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Does a Bear Chase in the Woods?
Well, then I guess it all went down as it should. :)~— April 28, 2009 2:21 p.m.
The Movie Blog
Phillip Seymour Hoffman...how could I have neglected to mention him? (Perhaps because his name just doesn't seem to fit him nor is it easy to remember :). One of the most versatile actors around (check out that movie he made with DeNiro); and Mel Brooks. Thank you SDaniels for jogging my brain. "Springtime for Hitler and Germany...." LOLOL wundervoll! (No I don't speak German Suzanne:). So right; the original with Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel is the one to see. I also meant to mention that I love Will Smith in just about anything. He's just entertaining. On that vein, Josh I guess I'd go more for Tommy Lee Jones in the first Men in Black over the Fugitive...but yes, those lines of his you mention were great. Funny, but no one mentioned Clint Eastwood?...at least not yet...or horror films (which I hate, not to be confused, however, with ghost stories which I LOVE). Just too many possibilities... JoshB can you break it down further into categories or genres instead? I'm just taking over...lol..— April 28, 2009 2:11 p.m.
From Preps to Pros
Yeowza...! Snap!! Hard to argue with righteous intelligence. Finally some intelligent discourse on both sides of this fence from SDaniels and JoshB, or at least some heated but cleverly put disagreement. The Reader should sell tickets to this one.... I'll go make the popcorn. Personally, my hat's off to both of you to publicly air your thoughts on this matter. It is long overdue.— April 28, 2009 1:38 p.m.
From Preps to Pros
For example, in my personal experience I have one son who does not test well on standardized tests and another son who does. The son who finds his mind wandering, doesn't stay focused during tests and runs out of time has a higher IQ than the son who aces through them. Both sons have IQ's in excess of 149. So seems to me some very intelligent, or very capable people, can achieve a score on a test that indicates they are borderline retarded but they are doing college level calculus problems at 10 years old. Sometimes these anomalies occur because of flaws in the test, sometimes it is the conditions the tests are taken under, sometimes it is the environment the test subject grew up in, and sometimes it is the brain of the test subject. But it seems to me if we are going to talk about why certain cultural groups do not excel academically we have to look at all the possible reasons. And that ain't crap. :) Let the whiners whine about whatever. We can't let that distract us from a more reasoned approach to resolving the problem. And Josh you have some strong opinions and that is a good thing-it makes for an interesting discussion-but I also have found you to be a reasonable man. Hopefully SDaniels can enlighten us on this subject and I am glad Josh you brought it up, albeit roughly :), because it needs to be discussed.— April 28, 2009 12:40 p.m.
From Preps to Pros
There is such a thing as a tradition of academic emphasis. Certain cultural groups, from what I understand, have more of a focus at the most basic levels (family, elementary education, etc.) on academic achievement. Education, learning, academic excellence is highly valued among these groups as much if not more so than accomplishment in other areas of life, like sports. There are historical reasons for this and it is found often in the Asian and Jewish communities, to name a few. Suzanne please correct me or refine what I am saying here if I'm not getting it right. Frankly, I wish this country had a greater emphasis on academic achievement instead of multi-million dollar sports contracts (which is what I've been trying to say in my posts here). I understand what you are saying Josh, and it can be frustrating. I know a lot of people feel the way you do. But I think the subject deserves more consideration that "stupid is as stupid does." True, some people aren't as smart as others. But "stupid" is color blind, in my opinion. Take a passing glance at any Jerry Springer show. But "color" is not the same as "culture" just like "knowledge" isn't the same as "aptitude." And here SDaniels IS the expert. Why did only certain fire fighters pass a test while others did not; a distinct group of "others"? That's an excellent question. I know you don't believe some people failed the test because they are black. I know that is not what you are inferring. I think what you are saying is it is about effort, and study, and to some degree ability. But there's more to than that. If you can have a Barack Obama then when we need to take a far more serious look at nurture and how to accurately test for aptitude along with knowledge. (con't)...— April 28, 2009 12:40 p.m.
The Movie Blog
The test, for me, of a truly great movie is your ability to watch it over and over, as Josh said the next day even. Sixth Sense is one of those movies, and so is the God Father trilogy. Speaking of trilogies, the Bourne trifecta is another I'm glued to. Some corny but meaningful to me choices are: Starsky & Hutch; The Talented Mr. Ripley; Good Will Hunting; and Under the Tuscan Sun. But the all time killer movie: Into the Wild. Blew me away, but I cannot exactly tell you why. I used to love Woody Allen movies...especially Manhattan, (couldn't stop laughing over his use of the word, "humunculous") but now I'd have to say they fall into the "overrated" category. "Juno" is another overrated movie for me, as is "No Country for Old Men." (Hello, then leave!) And ditto with Josh's pic of that Harrison Ford in Paris movie. I mean, Harrison Ford in Star Wars and the FIRST Raiders of the Lost Ark was a star. Thereafter, he seemed to keep making the same movie, (successful guy, got a wife, she's a looker, she either dies, cheats, disappears, goes bonkers, and he's in a pickle). Bo-ring. And I'm sorry, but Titanic? I think the incessant playing of that song on the radio during that time just ruined it for me. Reservoir Dogs? Overrated. As are many of the Batman flicks. I love watching Tommy Lee Jones in just about anything...but for the life of me can't think of one movie now that I'd write about here. And maybe that is why this is so hard for me, because I probably think of movies in terms of the actors I like to see like Pacino (okay, besides being a smokin' Corleone, there's Dog Day Afternoon, and Serpico), DeNiro, Samuel L. Jackson, increasingly Russell Crowe, Meryl Streep (okay, "Dear Hunter" - excuse me but holy God that is a keeper), Willis (but not "Demi"), increasingly Nicole Kidman (who got a lot better after Crazy boy left her), and generally Jeff Bridges (Starman - Wow :); Kevin Spacey, John Cusak. And then there's the genres I love, like the period pieces, historical dramas, sci fi stuff...as I said too many choices not enough memory to sort through them more coherently. :)— April 28, 2009 2:57 a.m.
The Movie Blog
For some reason I am having a hard time with this one. I have so many movies in my head that I love, some who's titles I've forgotten, others I know I love but won't remember to mention and end up doing a "doh!" when someone else does. Firstly, I totally ditto Josh on Sixth Sense, Pulp Fiction, Unbreakable, All About Schmidt, and Sideways. I also liked Vanilla Sky (although not a big Tom Just Plain Crazy Cruise). Not loved it, as Josh mentioned. I saw it with three other friends of mine and I was the only one who would have chosen to continue to live the fantasy and not reality, once they fixed the bug in the system of course. Still don't get why choose reality that's nasty, when "reality" is relative! Oops...getting off topic. I laughed till I cried, soft errupted scratchy scream when I saw "Raising Arizona" in the theaters. Which brings to mind Moonstruck, and a great classic, "The Great Santini." American History X was a mind blower, as well as so many Indie films who get nowhere near the credit they deserve (one about a group from the Middle Ages who break through to modern time and find themselves battling semi's by the side of a highway; one about a group of Aborigine girls who escape from a British camp after being taken from their mothers so they would not "breed"; another about a gay Japanese couple who's parents are visiting and one of the guys conscripts a female friend to pretend to be his fiance. Even in subtitles it is a profoundly entertaining movie). I grew up with a Mom who loved watching movies from the 30's and 40's so I have many from that time that have good memories of me and Mom under the covers, cuddled up...but the ones I can still watch and enjoy revolve around World War II. "The Longest Day" which has just about every single actor working at that time (Sean Connery has a heavy accent and an Adam's apple); "The Best Years of our Lives" (Academy Award winner; the scene where Myrna Loy sees her husband, Fredric March for the first time since he left for war years ago...is so well done, so true to how it must have been for so many that it's timeless in terms of true drama). Also, "The Young Lions" with Marlon Brando. For some reason I seem to like war movies and westerns...so I could go on and on with those. (con't...)— April 28, 2009 2:57 a.m.
From Preps to Pros
I loved the show "White Shadow." The actor that played the coach was or still is on that forensic coroner's show whose name obviously never made a neuron pathway to my brain, right? :) I have to respectfully disagree though Josh with the thought that if you are smart enough to be in college you go to college and if you are not then you don't. I think it begs the question. Don't mean to put words in your "blog" :), but I think college is one of those things that you don't really know you are completely "suited" for it until you try it. Sometimes, timing plays a big role in your success at the college level and you have to try it more than once. I know I did. You have to have some aptitude you're right, but you also have to be ready. And, very importantly, you have to have either a real hunger for it or a lot of support to get you past some of the humps. I just don't think saying let them play if they want to play and if it doesn't work out they can always get a loan and go to the Junior College while they bag groceries at 40. I know that is a popular mindset, but respectfully, I question just how practical it really is. Suzanne, how did they determine that standardized tests unfairly reflected a cultural bias? I ask sincerely because it is a subject I've heard discussed but never knew the particulars. Has this problem been resolved or is it still with us?— April 28, 2009 1 a.m.
Lots of Copies, Lots of Flavors
LOLOL Josh!! So true... it seems some people are professional "tasters"... if they do it right and hit enough BR's they never have to buy a cone. I must admit though I am very bad at waiting. I don't mind waiting my turn, but when someone is doing something like you describe, or that woman in your check out lane, or the "herds" that meander in the malls yackity-yacking while I am desperately trying to get past mortified that I had to be in the Mall at all... I find myself once again wishing the population control effort of yore had been more successful. ("Really? You needed to try the strawberry! LOLOL - good one :)— April 28, 2009 12:44 a.m.
Does a Bear Chase in the Woods?
You probably ALLOWED us to vote because we NAGGED you to death about it! LOL... Don't think that was an accident...:))))— April 28, 2009 12:40 a.m.