Darkest Hour (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes

Darkest Hour (2017): Good depiction of the free world on the brink. Great acting by Gary Oldman. Good history allows a new generation to see current events in a new light. Unexpected thought: could Donald Trump be our era's Winston Churchill? A-

OTBR: The New Virginia Avenue Tunnel

Latitude: N 38° 52.710
Longitude: W 076° 59.694
A child on a road trip with his family asks, "Where are we?" and the father answers, "Let's check the map. We're off the blue roads [the Interstate Highways marked in blue on the road atlas]. We're off the red roads [the US and state highways]. We're off the black roads [the county highways]. I think we're off the map altogether." It was always my dream to be off the map altogether.

After the jump, a few of the random places (and I mean random literally) that I visited vicariously (not actually) last month that are "off the blue roads".

Vote for Change

Have you ever noticed how education professionals (school boards, adminstrators, teachers, etc.) have historically taken a low profile on election day, but then caravan to Austin when the legislature opens? Have you thought like me that this is backwards? That laws and regulations and policies helpful to public education are decided in the voting booth, not afterwards? In these early days of 2018, I'm hopeful that this is changing.

Raw (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes

Raw (2017): French. Vegetarian gets a taste for meat in first year in vet school. Bloody. Violent. Lurid. But yet...you feel for our girl. It's not her fault. Worst. School. Ever. B-

Downsizing (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes

Downsizing (2017): Interesting concept bogged down by not-so-interesting treatment of global inequality, climate change, and threat of human extinction. Cut Matt Damon. Cut subplot with Christoph Waltz. Give Waltz the lead. Or Hong Chau, who steals the movie. C+

Idle Thoughts: Cognitive Dissonance

Idle thoughts from December, 2017:

• Dec 2 2017: Cognitive dissonance is being at Dickens on the Strand listening to youth band with 15 bagpipes playing Camptown Races.
• Dec 2 2017: Pete Sessions is pleased with a massive tax hike on the middle class to pay for a massive tax cut for the 1%. I look forward to voting him out in 2018.
• Dec 2 2017: RT @NumbersMuncher: "From a year ago, but point remains: Ted Cruz propped up Trump during the primaries because he desperately wanted Trump's supporters. Ted Cruz is the worst."
  Ted Cruz is the worst...and not just for his cynical support for Trump in the early 2016 primaries.
• Dec 2 2017: RT @TASBGR: "Behind Oklahoma, Texas Has Made Deepest Cuts To State Education Funding In Past Decade."
  Don't let Villalba or Button or even Koop claim to support education without complaining about this to high heaven.

After the jump, more idle thoughts.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017): "If they blow you up one day, you'll blow them up the next. It's just business." The gist of any Star Wars movie, including this one. With jokes, the gap between Star Wars and Spaceballs lessens with each movie. C-

POTD: Street Musicians in Galveston

From 2017 12 01 Galveston

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the Strand in Galveston, Texas, site of the annual Dickens on the Strand festival. Child labor laws may have been non-existent in Dickens's day, but even in our own day, after listening to these street urchins perform for tips, all I can say is, "Please, sir, I want some more."

The Sense of An Ending (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Sense of An Ending (2017): Discovery of old diary forces man to investigate and confront his repressed memories. Wrongs were done, but just what were they? A touch of mystery to this watchable quiet character study. B-

Compare with the book, reviewed here in 2012.

POTD: Santa Rests

From 2017 12 01 Galveston

God Rest You Merry, Santa Claus. Today's photo-of-the-day is from a curb along the Strand in Galveston, Texas. Although this photo was taken in early December, it seems appropriate for the day after Christmas. After a busy day delivering presents, Santa deserves a vacation somewhere it's warm, right? Maybe even give him a beer.