1,027 thoughts on “A Grand

  1. I’m never quite sure how I feel about tax refunds. On the one hand, it’s nice to get a chunk of money once a year. However, it also means too much tax is being taking from our pay cheques so, if a little less was taken from our pay cheques, we’d have that money to spend right now instead of waiting a year.
    It’s a conundrum.

  2. I love it when Scientists get pissy with one another.
    According to an article in a recent Scientific American –
    Apparently there has been a battle between those who say the “randomized controlled trial” (in which a random sorting leads to only some subjects getting the real intervention being tested) is the ONLY true way to prove effectiveness VS. those who say that you don’t need RCT to make reasonable conclusions about certain effects of certain actions.
    To back up their point of view, in 2003 supporters of the later group published a paper in the British Medical Journal entitled, “Parachute Use to Prevent Death and Major Trauma Related to Gravitational Challenge: Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials.”
    In which they said results of parachute use was CLEARLY observable and the paper went on to suggest “We think that everyone might benefit if the most radical protagonists of evidence based medicine should organize and participated in a double blind, randomized, placebo controlled, crossover trial of the parachute.”

    OOOOoooooooo! Major NERD BURN there!

    Not to be outdone though (because NERDS), proponents of RCT from Harvard, the University of Michigan and U.C.L.A. joined with skydivers to publish a paper where they did JUST THAT!

    “The team enlisted and randomized 23 volunteers. Twelve participants wore parachutes while the other 11 donned backpacks that contained no parachutes. All 23 leapt from either a plane or a helicopter. The jumpers were assessed shortly after hitting the ground for death or major trauma, and most were reevaluated 30 days later.”

    HA! Take that!!! Wait … what!?!
    https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/volunteers-jumped-with-or-without-a-parachute-to-gauge-its-effectiveness/

  3. This would only make sense if you’ve read “Gotham Academy” but now I can imagine Maps from Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs being sung by Olive.

    • Around here that would be a lazy man’s “Nacho’s”. Only it is usually made with Tostedos (or similur pre-packaged chip) covered in cheese and heated in anything from a toaster oven to a microwave oven. What ever is convenant.

  4. It’s snowing. I have to go into town today. I’m trying to decide if I want to cancel my appointments in favour of not going out on the roads

      • Am I still allowed to like the music of MJ ?
        I was never an MJ “fan”. It was/is not him I liked (or really cared anything about one way or another), it was some of his music.
        So am I still allowed to like the music if it turns out he was a monster?

        He’s dead so it’s not like he’s benefiting in any way from me listening to one of his tunes. Any MJ music I liked enough to buy was bought years ago and even before the latest allegations I was never likely to spend money on anything else MJ related.
        The tunes I like don’t push any agendas or take any political stances. If someone who had been born yesterday and had no idea who he was heard one of his tunes and didn’t know the name of the artist … would it be ok if THAT person liked it?
        I am conflicted.

        • I fully believe in separating art from artist. I love the Roman Polanski movies I’ve seen, but he’s an unrepentant monster.

          I haven’t seen Leaving Neverland, but I think those questions ahave lingered around him for decades now.

  5. So The new Spiderman film is subtitled Far from Home.

    So we have an English guy playing an American in a film set partly in England, so he’s actually not that far from home.

    That some fucked up shit right there…

  6. After 11 years of movies led by male heroes, with only 2 female hero characters I can think of, only 1 with actual powers, I really feel like Marvel are cramming their leftist agenda down our throats with Captain Marvel.

    (In the theater now!)

  7. Just came out of theatre. Film had too many strong female characters and too many people of color also on strong leads. When will the left stop this male white privilege bashing??!!!!

    (I enjoyed Captain Marvel!!!! That is all.)

  8. So there were Charmed reruns on the TV during the 30 seconds I was in the break room with no sound or subtitles and I think it might be my favorite show of all time thank you.

  9. I think tomorrow will be a good day for a pbp.
    If anybody has suggestions on how they want it done, I may be open to that.

  10. Finished Umbrella Academy on Netflix. I only read the first 6 of the comics, which is basically covered in the miniseries.

    Lotta differences. I enjoyed a lot of things about the show, but there were a few characters and one big subplot that I kinda hated. Overall good though! Was season 2 confirmed?

  11. Crap joke for the day;

    A man goes into the pub with a newt on his shoulder.
    “What do you call him?” asks the barman.
    “Tiny” answers the man.
    “Why Tiny? the barman responds.
    “Because he’s my-newt”, says the man.

  12. Moning Pan

    We too watched and enjoyed umbrella academy. There better be a second season since they didn’t really finish anything in the first.

  13. Alright, I’m back in the house. So, I expect much more tomfoolery and carrying-on around here. Y’all have been slacking.

    Florida was fun with my daughter’s band group. Another one of those “lasts” that I’m going through this year with her.

  14. Van!!!!! I am so deeply sorry to hear this, as I was hoping for a different outcome.

    We are all with you in spirit. Big hug!

  15. Ok Pan, it’s movie time

    Today’s movie is First Born
    A young couple fights supernatural foes in an attempt to save their daughter from the dark and mysterious forces that follow her every move

    Animal poetry?

  16. Well Im glad
    To hear of an owl being eaten vs a human eating another human

    (Did ai follow the interpretation correctly)

    Well done DJ Bunny on this PBP Animal style.

    Mmmmmmmm, animal fries

  17. So here I am, a middle-aged man sitting alone in the bleachers while the girls skate, and I realize my fly is open.

    How do I fix this without approaching Aqualung levels of creepy?

  18. *Not directed at anyone here, but I just need to say it in a public place:

    OMG, you fucking failed hipster, you were posting fake-deep bullshit recently about how you’re so tired of the Marvel movies, while rattling off your faux-film-school snob list of lamentations for the state of modern cinema because of the Marvel movies, replete with some lip service nonsense about storytelling – – but now you’re professing love for the Captain Marvel movie? Get over yourself, you pretentious dimwit.

  19. Morning Pan
    It was a busy weekend so didn’t go shopping. Will have to sneak out later this morning to fill my larder.

        • Actually, what I did find interesting, to prove their theory, some did scientific experiments. The idea being, if a happened, the earth was flat, if b happened, the earth is round. In the experiments, b happened, showing the earth was round. In each case, instead of accepting the findings, they would find some way to brush it off as flawed and change the parameters. Thus showing they were less interested in using the scientific method, than in looking for confirmation biases

          • It’s on my watchlist. I’ve encountered a couple of “flat earthers” on Quora. They make a big deal about how fast the Earth is spinning at “1000 MILES PER HOUR!!!!!” Lots of all caps and exclamation points, trying for an emotional response. I always tell them to look at the hour hand of an analog clock. It’s “spinning” at twice the rate of the Earth.

  20. Crap joke for the day:

    This man is in the hospital for a series of tests. One of the last test has left his system upset. Upon making several false alarms to the bathroom he decided the latest was another. He completely filled his bed up with human waste and was embarrassed beyond anything he could possibly
    face. Losing his presence of mind, he jumped up, gathered up the bed sheets, and threw them out the hospital window. A drunk was walking by the hospital when the sheets landed on him. He started yelling, cussing and swinging his arms which drew the attention of the security guard.The security guard ask:”What’s going on?” To which the drunk replied: “I just beat the shit out of a ghost.”

  21. I had dinner with Mark Forman, the Brooklyn Bluesman in town from Taiwan.

    Dude hasn’t aged a bit. Still the same wisecracker from 2006.

    • I believe we have the weekend and destination finalized.

      I think we still need to figure out hotels/Air-BnB/etc.

      While I always encourage most discussions here instead of FB, that Facebook page is probably the best place to hammer out those details.

  22. I cleaned the washrooms.
    The tub was rather dusty.
    This just shows hubby and I are shower people more than bath people

  23. Just got back from a long walk. I’m glad the weather is nice again, even if it’s temporary. (they are predicting snow this weekend)

  24. Crap joke for the day:

    A Russian spy, a sexual predator and a fake billionaire walk into a bar.

    The bartender says:
    What can I get you, Mr. president??

    • At this moment it sounds as if we will never know what the findings were.
      He has packed the Supreme Court with his sycophants, the Republican controlled Senate has abdicated it’s authority and power to him.
      Our system of democratic government based on three equal, INDEPENDANT branches of government providing checks and balances on one another has by all appearances, fallen.
      It’s not clear that the house can restore “checks and balances” to the legislative branch by itself.

      So … yeh.

  25. U.S. Treasury Department: “We are announcing tougher sanctions on North Korea and the regime of Kim Jong Un.”

    Asshole assuming the current role of President: “Um. No umkay? I’m gonna, like, rescind them bigly”

    U.S Treasury Department: Blank stare. Slow turn around. Walks away

    • Right wing sheep: “It’s the art of the deal you stupid Libtards. He has a plan and he’s executing it to perfection. He CAN’T tell you what it is cause you Tardlibs will put it on the front of the NYT and ruin it!”*

      *paraphrased from actual comments

      • A year ago I read a quote that said the “Adults” in the Republican Party wouldn’t stand up against trump until he had done something so damaging to the country that it simply couldn’t be undone.
        At the time, even I thought that was a bit hyperbolic. Now I see it was an underestimation of what it would take to find those “adults”.

  26. Since we are playing billiards, I read the following summary this morning.
    +++
    Justice Department policy is that the department does not indict a sitting executive.
    Justice Department policy is that the department does not reveal any “derogatory information” about someone not under indictment.
    The two things together would seem to guarantee that a report following all department guidelines would filter out all mention of Trump.

  27. In other news … I am spending quality time with my daughter. Which in this case means I am sitting at a table in a shopping mall in Denver while she, her room mate and her mother shop for under garments … or yoga stuff … or something.

  28. I can’t even tell you how fast I flew through Love, Death, and Robots. There is some great great stuff in there. Highly recommended

  29. The whole family went to see Amaluna under the Big Top today.

    Cirque always brings it! It was a fun show and Hollygirl made it, actually watched it, about 95% of the show before she got antsy enough to have to get down and walk.

  30. Crap joke for the day:

    Schick is walking down the boardwalk in Atlantic City, runs into a hooker,and he says, “How much?”She says, “Twenty bucks.”…He says, “All right.”They climb down under the boardwalk, and he bangs her. The next night, he runs into the same hooker, they go under the boardwalk, only this time while he’s banging her, she blasts two incredible farts. When they get done, he hands her twenty-FIVE dollars.She says, “What the extra five?”…He says, “That’s for blowing the sand off my balls.”

  31. With the wifi outage at home tonight, it is Star Trek (2009) on DVD for this pixie at bedtime.

    Ahhhh an oldie but a goodie

    :goodnight light flares:

    • This makes me sad.
      I have always enjoyed his stuff.
      The (English) Beat and General Public were among the bands whose music I never owned but every time I heard their music it got me really pumped.

    • Interesting article. Basically, it is a breakdown of how senses can share information to create a richer cognitive reality. What is missing, and the article admits this as well, is that is a model of how information is processed, but not for how information is experienced. In other words, we could make a computer react in a human way to stimulus, but we still don’t know how to make the computer “experience” the stimulus.

  32. Nothing like discovering a bug in a game that the developer has not bothered to fix in any release of the game on various systems.

    Looking at you Bomber Crew team

  33. Look I know this is hockey deep cuts, but low seeded American International University beating #1 St. Cloud State in the first round of the NCAA tourney is astounding. It was the first tourney game in their history

  34. Hey KC Pannites!

    Are any of you attending the Panet Comic Con tbis weekens? If you are, HMU.

    MY FAVORITE ARTIST HAS A BOOTH THERE.

    • The NHL hockey games on the Sega Genesis were a big deal. PRobably haven’t aged all that well, but they changed everything.

      Other than that – – Master of Monsters had my all-time favorite video game music.

  35. Ah their farmers market. Where customer service ranges from aggressive sales pitch for a $12 jar of something to cranky indifference.

  36. So Netflix’s “The Dirt” movie about Motley Crue is fun. It focuses more on the drama and debauchery than the music – – but then, I suppose it is called “The Dirt,” and not “A Thoughtful Contemplation on the Deeper Meaning of ‘Girl Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away).'”

  37. Aquaman is a bad, bad movie. Not enjoyable dumb cheese like Venom. Just a crap movie. There are occasional cool images that make no sense, but it’s just awful. I’m not sure if it’s worse than Suicide Squad, but it’s easily worse than any other DC flick.

    The score literally goes “Dun dun dunnnnn” for the bad guy when he says or does evil shit. And he looks like Eminem.

    Every one-on-one fight is Tekken.

    I get that Jason Momoa is pretty, but this guy has no business in any leading role.

    • I’m so glad that I don’t seem alone in my opinion of Aquaman then. The special effects were atrocious and I had to stop the film and laugh for about 5 minutes straight when I saw the octopus playing drums. I get that it was an easter egg for a comic book character, but it was still too stupid to exist in the movie.

    • On the other side of the coin (if you haven’t seen it):
      I’ve somehow gotten a reputation for being a cranky movie critic. And Matt Zoller Seitz, who left AVClub to be chief hipster at rogerebert.com, called it revolutionary, and talked about how progressive it is with its male and female roles – – and even cited scenes where they talked it out instead of fighting. . . . I have no idea how he saw that in this turd. I think he was watching an old episode of the Superfriends cartoon and got confused.

    • People loved it and it made a shit ton of money. The sequel is in the works. Expect much much more in the future of your favorite underwater hero…

  38. Morning Pan
    Hubby still has some time off. Me, I’m putting in a bit of work today. Then tomorrow, it’s off to the zoo.

  39. Hott punk show tonite with Essbee… Laura Jane Grace and the Devouring Mothers. Small club! Early show for us oldies! Doin’ it up!!!

    • I’d posted this before finishing it – – but I must come back and say, wow. This article really nails it. Required reading.

  40. So watched the first episode of the new Twlight Zone.

    Yeah, nicely done but rather predicatble and left me with an overwhelming feel of ‘well it was ok’.

    • The original is one of the most brilliant TV shows of all time, but even that run had plenty of dud episodes.

      Many attempts have been made to recreate that template in the years since, including a couple of actual Twilight Zone reboots. Many were pretty good, but none were major successes (Tales from the Crypt? Black Mirror?).

      I hope Jordan Peele figures out how to really make this blow up.

  41. I just learned that Matt Mango’s brother* wants to use one of our old songs, “The Land of Broken Hearts,” in his wedding. Which just tickles me to no end.

    The only problem is that all of the wedding guests will surely be distracted by the amazing lead guitar melody, and won’t be able to focus on anything else.

    *actual brother or from another mother wasn’t specified.

  42. My Boo is on holidays in Japan right now. Judging by the pictures she’s posting, she’s having way too much fun. I might be a little jealous

  43. Well, hubby and I just had an interesting event.

    We were going to get hubby’s new glasses. Suddenly, a vehicle, going the other direction, crosses three lanes of highway in front of us, goes into the ditch, rolls his vehicle, and ends up upside down in water. While we called 911, he had to be pulled from the vehicle, and then, because he was unresponsive, first aid had to be administered until EMS arrived. EMS managed to revive him, although he was still unconscious when they loaded him up in the ambulance.
    Hubby and I had to stick around and give police statements.
    We figure he was in distress before he crossed the highway because he didn’t even slow down all the way to the ditch.
    It could have actually been a lot worse. He did cross three lanes of highway at 110k, and didn’t hit any other vehicles on the way.

    We went to get glasses and ended up having an adventure. Let’s never do that again.

  44. Morning Pan
    We didn’t make it to the zoo on Tuesday so we are going this morning instead. We are also picking up my new glasses on the way home. Hubby and I agree, getting my glasses better be less interesting than getting his was yesterday.

    • I get that the article is tongue in cheek, but Ross is the hero of “Friends”, the rest of the cast are antagonists. That would explain the conflicts. The advice at the end is spot on though.

  45. Ima jinx it but I finally finally finally get to see Ghost in Sep. Would have rather seen em a few years ago in a small venue but Ill take it

    #satanytheatricalmetal

    • That was indeed a long read. There is a lot of online hate for EA lately and I can’t say it isn’t undeserved. I’m not as likely to throw money at an unproven game anymore, I wait until there is enough user feedback to know it isn’t a turd. But I feel for the makers of video games. The process keeps getting more complex and corporate meddling just removes the heart of what could be really good compelling games. My hope is that in the future, A.I. will be able to assist in the art asset and programming issues. Then there won’t be so much heavy lifting to change ideas or mock out interesting ones for testing. I’ve never played any Dragon Age games beyond the first one. I wonder if there are any PS4 remasters.

  46. I learned on a stick and it was a lot of fun and my old 1993 Ford Probe was a blast for fast drives, but not so much for the stop and go of a daily commute.

    • I drive a stick shift like a boss …if I do say so myself 😀
      It is hard on the legs in bumper to bumper commuter traffic though.

    • I grew up on stick shift and kept stick shift into the mid 2000’s. I love driving stick; except in So Cal.
      That sucked.

      I now have driven automatics for nearly 15 years. wowza.

      Once Sophie starts driving, I wish for her to practice on stick shift. But, I don’t think it will happen.

    • I drove a stick for a few months. I would compare that skill to my computer use skills. I can do it better than many people my age. But I wouldn’t say in any way shape or form that I can do it well.

  47. Ugh. I was just sitting down for a little snack; but then….

    The house is clean, the baby is napping and this Pixie wants to snack while watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 5. (It’s best season.)

    I grabbed my Fritos Bean dip and bag of organic corn chips from Teader Joes. (Their version of Fritos.) took out the first chip, dipped it, and brought it to my awaiting mouth. To my surprise… a spicy, citrus-y taste. Not bad, just unexpected. I look at the Bean dip label – not hot bean dip. (Phew)

    Look at the corn chips bag and there it is:

    Trader Joes Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers
    with a Mexican-style Street Corn flavored seasoning.

    Meh. I wish it was just plain Fritos.

  48. As it turns out, April 5 is the grim anniversary of the deaths of both Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley.

    Cobain was 25 years ago today. I remember where I was when I heard.

    • I remember where I was when I heard both. I completely forgot it was on the same day. Layne was just a month-ish after my daughter, who I named after him, was born.

  49. So today I learned I’m not going to get chucked out of the house.

    So that was a thing.

    So here’s a crap joke:

    What’s the difference between a Genealogist and a Gynecologist?

    A Genealogist looks up your family tree, and a Gynecologist looks up your
    family bush.

    • I’ll be listening to this later for sure. Seems like there are a lot of “nu-metal” fans that aren’t happy about this review in the comments.

  50. I have to have some tests in a couple of weeks. As part of the tests, I have to be off my meds for the next two weeks. Let’s see how well that works.

  51. Trending in my Twitter feed.

    Ruin a movie by adding “in the ass” the the movie title.

    My contribution: “Strange Creatures and Where to Find Them”

  52. I see this is taking on a life of it’s own, so

    “The Search for Spock”
    “The Empire Strikes Back”
    “Iron Man”
    and, of course
    “Rogue One”

    • I have failed to put forth the hockey playoff predictions for this year. I don’t even know.

      San Jose in the West, Pittsburgh in the East.

      • I admit, I haven’t been following hockey much this year. I’d have to look it up to see who else is playing besides Calgary and Colorado

        • It’s not gonna be much of a battle. Your team is amazing this year. My team went int a giant fuck mid-year and never recovered

  53. Morning Pan

    I was suppose to have breakfast with the boss today but we had enough snow that the highway between here and Calgary are rather slick. RCMP have said, if you don’t have to travel the highway, don’t, so I won’t.

    • I don’t think this cocksore really made the product less great as it really is all Kevin Feige dotting the T’s and crossing the I’s. Still tho it sucks having this guy as chairman. What a fuckstick

    • It’s early yet.
      Not an uncommon business model. Suck you in with an introductory price. Then a year or so from now, jack up prices hoping that once they “have you” you will be too lazy (or addicted) to walk away.

    • While Apple TV isn’t even going to get a look from me, if I have to be honest about it, between Disney and Netflix – I’d probably drop Netflix and pick up Disney. I’m honestly trying to remember the last time I actually watched something on Netflix streaming. Since “House of Cards” collapse like, well a house of cards in its final season, I can’t think of anything that Netflix is producing anymore. Which, given their focus on original content, is not a good sign.

      • Hmm, just went browsing Netflix. Certainly “A Series of Unfortunate Events” was magnificent – but finished. “The Crown” was fantastic in its first two seasons, but I’m less enthusiastic that they’ll be able to keep the momentum going with a whole new cast with the time jump.

        • Most of my series streaming is done on Amazon. But this week I’ve actually watched two films on Netflix. Earlier I watched “Train to Busan” (Korean zombie flick.) which was pretty good and then last night I watched ”In Bruges” (a British gangster film of sorts. It too was good.
          … but yeah. More streaming services? Maybe not.

    • Yeah, I’m not sure what the haters were expecting of a movie about giant robots fighting. I’m not saying it’s high-quality cinema, but it’s enjoyable dumb fun. As opposed to dumb dumb not-all-that fun. *cough Aquaman*.

      PR2 is definitely better than any Transformers movie I’ve seen.

      • Sorry. I hated it. If I wanted to watch Power Rangers, I’d watch it. They took everything I found fun in the original movie, and threw it out, to make some stupid slap-stick crap around teen robot jocks. Why even call it Pacific Rim at that point?

        • I don’t disagree with a word of your criticism. And your brilliant “Robot Jox” reference scores 10 million points for your house.

  54. All respect to Van, Ep 1 of the new Twilight Zone was fucking exquisite. Kumail Nanjiani was terrific. Really excited for this reboot.

    • As I said on FB, I loved loved loved all four volumes of his Book of the New Sun. Sad news indeed. In fairness, though, I tried to move on to the followup book, but couldn’t get into it.

      Also, with no disrespect meant to the dead, when I first met the Slice of Sci-Fi guys, they told me he was cranky and pretty unpleasant to interview.

      Anyway, I can’t recommend “Shadow of the Torturer” strongly enough. RIP

  55. “…when I first met the Slice of Sci-Fi guys, they told me he was cranky and pretty unpleasant to interview”.

    I mean….