U.S. passes 500,000 deaths from COVID-19, a pandemic update

I closed Life expectancy fell 1 year for all Americans, 3 years for African-Americans, during 2020 because of the pandemic by telling my readers "The next milestone for the pandemic will be 500,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19, which is likely to happen by the end of this month. When that happens, and it will, I will have an update." It took only four days to reach that grim milestone. Reuters reported U.S. coronavirus deaths top 500,000 this afternoon.

The U.S. crossed the staggering milestone of 500,000 COVID-19 deaths, nearly a year since the pandemic upended the nation.

That's the news. Good Morning America had the commentary in advance of the official announcement of the event in Dr. Fauci remarks on grim milestone of 500,000 dead from COVID-19.

Biden’s chief medical adviser discusses the staggering number of lives lost due to the pandemic and how the country will get its vaccine distribution back on track after weather delays.

I agree with Dr. Fauci. I would be very pleasantly surprised if the U.S. achieves herd immunity by April. I think we'll need to keep the rate of vaccinations up until everyone who wants the vaccine gets both doses. As I wrote last week, I expect that will take until the end of July.

USA Today has one more reaction, Pres. Joe Biden delivers remarks in memory of 500k lost to COVID-19.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris hold a moment of silence and candle lighting ceremony for the 500,000 Americans dead from COVID-19.
...
The U.S. once again crossed a somber COVID threshold much faster than any country in the world.

Less than a year after the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic, the U.S. recorded its 500,000th death Monday, according to the Johns Hopkins University dashboard. That’s more than twice the COVID-19 fatalities registered in Brazil, which ranks second on the list.

President Joe Biden will hold a moment of silence and a candle-lighting service Monday evening at the White House to mark the enormous loss of life.

The endless hours of toiling amid death and suffering have taken a heavy toll on health care workers, who are exhausted and frustrated with those who won’t follow public health guidelines aimed at curbing transmission of the virus.

I conclude with the moment of silence itself.

LaToya Ruby Frazier presents a creative solution to the Flint Water Crisis in her TED talk

It's been three months since I last blogged about the Flint Water Crisis on October 23, when I posted both Mona Hanna-Attisha recounts the Flint Water Crisis for CBS Sunday Morning and John Oliver on lead for National TV Talk Show Host Day, so it's time for me to update the story.  Fortunately, TED uploaded a video last month this is perfect for this purpose, A creative solution for the water crisis in Flint, Michigan | LaToya Ruby Frazier.

Artist LaToya Ruby Frazier spent five months living in Flint, Michigan, documenting the lives of those affected by the city's water crisis for her photo essay "Flint is Family." As the crisis dragged on, she realized it was going to take more than a series of photos to bring relief. In this inspiring, surprising talk, she shares the creative lengths she went to in order to bring free, clean water to the people of Flint.

I'm glad to see that Frazier's creative solution involves a technology that could be used elsewhere to solve water crises, including Cape Town, which I wrote about for World Water Day 2018.*  As someone who teaches teaches environmental economics, I believe in using appropriate and efficient technology to mitigate environmental impact.  The machine that filters water out of air is at least a creative technological solution that is appropriate to the task.  I hope it can be made efficient as well.

*Speaking of World Water Day, that would be a good opportunity to make good on my promise to "write about [the PBS 'Nova' episode] 'Poisoned Water'...in a future post" I repeated in CNN's 'Dirty Water: Danger from the Tap' on World Water Day.  Stay tuned.

My three favorite Israeli actresses for Purim 2018 (5778)

Happy Purim!  I promised my readers a celebration of Purim to round out February and I'll deliver, unlike last year.

I know I hinted twice that I would celebrate Purim on this blog, I've decided to skip it this year because today marks the sixth anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster.  That is an occasion much more on topic for the blog's themes, so today I observe an anniversary of DOOM instead of joy.*
...
*No, I won't observe it tomorrow, as that is the beginning of Daylight Saving Time.  I'll save it for next year, when it falls on the evening of February 28th -- perfect timing!

The holiday begins at sunset and even then, I knew I'd make this post at 7:00 P.M. E.S.T., just after local sunset at 6:22 P.M. E.S.T.
Nothing like the predictive power of science -- and a good calendar.

While there is a serious purpose behind Purim, celebrating Queen Esther saving the Jews from Haman's plot to destroy them, it is a joyous holiday with eating, drinking, costumes, and noisemaking.  In that spirit and because I'm in a Hollywood mood as much as a holiday one, I'm celebrating Purim by recognizing three Israeli actresses who give their fans joy while wearing costumes and pretending to be someone else.  Follow over the jump for them.

Beware the Ides of Trump!

Beware The Ides of March!  Today, I'm going to leave Rome behind and discuss politics from modern America, namely The Ides of Trump protest.  Snopes tells the story in ‘Ides of Trump’ Postcard Campaign Takes Aim at President’s Agenda.

Americans who oppose the policies of President Donald Trump plan to make their objections known on 15 March 2017 by flooding the White House with postcards in an event dubbed the “Ides of Trump” by organizers, who say they hope to see delivery of a million or more cards expressing disapproval of Trump and his agenda to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in the days following.

The name is a twist on the expression “Ides of March,” which most people probably know from its use in the Shakespeare play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, in which a soothsayer ominously warns the doomed title character to “beware the Ides of March” (although to the Romans the phrase only meant “the 15th of March”).
...
The Ides of Trump was the brainchild of two Californians, Zack Kushner of Berkeley and Ted Sullivan of Los Angeles, who it was inspired by the Women’s March and has received a [lot?] of interest, not just from Americans but from Netizens all over the world. “To be honest, we have no idea the number of people participating,” Sullivan said via e-mail. “This is a true grassroots movement.”

When asked what message they’re trying to send to Trump, Sullivan boiled it down to a four-word phrase: “The one message we’d hope to get across to him is ‘not on our watch.’

The Huffington Post also has an article on the Ides of Trump protest, along with images of many of the postcards being sent to The White House today.  Here is one of my favorites:


If I were participating, I'd send one saying "Fire Bannon."  I'll explain my reasons for that demand in a future entry.  Stay tuned.

Super Bowl drinks from Tipsy Bartender and others

Full-sized original and recipes here.
Yesterday, I promised "a special entertainment feature tomorrow for the Super Bowl."  It's time to follow through with an updated version of last year's Super Bowl drinks from Tipsy Bartender.

This year, Skyy posted only one recipe, Super Bowl Margarita Jungle Juice.

SUPER BOWL MARGARITA JUNGLE JUICE
5 Cups Tequila
1 1/2 Cups Grand Marnier
3 Cups Triple Sec
1 1/2 Cups Lime Juice
3 Cups Sweet & Sour
4L Mango Nectar
4 oz. (120ml) Blue Curaçao
Limes carved into footballs
Orange Slices
Strawberry Slices
*Bottle (750ml size)

For a couple months, Skyy had no Tipsy Girls in his video besides his girlfriend Emma.  It turned out he noticed that he was slowing down, as I had pointed out in Tipsy Bartender drinks for Thanksgiving 2016, and thought he should eliminate the girls so he could post more videos.  He was able to do that, but his viewers missed the girls.  They returned last week.  I'm glad he was able to find a balance.

Follow over the jump for more recipes.

Resist! Greenpeace unfurls a banner of encouragement

Yesterday, Greenpeace pulled a stunt that made me feel better after becoming despondent while writing Yesterday was a good day for pipelines, a bad one for environmentalists.  CNN has the story in Activists scale crane to protest Trump.

Protesters with the environmental organization Greenpeace hung a large banner from the crane that people could see from the White House lawn.

This action alone has made me a bigger fan of Greenpeace.  Resist!

Drinks for criminal clowns

For entertainment Sunday, I'm going to approach the ongoing creepy clown hysteria sideways instead of head-on by suggesting drink recipes honoring the most famous criminal clowns in modern pop culture, The Joker and Harley Quinn.*

I begin with my usual go-to for drink recipes, Tipsy Bartender, with their recipes for the Clown Prince of Crime and his Princess to mark the release of "Suicide Squad" earlier this year: Suicide Squad Shots.

Suicide Squad Shots....The Joker and Harley Quinn!
...
HARLEY QUINN SHOT
*Blue Layer:
Blue Curacao Syrup
Pina Colada

*White Layer:
Pina Colada Drink
Coconut Rum

*Pink Layer:
Pina Colada
Bubble Gum
White Rum
Strawberry Liqueur
Overproof Rum

Pink Sugar Rimmed Glass!

THE JOKER
*Green Layer:
Melon Liqueur
Coconut Rum

*White Layer:
Pina Colada Drink
Coconut Rum
Overproof Rum

Purple Sugar Rimmed Glass!

Skyy wasn't the only one thinking up drinks for these characters in this movie.**  Follow over the jump for more.

Full Strawberry Moon on Summer Solstice 2016

Happy Summer Solstice!  Enjoy this video about the celestial event!

Summer solstice 2016 is a once in a year event when you will find that days will be much longer as compared to the night or summer solstice will be the longest day of the year.  Solstice means stopping the sun so that it will attain a constant position but this event is wildly celebrated and welcomed by the people.  This year you will find the summer solstice 2016 on the 20th of June.

For more, read Brad Plumer's The summer solstice is Monday: 7 things to know about the longest day of the year on Vox.

The summer solstice is upon us: Monday, June 20, will be the longest day of 2016 for anyone living north of the equator. If pagan rituals are your thing, this is probably a big moment for you. If not, the solstice is still pretty neat. This year’s even includes a "strawberry moon," the first time that’s happened in 70 years.

Oh, yes, about that Strawberry Moon...

According to the Old Farmers’ Almanac, full moons in June were traditionally referred to as "strawberry moons" by Native Americans because that was the month strawberries were picked. In Europe, where strawberries aren’t native, full moons in June were known as "honey moons" or "full rose moons."

In 2016, the strawberry moon will happen to coincide with the summer solstice — the first time that’s happened in 70 years. This may strike you as a meaningless cosmic coincidence, but if you get a kick out of this stuff, the Slooh Observatory is hosting a strawberry moon viewing party.

First a full moon for Christmas and now this.  Cool.

For more full moon names, read The Wolf Moon, the first full moon of 2012, is tonight, which was the eighth most read entry of the first year of this blog.

'Star Trek' coins and stamps for the show's 50th anniversary

Yes, Canada has beaten the U.S. to the punch, at least with money.  Nerdist notes the irony of using "Star Trek" on money.

There may not be money in the United Federation of Planets, but there’s now legal Star Trek currency in Canada, courtesy of the Royal Canadian Mint. Although some of these financial arrangements sound like they were made by a Ferengi.

Via The Trek Collective, the Canadian Mint has announced its plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek by releasing a line of coins that can actually be used in financial transactions…if you were so inclined. Some of them are even reasonably priced. The $10 colored coins featuring Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and Scotty are only being sold for slightly over the face value, while the $20 silver coins featuring the Enterprise are being sold at face value.

Not only is Canada issuing coins, the country is also issuing stamps: Star Trek™ 50th anniversary – Canada Post Stamp Sightings.


The Canadians aren't having all the fun.  Follow over the jump for more.

'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' alignment charts and music for Star Wars Day

Happy Star Wars Day!  To celebrate this year's holiday, I'm following up on 'Star Wars' alignment charts with the above alignment chart from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."  If it looks familiar, it's because I used it as the second image in Alignment charts for the fifth year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News.  I'm an environmentalist; I recycle.

Follow over the jump for more takes on the alignments of characters from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens courtesy of Alignments in Fiction on Tumblr.

Theme for May 2016: SNAPSHOT

I've been using a snapshot label for the first two posts of this month without explanation.  BlogHer explains why in Give Us a Snapshot of Your Life with May's Writing Lab.

So what is the BlogHer Writing Lab theme this month?

SNAPSHOT
It's a busy time of the year. School is coming to a close, spring cleaning is underway, and brains are turning towards beach plans. So if you're taxed for time, you're going to love this month's theme.

Snapshots. You take them every day with your phone or camera. You capture moments in images. I'm not going to go into all the cliches about how pictures are worth a thousand words because you already know how much your photographs mean to you. All you need to do is take a quick perusal of Instagram to see how we connect over pictures.

I'm not primarily a photo blogger, although I just found out I have access to Google Photos and can post pictures from my smartphone there.  I might take advantage of that capability this month.  In the meantime, I'm more interested in statistical snapshots than photographic ones, so I'm as likely to post a graph or chart as I am an image.  As for the prompts, I'll pass.

So join the May BlogHer Writing Lab and give us a snapshot of your life.

I always do.

Tyrion Lannister ties Sanders and beats Clinton and Trump

Last December, I passed along the results of a poll in Obi-Wan Kenobi for President and Darth Vader beats Trump but not Clinton showing that Americans would prefer the fiction Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi over the real-life Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.  Last week, Survey Monkey released its own polls in advance of the season 6 premiere for "Game of Thrones."  The result?  More choose Tyrion Lannister for President over Hillary Clinton & Donald Trump.

Bernie Sanders and Tyrion Lannister neck-and-neck for President; Daenerys Targaryen beats Ted Cruz and Donald Trump

After a long and contentious primary season, we may finally have found someone who appeals to both Democrats and Republicans: Tyrion Lannister. We asked survey takers who they would prefer as President of the United States. Bernie Sanders and Tyrion Lannister were neck and neck, Hillary Clinton came in third, while Donald Trump was a distant fifth.

Only Bernie Sanders would have a chance against The Imp, while The Queen of Dragons would beat Donald Trump.  Now I wonder how Sanders would have fared against Yoda and Ben Kenobi.  Absent that poll, it's time to break out this campaign poster.

While Sanders and Trump supporters broke along expected liberal and conservative lines, Tyrion attracted support from across the political spectrum.

Oh, look, a uniter, not a divider!  As the meme I featured in Game of Thrones: 2012 Campaign Edition says about both Tyrion and Stephen Colbert:

Often underestimated as a joker.  Too cool for the job.  Would probably freakin' rock at it.

Despite the preference for fictional candidates over the real ones, Americans recognize our current system of government is preferable to that of the Seven Kingdoms.

But America still prefers the White House to the Iron Throne

Despite all the political frustration, 75% of respondents selected the United States as a better functioning government than the Seven Kingdoms. So while we may gripe about the government being broken and do-nothing Congress, things could be worse!

Yes, a democracy within a republic that channels handles its political conflict by the ballot instead of the bullet is better than a monarchy in the midst of civil war.  May we continue to keep it that way.

Enough of how the fictional characters from "Game of Thrones" would fare in our world.  For a silly examination of how this election's real candidates would fit into the Seven Kingdoms, I recommend Trump is coming and he's building a wall, which concludes with this picture worth 1000 words.


For a more serious discussion, read This professor determines which presidential candidates would be in Game of Thrones from Vox.  It agrees with the above picture that Trump would be a Lannister pretending to be a Baratheon.  So would Clinton on the Democratic side.


Americans may want a Lannister, but it looks like Tyrion won't be on the ballot this November.  Darn.

A big top drum corps maypole for May Day

Happy May Day and Blessed Beltane!  Once again, I'm putting my distinctive spin on the holiday by posting about drum corps maypoles.  This year, I stretch things a bit by showing a maypole being used as a proxy for a circus tent.  Take it away, 1981 Bridgemen!

The Bridgemen’s seventh-place production commenced with Julius Fucik’s “Thunder and Blazes,” written in 1897 and perhaps the most popular circus march ever. Originally titled “Grande Marche Chromatique” and often referred to as “Entry of the Gladiators,” the title “Thunder and Blazes” was given to the piece by Canadian composer Louis-Philippe Laurendeau in 1910 when he arranged it for wind band.

That was fun!

I could do this one more time, and that would be if I can find a video of the 1978 Santa Clara Vanguard dancing around the maypole.  I have a year to find it.  I can always hope someone will upload one.  Anyone, anyone, Bueller, anyone?

The Trumpenstein Munsters

When my wife said that "the torches and pitchforks came out for the Trumpenstein monster last night," my first response was to write The torches and pitchforks came out for Trump last night and call the incident "a Weimar moment" in my comment to Bull Run at Kunstler's blog.  That was a serious response that ignored the "Trumpenstein monster" part of my wife's remark.  Now for a silly one that puts that phrase front and center, The Republican Munsters.


For good measure, here's Ted Cruz as Grandpa, along with my favorite Republican as Eddie Munster, Paul Ryan.


Keep laughing, because it hurts too much to cry.

'Dump Trump' and 'Arrest Snyder' at the Detroit Republican Debate

I concluded Examiner.com article on Clinton and Kasich endorsements by writing "As for what's next, I'm feeling like writing about the protests outside the Fox Theatre last night instead of the debate itself."  That was my idea for an Examiner.com article, but the local media covered those relatively well.  Besides, I've found another polling story to write about (a fresh angle on Michigan polling?  Yes!)

I begin with WXYZ's Protestors at the Republican debate.  If it moves, it leads!

Protestors converged on the Fox Theatre for the Republican debate.

That certainly conveyed the atmosphere and emotion of the protests, but it almost entirely missed the substance.  For that, I turn to the Detroit Free Press, which reported Hundreds protest outside of GOP debate at Fox Theatre.

Hundreds of protesters waving signs and shouting through megaphones filled the street and blocked traffic Thursday evening ahead of the Republican presidential debate at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, demanding attention be paid to the Flint water crisis and civil rights issues.

Despite the blowing wind and snow, many shouted relentlessly "Flint Lives Matter," and held up brightly lit "arrest Gov. Snyder" signs. Others shouted phrases critical of Republican candidate Donald Trump, such as "Dump Trump," as people entered the Fox.
...
The protesters were from a variety of organizations, including the National Action Network (NAN) and the Fight for $15 organization, which is calling on candidates to support the fight for a $15 hourly wage and the right to form a union without interference. Hundreds of workers marched from Cass Park to the theater, playing drums and holding signs.
...
"There will be no American president that doesn't address the American tragedy that happened in Flint, Mich.," [Rev. Charles] Williams [President of NAN's Detroit Chapter] said. "None of these candidates have said nothing about Flint, Mich. What we're saying is what debate, what conversation can (candidates) have in Detroit or the state of Michigan that doesn't involve Flint? We're calling on Republicans to begin to move and make sure there are shovels in the ground and the people of Flint get safe drinking water immediately."
...
Jessica Spencer, 22, of Bloomfield Hills, said while she's not from Detroit, she felt compelled to come and protest.

"This is everyone's fight," she said, holding a "Say no to Trump" sign. "They're not doing enough. The Republicans need to hear what we're saying and that's that everyone deserves equal rights, good drinking water and  fair wage."

Trump wan't the only target of anger.  So was Governor Snyder.


Given what's been going on in Michigan with the the Flint water crisis, I'm not surprised.

Speculative fiction at the Critics' Choice Movie and Television Awards

Tonight, A&E hosts the Critics' Choice Awards for both movies and television. I've already written about three of the nominees for the movie awards, "The Big Short," "Spotlight," and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."  Now it's time to look at the rest of the nominations, particularly in speculative fiction, which comprises science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

It turns out that the most nominated movie is a work of science fiction, "Mad Max: Fury Road."  From the press release:

“Mad Max: Fury Road” leads this year with 13 nominations including Best Picture, Charlize Theron for both Best Actress and Best Actress In An Action Movie, Tom Hardy for Best Actor In An Action Movie, George Miller for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Visual Effects, Best Action Movie, and Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie.

What a lovely day!


How about the rest of the speculative fiction films being honored (bolding mine)?

“Carol,” “The Martian,” and “The Revenant” impressed with nine nominations each, all in the running for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography, among others. “Spotlight” earned eight nominations, followed by “The Big Short” with seven, and “The Hateful Eight” with six. “Bridge of Spies,” “Brooklyn,” “The Danish Girl,” “Jurassic World,” and “Sicario” each garnered five nominations and “Room” earned four.

Jennifer Lawrence is up for three awards, for her work in both “Joy” and “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2,” while Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron are both nominated for two acting awards.

In addition to "Mad Max: Fury Road," "The Martian," "Jurassic World," and "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2," "Ex Machina" has three nominations, while "It Follows" (the sole horror nominee), "Ant-Man," (the sole comic-book movie nominated), and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" each have one.  That's not a bad showing for speculative fiction, especially science fiction, at a movie awards show.

Both "Mad Max: Fury Road" and "The Martian" might do well, but not exceptionally so, in the mainstream awards, especially for directing, cinematography, editing, production design, and make-up, where they are in stiff competition with mainstream dramas, but it's the categories for genre films where the action (pun fully intended) will be tonight.  With no further ado, I present the nominees and my opinions of their chances, beginning with a mainstream category in which genre films predominate.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ex Machina
Jurassic World
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
The Walk

Four of the six nominees are science fiction films.  Of these, I'd root for "Mad Max: Fury Road" except that the really spectacular visuals are the results of stunt work, cinematograpy, and editing, not special effects.  For those, my pick right now is "Jurassic World."  That written, I wouldn't be surprised by any of these films winning, especially "Ex Machina."

Speaking of special effects, it's the subject of an award that has already been decided.

The “Critics’ Choice Genius Award” will be given to ILM in recognition of its 40 years of revolutionary moviemaking that changed entertainment forever. Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams will be on hand to present the honor. For four decades, ILM has set the standard for visual effects, creating some of the most stunning images in the history of film. At the forefront of the digital revolution, ILM continues to break new ground in visual effects. ILM has been awarded 15 Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, received 26 Scientific and Technical Achievement Awards, and was presented with the National Medal of Technology by the President of the United States in 2004. Founded in 1975 by George Lucas, ILM is the leading effects facility in the world, serving the motion picture, commercial production and attraction industries. ILM has created visual effects for over 250 feature films, including all seven Star Wars episodes, the Jurassic Park Franchise, the Harry Potter series, the Indiana Jones films, the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, Iron Man, Transformers, and The Martian.

Well deserved and it will make up for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" not getting any awards (trust me, it won't win Best Movie and it didn't get nominated for any other categories).

BEST ACTION MOVIE
Furious 7
Jurassic World
Mad Max: Fury Road
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Sicario

My favorite is "Mad Max: Fury Road" over "Jurassic World"--the former is both more clearly an action movie and a better film overall, but I would be disappointed if not surprised should the critics pick "Sicario," which is probably the best drama of the bunch.  As for "Furious 7," it may be all action, but it's mindless action, unlike "Mad Max: Fury Road," where the violence has intelligence behind it.  It should be happy with its People's Choice Award.

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Daniel Craig – Spectre
Tom Cruise – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Tom Hardy – Mad Max: Fury Road
Chris Pratt – Jurassic World
Paul Rudd – Ant-Man

Normally, I'd be rooting for Daniel Craig, but "SPECTRE" was a disappointment.  Instead, I'm hoping that Chris Pratt wins.  Tom Hardy is probably the better actor, but he wasn't even the star of his own movie; Charlize Theron was.  Speaking of whom...

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Emily Blunt – Sicario
Rebecca Ferguson – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Bryce Dallas Howard – Jurassic World
Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road

Charlize's only serious competition is likely to be Emily Blunt.  Jennifer Lawrence is a great actress, but the material in "The Hunger Games" series does not lend itself to outstanding performances.  On the other hand, she might repeat her Golden Globes win for her performance in "Joy" as a comedic actress.

BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE
Ex Machina
It Follows
Jurassic World
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian

Of this lot, it's a tight competition between "Mad Max: Fury Road" and "The Martian," although "Ex Machina" might sneak on past.  After all, it's the critics voting, not the movie-makers.  As for the field, I'd substitute "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" for "It Follows."  The latter is probably the best horror movie of the year, but it's not as good as the rest.

That completes my comments on the movies, but like the Golden Globes, I've been neglecting the TV shows.  Follow over the jump for those.

'Spotlight' gets the recognition it deserves from the awards shows

Kunstler opened Shining a Light with a summary of the movie "Spotlight."

The just-released movie Spotlight is about a Boston Globe investigative reporting team circa 2001-02 that uncovered and documented a vast network of child sex abuse by priests in the Catholic Church that had been on-going for decades. More to the point, Spotlight revealed the institutional rot at the very top of the Boston Catholic Church hierarchy, led by then-Cardinal Bernard Law — which marinated church personnel in a code of secret atrocious behavior enabled by systematic lying and deception. In effect, the church gave permission to its foot-soldiers, the parish priests, to engage in whatever sexual antics they wished to, with a tacit promise to shield them from the reach of the courts. The civil authorities of Boston, heavily Catholic due to Boston’s demographics, assisted the church by throwing up every legal obstacle they could to deter the victims and their advocates in the search for justice — and to put an end to the predation of children by priests.

That was the story that Spotlight told, and it did that very economically, without grandstanding.

That's about as positive a passage as Kunstler is likely to produce in response to any part of modern culture.  Of course it wouldn't last, as he used that to springboard into a diatribe against the current state of journalism.  That and my reaction to it, might be subjects for another time.  Since it's Entertainment Sunday, I'm concentrating on my comment on the movie itself.

As for our host's musings on "Spotlight," a Wall Street Journal critic ended his review of the James Bond flick "SPECTRE" by praising "Spotlight," saying it was a much better movie.  That didn't stop "SPECTRE" from becoming number one at the U.S. box office, staying there until "The Hunger Games" Mockingjay-Part 2" dethroned it.  Oh, well, no accounting for the taste of the movie-going public.  Maybe the voters for the awards shows will give "Spotlight" its due.

So far, they have.  Follow over the jump for the nominations the film has received so far.

Theme for January 2015: Balance

There is no more NaBloPoMo except in November, but there is still a BlogHer Writing Lab complete with themes.  So what's January's theme from the email?

January's Writing Lab Theme: BALANCE!
Balance. Do you have it in your life, or do you find that you give certain aspects of your day more than their fair share of time?

If you're struggling to keep balance in your life, this month's BlogHer Writing Lab theme will help you think about how you can use the beginning of the year to change the way you're living life.

Maybe you need to get a better balance between your online and offline time, set some boundaries between work and home, or simply give yourself permission to have a few guilty pleasures along with all the have-to-dos.

Or maybe you just need to kickstart your blog again. You can take or leave the monthly theme, and jump into writing challenges and thought questions.

The point is to get you writing: on your blog, on social media, in a book... anywhere you want to set down words. So let's get started with the January Theme.

Follow over the jump for the blurb from BlogHer's website.

Michigan marching bands parade in a new year

As the sign says, Happy New Year!  To usher in 2016, I'm returning to something that I mentioned at the end of Walled Lake Central Marching Band in Macy's Parade.

Plymouth-Canton's band has their own televised holiday event to look forward to; they're marching in the 2016 Rose Parade.  This is a good year for Michigan's top high school marching bands.

Here's the story from Hometown Life: PC marching band ready for Rose Bowl parade.

Plymouth-Canton Marching Band members – approximately 176 of them – and families had bumpy flights Sunday, but arrived in California to sun and warmer weather as they prepare to perform in the Tournament of Roses Parade Friday.
...
Band and booster members and parents have fundraised since the award-winning band was invited to perform in the Tournament of Roses Parade earlier this year. In the end, about $100,000 was raised to help defray the approximate $500,000 cost of sending the band, the members and equipment to Pasadena. The equipment was hauled by truck to Pasadena.

When the 126th Tournament of Roses Parade begins at 8 a.m., (west coast time) New Year’s Day, the Plymouth-Canton Marching Band will be in the 34th place in the procession. Band members are gearing up for the five-mile parade.
...
After their arrival in California Sunday, the band practiced and then were off to see the sights, including the Santa Monica Pier. “The kids are in good spirits,” [Chris] Zygmunt [president of the marching band boosters club] said.

On Wednesday, the marching band participated in a competitive band festival. The plan is also to perform at Disneyland.

The Tournament of Roses Parade this year sports the theme “Find Your Adventure.” So the band will perform the theme of the Back to the Future film, just as the parade makes a turn and heads toward the TV cameras. Back to the Future will also be in the band’s performance at Disneyland. But it will perform its 2015 show, “E.X.O.,” described as a musical journey into alien worlds, during the band festival.

Before I share video of the band festival, I'm sharing this clip of their performance at the Macy's Parade four years ago: Plymouth Canton Educational Park Marching Band Macy's Parade 2011.


I should be a good environmentalist and recycle that for Christmas! Now, Plymouth-Canton HS Marching Band at the 2016 Pasadena Bandfest

Plymouth-Canton High School Marching Band performing their musical selections at the 36th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Wednesday, December 30th 2015.

I'll post a video of the band at the Rose Parade proper in a couple of weeks. Should their Disneyland performance become available by then, I'll post it, too.

Follow over the jump for more Michigan marching bands in parades.

Examiner.com article on MSU science stories of 2015

MSU's top science stories in 2015 ranged from the global to the individual and comprised research and outreach in medicine, materials science, physics, science education, and biodiversity.

Medical research, physics, and materials science top MSU science stories of 2015

When most people think of Michigan State University this time of year, it is about the Spartans playing Alabama's Crimson Tide in the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day with the possibility of playing for the national championship afterwards.  But MSU has more to be proud of this year than football.  Michigan's Land Grant University produces a lot of research that yields practical results for residents of the Great Lakes State, the nation, and the world.

Following are the top ten science stores from MSU as chosen by Layne Cameron, Spartan Science Storyteller.  They comprise a diverse list ranging from human and animal medicine and materials science to biodiversity, physics, and science education. 

In addition to spanning a wide range of disciplines, the stories display the range of scales at which MSU research helps to improve the world.  The studies and results listed range from the global down to the local, even to the level of the individual student.

Details about each of the ten top stories at the link along with the slideshow Michigan State University's top science stories for 2015.  There is no video, but I could have included 2015 Year in Review - Michigan State University.

Take a look back at the top Michigan State University social media posts and comments of 2015.

I'll get around to posting a roundup of University of Michigan's top science stories--next year.  That's it for 2015!  I'll see my readers in 2016.