The tech exists.  It must be embraced, and we need governments brave enough to do so.
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The world seems to love Justin Trudeau.  In comparison to other 'leaders', yes, he is quite appealing, but that's setting the bar remarkably low these days.  I've not seen a prime minister as vain as he is, and so conscious of his own image over that of his policy decisions.  I'm not sure how much longer Canada can afford to vote red and blue.  If the definition of insanity is to repeat the same action over and over and expect a different result, then North Americans are truly crazy.
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Sometimes people ask me what music I listen to these days.  The answer would be, none.  Nothing new at least.  Music is made exclusively these days for young girls.  Nothing for the masses.  You won't see a whole lot of guys at shows by 'heart-throbs' like Bieber or Shawn Mendez or all-singer girl groups, or solo girl singers even.  You can argue the Beatles were a boy band, but they played their own instruments, without backing tracks, they all sung, and guys and girls equally loved them.  By the time the 2000's hit, that kind of act evaporated.  And here we are.
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Looking good for my Boston Red Sox these days.  One sticking point I have with the team... they've overtaken the Yankees as the highest spending roster in baseball.  That's not something to be proud of at all.  Hey... for years I railed against New York for having that distinction (I believe they are now 7th on the list), because ultimately I don't think it's fair.  It's also unfair to not criticize yourself if you assume that title.  But, I'm still a loyal Bosox guy.
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Speaking of sports and music, something that's always rankled me, especially since the 80's when the Reagan era changed the world for good - and for the worse - there used to be a time when anyone could afford to go see a game or show; bring their families or treat their friends.  Now it seems you almost have to be among the elite to do that.  Musicians and athletes get paid ridiculous sums of money to 'play' sports and 'play' music.  There's a reason they say 'play', because it's largely not 'work'.  Work is what you do at least 40 hours a week to survive, and even then, you likely don't get paid enough to eke out a very good living.  Not most of us.  Police, the military, civil servants, teachers, etc., actually work, and will never earn in a lifetime what some athletes and musicians and movie stars earn in a year.  There's a massive inbalance when such rich people get tax breaks and corporate welfare exists in a time when there are so many homeless and without adequate healthcare.
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I didn't read the book, but I did see the movie for "The Shack" recently.  Yes, it's a faith-based film, and that's not a sufficient enough reason for you to snub it.  It helped change the way I see a lot of things and helped renew my faith.  And I needed it...
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...because I had another visit from a friend of mine recently who's a sister of the Catholic clergy.  What I learned floored me.  She was oblivious to everything the Trump regime has done wrong in the world, telling me he's a great man who's done great things.  Her news source?  An outfit called EWTN, a Catholic based news channel online.  I've seen some of their ramblings, and it scares me.  To ignore the plight of the world as it's plunged into darkness by the likes of the far-right and focus on tunnel-vision for your own interests is blatantly ignorant and extremely dangerous.  It's not what they say so much as what they don't.  And my friend, the sister, and her fellow sisters, are not allowed to view any news sources besides what they are offered.  This is widespread, and a large part of the reason why there is so much deception in religious ranks today.  Our own Pope Francis is even ignored by these people.  If that doesn't scream that these are dangerous times, what does??
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Pot is going to be legal in Canada for recreational use in a few months.  To the naysayers... until you tell me what you've done to further the laws to penalize drunk drivers or help those who've been victimized by them, don't tell me everything that's wrong with it.  I use cannabis oil to help me sleep at night, and it's done a world of good for my mental illness issues.  I know for a fact that alcohol is a depressant that has few redeeming qualities (and spare me the 'red wine is good for you' stuff... too much of anything will harm you, especially alcohol), and I've seen it strip the personalities away from far too many close to me, including my own father, whose life was lost because of it when I was a kid.  And don't give me the bullshit that marijuana is a 'gateway drug'.  It that's true, then what's alcohol?
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We saw "Avengers:  Infinity War" recently, and I was struck by how brave the filmmakers were at the choices they made for that movie.  It was by far the bleakest, darkest ending for a Marvel film yet, although to be fair, it's not unlike "Star Wars:  The Empire Strikes Back" in that clearly, the end is not really 'the end'; there's more to the story to come.  'Infinity War' is a 2-parter, of which the second part is coming next summer.  Still... that ending, though...
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Very interesting, too, to see James Cameron's short series on the history of science fiction on AMC recently.  I was especially jazzed to see Cameron sitting across the table from my film hero Chris Nolan talking about the relevance of time in sci-fi.  Interesting to note, they spent a lot of time talking about Nolan's "Interstellar", in which physicist Kip Thorne worked on the film for logistics, and actually came up with discoveries during the making of the movie that earned him a Nobel Prize.  I'm anxiously awaiting Nolan's next project.  I have no idea what he's doing next yet.  Also anxious for Cameron's continuation of "Avatar", which is set to revolutionize the movie-going experience yet again when its next sequel comes out in a year and a half.  Also interested in seeing what Cameron does with his beloved "Terminator" franchise now that he owns the rights to it again (or will very, very shortly).  He's co-writing what is essentially a sequel to 'Terminator 2', ignoring all the other T movies that came after that, getting "Deadpool" director Tim Miller to direct.  Even the original Sarah Connor will be back.
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It got off to a slow start for me, but the second season of "The Handmaid's Tale" has really come around.  That show makes me pretty friggin' glad to be a Canadian.  The parallels to that show and what's going on in the U.S. right now is alarming, unsettling, and serves as a warning of what's to come if paths are not changed.  Now if we can just get Elizabeth Moss (the show's main character Offred/June) out of the Scientology cult, it might look less hypocritical.
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I'm pretty excited about Paramount finally getting off their asses with the Star Trek franchise now, too, and looking to create a whole lot of new content based on that universe.  I love the new Trek show, "Discovery", and all the chances that it's taking.  It's sure to alienate some old fans while it creates more new ones, but I'm not one of them.  I'm desperately looking forward to Quentin Tarantino's take on Star Trek, of which a movie is in development for him to direct in a couple of years.  He wants to revisit some past stories on Star Trek series and expand on them, and there's such a wealth of stories to do that with.  Great stories, I might add.  I've often considered writing essays on some Star Trek episodes just to flesh out how important I think some episodes are.  I'd love to see Paramount issue a miniseries or cable movie based on the history of the episode/pilot "The Cage", in which the few remaining inhabitants of the planet Talos IV are looking to help their world continue its survival after it nearly annihilated itself with its power of illusion.  Kirk wasn't yet captain of the Enterprise, and the only familiar character to the original series as people know it was Spock.  I would love to know what led Talos IV to become the barren planet it became.
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"Stranger Things" season 3 is coming soon, looking forward to it.  It's fun watching these kids grow up in the 80's, as it directly appeals to my generation.  "Better Call Saul" drops its next season in August as well.  I want to see the further descent of Mike Ehrmantraut into the underworld, and what leads him there.  It's quite sad, ultimately.  Plus I want to see if Jimmy's brother is actually dead or not.  And how does Hector ultimately wind up in a wheelchair?
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That'll about do it for this installment of RT.  Thanks for reading as always.