Tag Archives: captain

The Unexpected Universe – Loren Eiseley & William Cronon

READ GREEN WITH E-BOOKS

The Unexpected Universe

A Library of America eBook Classic

Loren Eiseley & William Cronon

Genre: Science & Nature

Price: $8.99

Publish Date: November 15, 2016

Publisher: Library of America

Seller: Penguin Random House LLC


“No one has ever managed to make the pursuit of knowledge feel more soulful or more immediate than Loren Eiseley . . . ” —Ben Cosgrove,  The Daily Beast   At the height of a distinguished career as a paleontologist, Loren Eiseley turned from fieldwork and scientific publication to the personal essay. Here, in  The Unexpected Universe , he displays his far-reaching knowledge and searching curiosity about the natural world, and the qualities that led many to hail him as a “modern Thoreau.” Fascinating accounts of the journeys of Odysseus, Captain Cook, and Charles Darwin frame Eiseley’s more modest wanderings as a suburban naturalist, attentive to the lives of small creatures. Sometimes he travels no further than the local dump. And yet, like Homer’s hero or these great explorers, he continually finds a universe “not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose.”

Originally from:

The Unexpected Universe – Loren Eiseley & William Cronon

Posted in alo, Anchor, FF, GE, LAI, LG, Library of America, ONA, oven, PUR, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Unexpected Universe – Loren Eiseley & William Cronon

Into the Storm – Tristram Korten

READ GREEN WITH E-BOOKS

Into the Storm

Two Ships, a Deadly Hurricane, and an Epic Battle for Survival

Tristram Korten

Genre: Nature

Price: $1.99

Publish Date: April 24, 2018

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Seller: Penguin Random House LLC


“An intense, immersive deep dive into a wild, dangerous, and unknown world, written with the pace and appeal of a great thriller. This is nonfiction at its very best.”—Lee Child The true story of two doomed ships and a daring search-and-rescue operation that shines a light on the elite Coast Guard swimmers trained for the most dangerous ocean missions In late September 2015, Hurricane Joaquin swept past the Bahamas and swallowed a pair of cargo vessels in its destructive path: El Faro , a 790-foot American behemoth with a crew of thirty-three, and the Minouche , a 230-foot freighter with a dozen sailors aboard. From the parallel stories of these ships and their final journeys, Tristram Korten weaves a remarkable tale of two veteran sea captains from very different worlds, the harrowing ordeals of their desperate crews, and the Coast Guard’s extraordinary battle against a storm that defied prediction. When the Coast Guard received word from Captain Renelo Gelera that the Minouche was taking on water on the night of October 1, the servicemen on duty helicoptered through Joaquin to the sinking ship. Rescue swimmer Ben Cournia dropped into the sea—in the middle of a raging tropical cyclone, in the dark—and churned through the monstrous swells, loading survivors into a rescue basket dangling from the helicopter as its pilot struggled against the tempest. With pulsating narrative skill in the tradition of Sebastian Junger and Jon Krakauer, Korten recounts the heroic efforts by Cournia and his fellow guardsmen to haul the Minouche’ s crew to safety. Tragically, things would not go as well for Captain Michael Davidson and El Faro . Despite exhaustive searching by her would-be rescuers, the loss of the vessel became the largest U.S. maritime disaster in decades. As Korten narrates the ships’ fates, with insights drawn from insider access to crew members, Coast Guard teams, and their families, he delivers a moving and propulsive story of men in peril, the international brotherhood of mariners, and the breathtaking power of nature. Praise for Into the Storm “The story [Tristram] Korten tells is impressively multifaceted, exploring everything from timely issues such as climate change to timeless themes such as man’s struggle against the ocean’s fury.” — Miami New Times “ Into the Storm  reads like more than just the chronicle of one maritime disaster—and may be a warning claxon against the possibility of more such disasters coming this hurricane season.” — Open Letters Review

Read this article: 

Into the Storm – Tristram Korten

Posted in alo, Anchor, FF, GE, ONA, PUR, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Into the Storm – Tristram Korten

Is Sustainable Fishing Really Possible Right Now?

Conventionally, the term “sustainable fishing” implies a harvesting model by which fish are captured at a sustainable rate ? i.e. one where?the fish population does not notably decline over time due to?overfishing.

Unfortunately, wild fisheries are believed to have peaked and begun their decline ? some would argue an irreversible one. So where does that leave us? Is sustainable fishing really a possibility in 2018? Let’s take a look.

What makes a fishery?”sustainable”?

The goal of a sustainable fishery is to guarantee long term constant yield ? a.k.a. fishing at a level that still allows nature to adjust to its “new normal,” without compromising future stock.

Sustainable fisheries study the population dynamics of fishing, employ individual fishing quotas, and work to curtail destructive fishing practices by lobbying for better policies and setting up protected areas ? the goal, of course, being to maintain healthy habitats, as well as healthy gene pools, and to avoid depleting?fish populations in general.

That said, whether this is enough to ensure?sustainable?harvesting is a really?touchy subject. Keep reading to see?what the research has to say!

Isn’t there plenty of fish to go around?

There really isn’t ? at least, not anymore. Overfishing,?while?considered economically foolish, is not typically considered?unsustainable,?provided that rebuilding the population afterwards would?take no more than a single generation. Unfortunately, it seems that we’ve been overfishing for too long.

Overfishing precedes severe stock depletion and fishery collapse.?Today, more than 80 percent of fish species are either fully exploited, overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. If we do not halt overfishing, it’s predicted that the stocks of all species currently commercially fished will collapse by 2048. That’s just around the corner.

What about farmed fish. Aren’t they immune to overfishing?

Unfortunately, no. Farmed fish are fed products from wild fish (also called forage fish, prey fish or bait fish), populations of which?are also threatened. Simultaneously, fish that occupy higher trophic levels ??salmon, for example ? are carnivorous and require high protein diets to sustain growth throughout the entire lifecycle, making them very inefficient sources of food energy.

This dependence of salmon farming, for example, on the availability of high-quality proteins such as fishmeal and?fish oil is already having negative effects on wild fish stocks. There’s only so much food to go around.

Is overfishing an isolated problem?

Nope. First, as with most environmental issues, overfishing has the potential to drastically alter the balance of our global ecosystem. Experts?are concerned that heavy?fishing, and the resulting loss of marine diversity, may result in a serious erosion of resilience to environmental fluctuations and, ultimately, an inability to recover former levels of productivity. At some point, the ecosystem just can’t take it any more.

Second, overfishing is happening in the context of climate change?and global warming. Rising ocean temperatures, ocean pollution, and ocean acidification are radically altering marine ecosystems (75 percent of the world’s key fishing grounds are affected), while rising sea levels, changing rainfall patterns, and increased drought are putting inland fisheries at risk. No fishery is immune.

Third, overfishing?is beginning to stir up social unrest. With fish supplies declining?all over the world, fisherman are traveling farther and farther to maintain their livelihoods. Frequently, fishermen are forced?to cross over into competitor territory, creating both social and political conflict.

While the geopolitical impact is being felt most strongly in Southeast Asia, mainly the South China Sea, tensions between Mexico and Florida, as well as?Russia and those fishing?in the Bering Sea are growing. If overfishing continues, you can expect international conflict?to grow with it.

What?can I do about it?

As Captain Paul Watson says, there’s no such thing as sustainable seafood in a dying ocean. “If the oceans die, we die.” If you want to protect marine wildlife and prevent the negative affects of overfishing, lowering?your seafood consumption?is the best thing you can do.

You can also make a difference by becoming more informed on issues of overfishing. Many people are still unaware of the consequences of overfishing. Fortunately, you are not!


Does overfishing worry you? ?What are you going to do about it?

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Read article here: 

Is Sustainable Fishing Really Possible Right Now?

Posted in alo, aquaculture, bigo, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, PUR, Ultima, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Is Sustainable Fishing Really Possible Right Now?

The 3 Holiday Plants That Clean the Air

Shares

You don’t have to have a green thumb — or be vegan — to delight in the presence of plants. Gardening and food consumption aside, household plants are pretty miraculous to have around due to their numerous superpowers. And what better time to take advantage than during the holidays, when we could all use as many superpowers as possible.

Health Benefits of Plants

Most of us realize the pluses of incorporating greenery in our indoor environments, including 20 percent less dust, according to a study by Washington State University. Besides magical fairy dusting and beautification of a space, plants can absorb up to 10 percent of carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into the air we breathe. Plants even reduce stress and boost morale when placed in offices, simultaneously reducing airborne bacteria.

Plants Improve Indoor Air Quality

What many people are unaware of is the fact that certain plants do all of the above while also removing toxic gases and chemical vapors commonly found in our indoor environments, according to studies by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Green building today is great for energy efficiency, but it’s not always so great for our health. In 1973, NASA realized that indoor air pollution in tightly sealed structures could present health-related problems. The Clean Air Study, led by Dr. B.C. Wolverton in conjunction with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, discovered the miraculous benefits of 50 houseplants (three of them being holiday plants) that are exceptional little air scrubbers. These must be potted plants in soil and ideally, one should be placed every 100 feet for maximum air filtration benefits, as advised by NASA.

3 Holiday Plants that Remove Chemicals

Three popular holiday plants — the Poinsettia, the Norfolk Island Pine and the Christmas Cactus — work as natural, mini air purifiers. They provide an affordable defense by absorbing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, benzene and ammonia, from the air through the tiny openings in their leaves (stomata) and their root microbes. Let’s take a closer look at each plant.

1. Poinsettia

You’ll recognize this holiday beauty from its bright, vibrant bracts (leaves). Ironically, it’s not the flower of this plant, rather the leaves, that are grown in pink, red, white, speckled or marbled. Discovered by Joel Poinsett in 1830 in Southern Mexico, this plant prefers semi-shade. It’s easy to grow and pretty resistant to insect infestation. Water when the top layer is dry.

2. Norfolk Island Pine

Photo: Adobe Stock

This evergreen often serves as a mini Christmas tree with a similar appeal. One variety, the heterophylla, is suitable for indoors and can grow up to 10 feet high! It was discovered by Captain Cook and botanist Sir Joseph Banks. The Norfolk Island Pine prefers full sun to semi-shade. Use water sparingly in the winter and mist often.

3. Christmas Cactus

Photo: Adobe Stock

This beautiful cactus with bright red buds blooms fully in December. Unlike most plants, this cactus removes CO2 and releases oxygen at night, making it a great plant for the bedroom. It prefers semi-sun and is highly resistant to insect infestation. Allow it to dry between waterings.

There you have it — the perfect holiday or housewarming gift. Your host or hostess will be breathing easier through the hustle and bustle while enjoying a more beautiful and relaxing home.

The 3 Plants Every Home Should Have for Clean Air

How’d you like to be happier, calmer, healthier and oh, …Lisa BeresFebruary 22, 2017

Better Breathing: 6 Of The Best Plants For Indoor Air Quality

The average American spends 90 percent of their time indoors. …Sarah LozanovaFebruary 11, 2016

House Doctors: Branch Basic’s Spot-Off Cleaning Prescription

Don’t you just love it when you can prove someone …Kimberly ButtonAugust 14, 2015

4 Ways Reducing and Reusing Can Save You Money

When most people think about reducing and reusing, they mainly …Anna JohanssonDecember 1, 2017

The 3 Holiday Plants That Clean the Air

You don’t have to have a green thumb — or be …Lisa BeresNovember 30, 2017

Try This Calculator for Waste-Free Holiday Dinners

Deciding what to prepare for a dinner party is difficult …Haley ShapleyNovember 29, 2017

earth911

Source article: 

The 3 Holiday Plants That Clean the Air

Posted in FF, GE, ONA, organic, PUR, solar, Uncategorized, Venta | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The 3 Holiday Plants That Clean the Air

Friday Cat Blogging – 17 June 2016

Mother Jones

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC “-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN” “http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd”>

Hilbert and Hopper get along fine, but they don’t cuddle up together much anymore. Yesterday they did, however, when Hilbert decided to barge into the pod that Hopper had already staked out. Usually she gives up pretty quickly when this happens (you can almost feel Hopper mentally rolling her eyes and then heading off to some Hilbert-free spot), but this time she held her ground. Aren’t they adorable?

And speaking of adorable, yesterday I wrote a post wondering what the hell Donald Trump meant by this: “Every time you turn on one of those aircraft carriers it costs you probably a million bucks. I’d say, don’t turn it on. The captain would say, we want to show you how great these engines are working. No, I don’t want to hear it, just stop.”

Well, a reader from Denmark emails to suggest that this was—wait for it—a Reaganesque reimagining by Donald, who told this story years ago about his own yacht. As soon as he started talking about things that float on the water—i.e., aircraft carriers—his mind apparently drifted back to his own personal experience with things that float on the water—i.e., the ill-fated Trump Princess megayacht. And if my reader is right, a captain of the Trump Princess once wanted to show off his ship’s engines to the boss, who was horrified at the potential expense of firing them up.

This totally makes sense, since Trump is so self-involved that everything always relates back to himself in one way or another. And it also makes sense that he might not have wanted to fire up the engines in his yacht—especially since he was in the process of going bankrupt at the time—whereas it makes no sense at all to worry about “turning on” the engine of a nuclear-powered Nimitz-class supercarrier. So: can anyone verify this? Did Trump originally tell this story about his own yacht, and somehow drifted back in time when he was talking about aircraft carriers yesterday?

And now, since you’ve all been so patient about me sneaking a Trump story into a catblogging post, on to the cats.

See the original post:

Friday Cat Blogging – 17 June 2016

Posted in alo, FF, GE, LG, ONA, Uncategorized, Venta | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Friday Cat Blogging – 17 June 2016

Review: "X-Men: Apocalypse" Is the Best Superhero Film of 2016

Mother Jones

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC “-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN” “http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd”>

Depending on your definition, there have been somewhere between 50 and 70 superhero films made in the United States since the first X-Men came out in 2000.

When X-Men: Apocalypse, the ninth entry in the franchise and the fourth helmed by Bryan Singer, is released on May 27, it will be the fourth major superhero film to debut just this year. It will also be the best. Better than Captain America: Civil War, which was itself better than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. (Deadpool was sort of a different bird, and if you really were taken by its shtick then you might prefer it.)

That’s not to say Apocalypse is perfect. Like all these films, the plot doesn’t make a lot of sense. It is also a profoundly long 144 minutes. And like the bloated Batman v Superman and Captain America: Civil War, it is overstuffed with superheroes who less serve the story so much as are contractually obligated to appear within it. X-Men: First Class became a hit in 2011 just as Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence were becoming A-listers, and though their talent, along with that of James McAvoy, shines in the new film, the plot struggles with the obligation to share screen time between so many stars.

Do you want to know about the plot?

In Ancient Egypt, Oscar Isaac is a powerful mutant who is betrayed by some followers and ends up buried inside the ruins of a pyramid. Cut to 1983 and, following the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, the younger versions of the X-Men are scattered across the globe doing things that are not really worth getting into. Oscar Isaac is woken up by some cult that knows about him based on hieroglyphics or something. (Don’t worry about them. They are never mentioned ever again. I’m pretty sure they die? It really doesn’t matter.) Isaac quickly begins assembling a small band of mutants to help him destroy the world. You see, Oscar Isaac was the very first mutant, and his power is basically that he can take over the body of another mutant and, voila, he’s got that mutant’s power. So for millions of years he has been jumping from mutant to mutant collecting powers (except for the last 6,000 years when he was asleep under that pyramid). He has many powers, but his favorite seems to be turning people into sand.

Oscar Isaac finds Storm (Alexandra Shipp), a mutant with a lightsaber whip (Olivia Munn), and some alcoholic with angel wings (Ben Hardy) and convinces them to help him kill everyone in the world so that he can…mutters incoherently.

Meanwhile, Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is the most-wanted fugitive in the world and is hiding in Poland with his wife and daughter, like you do. But then some bad shit happens to this tranquil trio involving…wood, and one thing leads to another.

You see where this is going? Oscar Isaac and his “four horsemen of the Apocalypse” are going to fight Jennifer Lawrence and James McAvoy and the X-Men. However, it takes a very long time for this fight to actually happen. For a superhero movie, this is not the most action-packed film! If you want straight wall-to-wall, mutant-on-mutant action, then it will disappoint. It’s not A Room With a View With a Staircase and a Pond but it’s not A Room With a View of Hell: Staircase of Satan: Pond of Death.

Watching it, however, does not disappoint. The people who made this movie seem to genuinely care about entertaining the audience in every scene. You may rightfully wonder why the scenes happen in the order that they do or why they focus on what they focus on, but they are enjoyable. The cast deserves credit for this. The screenwriters deserve credit, too. The producers deserve credit. Most of all, though, director Bryan Singer deserves credit.

My overriding thought walking out of the screening was: Bryan Singer is just a better director than the other people directing the current crop of superhero films. The Russo brothers of Captain America: Civil War and other various Marvel installments are great! Even Zack Snyder is a talented director whose main flaws come out mostly when he is allowed to have control over other aspects of a project. But Singer’s direction is more confident, more inventive, and more fun.

The X-Men movies don’t get the ink of other superhero movies, but they are the most valuable players of the genre. Aside from X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine—the former now the butt of a joke in Apocalypse; the latter the world has agreed to pretend never happened—the franchise has been remarkably consistent.

And while it isn’t entirely clear what’s next for the flagship series in the franchise, there are roughly 1,000 other films in the X-Men universe being developed, from standalone Wolverine, Deadpool, and Gambit films to Josh Boone’s New Mutants spin-off and a rumored Deadpool-esque R-rated X-Force.

Go see X-Men: Apocalypse because it is good and fun and, in a world with an unavoidable number of superhero films that are a total slog, that is fun and good.

More: 

Review: "X-Men: Apocalypse" Is the Best Superhero Film of 2016

Posted in alo, alternative energy, Anchor, Everyone, FF, GE, LG, ONA, Radius, solar, Uncategorized, Venta | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: "X-Men: Apocalypse" Is the Best Superhero Film of 2016

Norway’s Women’s Soccer Team Just Obliterated Sexist Stereotypes in Sports

Mother Jones

The Norwegian women’s soccer team may have lost in spectacular fashion to England on Monday. But the team’s contribution to this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup will go on, in the form of this hilarious attack on sexism in sport, above.

In a four-minute mockumentary aired on Norwegian television in the lead-up to the team’s match against England, the players make fun of sexist stereotypes in women’s soccer. “We’re shit, we suck. Plain and simple,” admits captain Trine Ronning. In emails to FIFA, the players offer suggestions for making the women’s game less boring. For instance, they could play on smaller fields or use a smaller, lighter ball. Or FIFA could allow goalkeepers to swat incoming goals away with collapsible light reflectors.

Oh, and what was (potentially) outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s comical response to the suggestions, according to the segment? “HAHAHA these suggestions made my day. LOL.”

h/t The Guardian

Continue reading:

Norway’s Women’s Soccer Team Just Obliterated Sexist Stereotypes in Sports

Posted in Anchor, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, Radius, Uncategorized, Venta | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Norway’s Women’s Soccer Team Just Obliterated Sexist Stereotypes in Sports

The Last Picture Show

Mother Jones

At their peak in 1958, America’s 5,000 or so drive-in movie theaters offered a car-crazed society a way to enjoy the latest Hollywood fare in the comfort and intimacy of the front seat. But with the move to air-conditioned digital cineplexes, drive-ins have been left in the dust. About 350 remain, like this one in Connecticut captured by Greg Miller, who’s documented auto-bound theatergoers from Maine to California. “I photograph in the time before the movies begin,” he says. “By the time the projector’s silver light illuminates the night sky, my job is done.”

Waiting for Furry Vengance, 2010

Waiting for Toy Story, 2010

Waiting for Crazy, Stupid, Love, 2011

Waiting for Iron Man, 2010

Waiting for Iron Man, 2010

Waiting for Eclipse, 2010

Waiting for Captain American, 2011

Waiting for Iron Man, 2010

Waiting for Iron Man, 2010

Waiting for Robin Hood, 2010

Link – 

The Last Picture Show

Posted in Anchor, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, Radius, Smith's, Uncategorized, Venta | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Last Picture Show

"Jaws" Is Ridiculous, Say Kids Who Owe Everything to "Jaws"

Mother Jones

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC “-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN” “http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd”>

Happy Fourth of July! Thirty-nine years ago, Jaws became the first summer blockbuster. In it the town of Amity Island is terrorized by a killer great white shark around July Fourth weekend. In honor of that, we decided to publish a chat we just had about it. This chat has been edited for clarity.

Emily Dreyfuss: I saw Jaws last night in a movie theater.

Ben Dreyfuss: Why?

ED: Because it was playing right by our house and we needed to be somewhere air conditioned.

BD: Okay.

ED: Two things: 1) You and dad are exactly alike and 2) I forgot that “we’re going to need a bigger boat” wasn’t his line, which makes me even angrier when people quote that in regard to him.

BD: LOL, everyone thinks dad said that. He and I have this joke about Roy Scheider being pissed off about it for 25 years.

ED: I would be too! I hadn’t seen Jaws since we saw it as a family 20 years ago.

BD: I watched it with mom last year. She was like, “I love Jaws. My favorite part is when dad kills the shark,” and I was like, “Uh, he doesn’t,” and she was all, “Shut up, Ben. I was married to him for 10 years. He killed Jaws.” So we watched it and then she was like, “Huh, I could have sworn he killed Jaws. I’ve been telling people that my ex-husband killed Jaws.” “Well, I guess people think you were married to Roy Scheider.” “I guess so.”

ED: I mean, the way I read it last night, dad kind of fucked up and was semi-responsible for Quint’s death. He dropped the dagger, then swam away and hid, and then the shark ate the captain and Roy Scheider was a hero.

BD: Yeah, I mean, he had the pole knocked out of his hand. Then he swims away and hides. He had just gone down in the cage which was a pretty brave thing to do. By the time he hides he had no chance of killing Jaws. Like, either let yourself be eaten or swim and hide. Scheider was objectively the hero though.

ED: Yeah, I mean, dad had no other options, but i just forgot that he wasn’t the hero.

BD: Look, look, we love dad.

ED: Yes, to be clear, dad is the best.

BD: No one here is saying otherwise.

ED: I also forgot that his character was the rich kid! I guess I basically forgot everything.

BD: Oh yeah, with his tony, rich boat that they should have taken to avoid the whole death/sinking thing?

ED: I mean, they don’t even address that, which is ridiculous. Like, his boat had all the things they needed! Like sonar.

BD: Right? And Quint demands that they take his rickety piece of shit which is just an insane thing to do. The only reasonable thing to say to Quint when he makes that demand is, “Sir, you are insane. We are not putting our lives in the hands of an insane person. You’re fired. Good day.”

ED: “Also, we should add, you can’t catch a shark this big with a fishing pole. It had to be said.”

BD: HAHAHAHAHA.

ED: Like, his big plan is that he is going to REEL it in with his human man arms.

BD: I was under the impression that he was using some sort of contraption to leverage the weight of the boat or something? But that might not be how science works.

ED: I don’t think so. I think he was using the power of a metal cup to help hold the fishing rod and that is that and then it shows him reeling in and letting out and then being like, “This shark is so smart! i can’t pull him in!”

BD: “He’s either very very smart or very very dumb.”

ED: LOL, yes. That’s the line. Then he hands the rod—with the shark on the line!—to Scheider who knows nothing about fishing and isn’t even strapped in!

BD: Then at the end he tries to tow him back to shore.

ED: Yeah and that works out well.

BD: Also, the entire notion of the shark following them out to sea seems suspect. Why would Jaws follow their dumb boat? It’s just one boat.

ED: Because of the dead fish and blood trail.

BD: That little bit of dead fish that Scheider throws in there though, it’s not much! Like it’s just a bit of blood. Jaws can eat that much fish whenever he wants.

ED: Oh oh oh, another thing that makes no sense is when dad and Roy find the boat with the dead fisherman at night and in the scariest moment of the film the dead body pops out and freaks dad out? WHY WOULD THE SHARK KILL THE FISHERMAN AND NOT EAT HIM? He is not a murderer. He’s a “maneater!” He would have eaten that body!

BD: Jaws: Actually a story of a shark out for revenge against Ben Gardner. All the other attacks are just to cover up his crime.

ED: HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA.

BD: I mean, maybe Jaws didn’t kill Ben Gardner. Maybe someone else did. Maybe they got away with it.

ED: Wow, you remembered that character’s name. i am kind of blown away.

BD: “That’s Ben Gardner’s boat.”

ED: Yeah, that is the line but like, what are you? A savant? I barely remember dad’s character’s name. I’m confused if it’s hooper or hopper.

BD: Emily, I know all the lines to almost all of dad’s movies. I watched them all dozens of times when I was young…It’s Hooper.

ED: Where was i? I watched Always a lot…and cried.

BD: Yeah, Always is sad. I love the bit of that movie when Holly Hunter comes down in the dress dad bought her and that song “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” plays. That song makes me cry.

ED: That is a very good moment. Ok, but so, we can agree, Jaws makes no sense.

BD: Yeah. Great film.

ED: Wonderful film.

BD: Makes no sense.

ED: Makes little sense.

BD: It could make more sense.

ED: It could make more sense!

The end.

Read original article: 

"Jaws" Is Ridiculous, Say Kids Who Owe Everything to "Jaws"

Posted in Anchor, FF, GE, LG, ONA, Radius, Uncategorized, Venta | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on "Jaws" Is Ridiculous, Say Kids Who Owe Everything to "Jaws"

Dear Hollywood: Please Don’t Make the New “Battlestar Galactica” Movie About Drones

Mother Jones

Universal is planning a major film reboot of the sci-fi franchise Battlestar Galactica, according to a report in Variety. Jack Paglen (Transcendence) has reportedly signed on to write the screenplay, and original series creator Glen Larson is set to produce.

I have one modest request: Don’t make it a movie about Obama’s killer drones. Please. Don’t do that. It’s super zeitgeist-y, but please, just don’t.

The rebooted Sci-Fi Channel series, which ran from 2003 to 2009, garnered much critical acclaim, in large part because it was smartly topical and political. That reboot focused on war between human civilization and the cybernetic Cylon race. The series worked as an allegory of the War on Terror, and incorporated themes of religious extremism, suicide bombing, and state-sanctioned torture. Many images called to mind the Iraq War, Nazi occupation, and the Vietnam War.

So it would only make sense if an upcoming film version of Battlestar Galactica were also deeply political. And with the Bush years in the rearview, Hollywood has frequently (almost relentlessly) turned to drone warfare as a go-to subject for big-budget political critique in the Obama era.

Here are a few examples of drones in big Hollywood fare released in the past year or so:

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which is about “civil liberties issues, drone strikes, the president’s kill list, and preemptive technology,” according to its directors.

2. RoboCop (2014), which features autonomous killer robots called “drones” that are prominently used in an American invasion and occupation of Iran (“Operation Freedom Tehran,” it’s called). OmniCorp, which designs and manufactures these military robots, wants to put this technology to use in law enforcement in the United States. Thus kicks off a national debate on civil liberties and so forth.

3. G.I. Joe: Retaliation, in which the democratic President of the United States is a foreign-born imposter who uses killer drones on American citizens overseas, and desires a world rid of nuclear weapons. (REMIND YOU OF ANYONE???)

4. Pacific Rim, which has drones in the form of gargantuan robots called Jaegers (the robots fight amphibious monsters called Kaiju).

5. Iron Man 3, which fits in snugly with the rest of the Iron Man franchise drone imagery.

6. Star Trek Into Darkness, which covers the ethical question of extrajudicial and targeted killing of terror suspects operating outside American borders.

(And it appears this drone warfare movie is in the works, too.)

This seems like it’s on the verge of being played out. If Jack Paglen is looking for something fresher to weave into his script, maybe he can go with US special operations in Africa.

Read original article: 

Dear Hollywood: Please Don’t Make the New “Battlestar Galactica” Movie About Drones

Posted in Abrams, Anchor, Citizen, Cyber, FF, GE, LAI, LG, ONA, Oster, Radius, Safer, Uncategorized, Venta | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dear Hollywood: Please Don’t Make the New “Battlestar Galactica” Movie About Drones