Wednesday, May 24, 2017
A Japanese Technique to Overcome Laziness
Almost all of us periodically sets ourselves a new goal or challenge — and just as often in the end fails to achieve them. We end up telling ourselves that we’re just not ready yet, that we’ll do it next week, next month...next year. We might even pursue them with zeal at the start.
But once we’ve made a small amount of effort, we’ll tell ourselves we’ve done enough, and it’s time to take this whole ‘starting a new life’ thing more slowly. Why does it always turn out like this?
The answer’s fairly obvious: Because we try to achieve too much, too fast; because we get sick of the new responsibility; because it’s difficult to change old habits and try something new.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Movie Review: “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” by Douglas Ernst
CD Editor: I am a comic book fan, and now a comic book movie fan. I am not always happy though with the creatives behind them or their messages. Often times they lose sight of what makes a superhero. There seems to be a aggressive liberal agenda lately in the comics especially, but also on TV, and in the movies.
I thought this is a good review. the author also has reviews I like of comics on his blog and you tube channel.
I like his dislike of the relativism, which as of late has entered comics and has made them a moral wasteland.
It’s been three years since Marvel Studios director James Gunn took a relatively unknown group of misfit superheroes called The Guardians of the Galaxy and propelled them to worldwide stardom. The crew is back for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and the creative recipe seemed to call for more of everything that fans enjoyed in 2014. Sometimes, however, less is more.
One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s selling points is its ability to depart from the darker tones often embraced by other studios. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) will never be mistaken for Batman, and the latter would not allow a living tree named “Baby Groot” to fall asleep on his shoulder. Regardless, Mr. Gunn’s latest installment does seem to push the limits of pop-culture jokes and saccharine moments a Marvel film can contain without exploding into a giant mess. In short, it’s not for everyone.
The plot to Vol. 2 is relatively simple and established moments after an opening credits sequence in which Star-Lord, Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot protect valuable batteries for a race known as the Sovereign. They do so on the condition that Gamora’s sister Nebula (Karen Gillan) is turned over for a bounty. Rocket steals the batteries when no one is looking, and during a chase that follows the crew is saved by Star-Lord’s absentee father.
The Guardians want to know who Ego (Kurt Russell) is and what he wants with Star-Lord, although the heart of the film lies in the family themes explored by Gunn and co-writer Abnett. One of the best performances actually goes to actor Michael Rooker as Yondu, the “Ravager” (i.e., a blue space pirate) who raised Peter and refused to turn him over to Ego.
“You can fool yourself and everyone else, but you can’t fool me. I know who you are,” Yondu tells Rocket during a tense exchange.
“You don’t know anything about me, loser,” the superhero replies.
“I know everything about you. I know you play like you’re the meanest and the hardest, but actually you’re the most scared of all. I know you steal batteries you don’t need, and you push away anyone who’s willing to put up with you, because just a little bit of love reminds you of how big and empty that hole inside you actually is. I know those scientists that made you never gave a rat’s ass about you, just like my own damn parents who sold me — their own little baby — into slavery. I know who you are, boy — because you’re me.”
There are many scenes in Vol. 2 that demonstrate how it is a movie with soul, but almost every one is undercut with a joke meant to tell the audience, “We don’t take ourselves too seriously.” The problem with that approach is that at some point a director risks the response, “Then why should we care?”
Finally, some should tell Marvel Studios that a movie marketed to little kids with extended scenes of Baby Groot should not try to push the limits of a PG-13 movie via sexual innuendo and expletives. Vol. 2 wants to simultaneously resonate with tots, teens, and twenty-somethings, but a good film can do that without being crude.
Check out the latest adventure of Star-Lord and his friends, but be prepared for a film that skimps on the story in favor of popular culture jokes not likely to age well. Then, make sure to stay for the bonus scenes during the end credits — all five of them.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
I thought this is a good review. the author also has reviews I like of comics on his blog and you tube channel.
I like his dislike of the relativism, which as of late has entered comics and has made them a moral wasteland.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”
It’s been three years since Marvel Studios director James Gunn took a relatively unknown group of misfit superheroes called The Guardians of the Galaxy and propelled them to worldwide stardom. The crew is back for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and the creative recipe seemed to call for more of everything that fans enjoyed in 2014. Sometimes, however, less is more.
One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s selling points is its ability to depart from the darker tones often embraced by other studios. Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) will never be mistaken for Batman, and the latter would not allow a living tree named “Baby Groot” to fall asleep on his shoulder. Regardless, Mr. Gunn’s latest installment does seem to push the limits of pop-culture jokes and saccharine moments a Marvel film can contain without exploding into a giant mess. In short, it’s not for everyone.
The plot to Vol. 2 is relatively simple and established moments after an opening credits sequence in which Star-Lord, Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot protect valuable batteries for a race known as the Sovereign. They do so on the condition that Gamora’s sister Nebula (Karen Gillan) is turned over for a bounty. Rocket steals the batteries when no one is looking, and during a chase that follows the crew is saved by Star-Lord’s absentee father.
The Guardians want to know who Ego (Kurt Russell) is and what he wants with Star-Lord, although the heart of the film lies in the family themes explored by Gunn and co-writer Abnett. One of the best performances actually goes to actor Michael Rooker as Yondu, the “Ravager” (i.e., a blue space pirate) who raised Peter and refused to turn him over to Ego.
“You can fool yourself and everyone else, but you can’t fool me. I know who you are,” Yondu tells Rocket during a tense exchange.
“You don’t know anything about me, loser,” the superhero replies.
“I know everything about you. I know you play like you’re the meanest and the hardest, but actually you’re the most scared of all. I know you steal batteries you don’t need, and you push away anyone who’s willing to put up with you, because just a little bit of love reminds you of how big and empty that hole inside you actually is. I know those scientists that made you never gave a rat’s ass about you, just like my own damn parents who sold me — their own little baby — into slavery. I know who you are, boy — because you’re me.”
There are many scenes in Vol. 2 that demonstrate how it is a movie with soul, but almost every one is undercut with a joke meant to tell the audience, “We don’t take ourselves too seriously.” The problem with that approach is that at some point a director risks the response, “Then why should we care?”
Finally, some should tell Marvel Studios that a movie marketed to little kids with extended scenes of Baby Groot should not try to push the limits of a PG-13 movie via sexual innuendo and expletives. Vol. 2 wants to simultaneously resonate with tots, teens, and twenty-somethings, but a good film can do that without being crude.
Check out the latest adventure of Star-Lord and his friends, but be prepared for a film that skimps on the story in favor of popular culture jokes not likely to age well. Then, make sure to stay for the bonus scenes during the end credits — all five of them.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Nutritional Resource.
Just found this site it has a lot of interesting stuff about nutrition. Mostly from the past. But the past is good because it was before pharmacology dominated medicine.
check it out
SRP Historical Archives
check it out
SRP Historical Archives
https://www.seleneriverpress.com/srp-historical-archives/
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