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New England Met Spring Banter 2022


HoarfrostHubb
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No one asked me about the slap heard around the world,  so ...tfwiw -

Two schools...

1    Even if in some extreme or unique circumstance where mere words can incur an understandable or acceptable 'slap' response,  was that one of those? 

2    Suppose for a moment it were, this next thought is a bit more symbolic.   The sanctity of the Oscars may be forever tarnished.  To iconoclasts sure.. maybe it's about time Hollywood is les the pomp and elegance, and more humanistic...  However, that engagement isn't really the place for that?  It is an artistic impression in itself, as that entire space of our culture sets out to adorn the night with praise and specter - in a lot of ways, it is a movie in itself. Another means for escape into a dream that many will likely never see materialized.  In that sense, it is honoring art, with art. 

One does not enter a museum and mar a work of art, because the painting offends.    Maybe this is just sort of a metaphor for the egregiousness of Mr Smith's actions.   

Having said all that...  I am aware that Smith has been managing some difficulty in his marriage as what's new.. a Hollywood couple somehow managed to air their laundry over the last two .. three years. Then, within two years ... it surfaces that his wife has been battling Alopecia. It seems pretty clear - or should to anyone with a modicum of human awareness ... - that he's been under immense emotional and to some degree, considering his arena, profession pressure. That moment may have been the breaking point.  Every man has one. So... not without compassion.

Personally ...I would be interested in hearing Mr Rock's sentiments.   I mean ... for all we know, what if he comes out with a statement that he was not aware or somehow has not been exposed to Jeda Smith's condition?  Remote...sure.. But Will was unfortunately wrong for his actions.  He appeared to be legit contrite in his statements at the Oscar podium moments later, but he needs to do more to atone.

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54 minutes ago, Typhoon Tip said:

No one asked me about the slap heard around the world,  so ...tfwiw -

Two schools...

1    Even if in some extreme or unique circumstance where mere words can incur a understandable or acceptable 'slap' response,  was that one of those? 

2    Suppose for a moment it were, this next thought is a bit more symbolic.   The sanctity of the Oscars may be forever tarnished.  To iconoclasts sure.. maybe it's about time Hollywood is les the pomp and elegance, and more humanistic...  However, that engagement isn't really the place for that?  It is an artistic impression in itself, as that entire space of our culture sets out to adorn the night with praise and specter - in a lot of ways, it is a movie in itself. Another means for escape into a dream that many will likely never see materialized.  In that sense, it is honoring art, with art. 

One does not enter a museum and mar a work of art, because the painting offends.    Maybe this is just sort of a metaphor for the egregiousness of Mr Smith's actions.   

Having said all that...  I am aware that Smith has been managing some difficulty in his marriage as what's new.. a Hollywood couple somehow managed to air their laundry over the last two .. three years. Then, within two years ... it surfaces that his wife has been battling Alopecia. It seems pretty clear - or should to anyone with a modicum of human awareness ... - that he's been under immense emotional and to some degree, considering his arena, profession pressure. That moment may have been the breaking point.  Every man has one. So... not without compassion.

Personally ...I would be interested in hearing Mr Rock's sentiments.   I mean ... for all we know, what if he comes out with a statement that he was not aware or somehow has not been exposed to Jeda Smith's condition?  Remote...sure.. But Will was unfortunately wrong for his actions.  He appeared to be legit contrite in his statements at the Oscar podium moments later, but he needs to do more to atone.

This could and should allow the Oscars to move back toward an awards show focused talent and talent alone.  Over the past decade or two they have turned their awards night into a Hollywood Roast night.  They have gone looking for hard hitting, nasty and often crude emcees.  They are there to celebrate talent, nothing more.  

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46 minutes ago, FXWX said:

This could and should allow the Oscars to move back toward an awards show focused talent and talent alone.  Over the past decade or two they have turned their awards night into a Hollywood Roast night.  They have gone looking for hard hitting, nasty and often crude emcees.  They are there to celebrate talent, nothing more.  

Except that all Rock said was "Jada, I love ya.  GI Jane 2, I can't wait to see it"  It was a joke about a crappy movie at a movie awards show.  A bit rough?  Maybe but in the context of movies it wasn't out of bounds.

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I think you guys are both right.

I've often thought that it ...I wouldn't go so far as to say is becoming mockery, but has been getting increasingly more crass.  That does tend to dent the significance/appreciation, and perhaps a return essence would be needed to restore.  I can almost suspect that the erosion of sophistication tact FXWX mentions, with the shock-jock over-bearing 'humanistic' quality ( to put it nicely), might have been leading toward a destiny for like this.  It starts somewhere....  What's the history here though?   I was wondering that on my run ... what's the worst thing that's happened in the history of the program?

On the other hand, I agree the response by Smith was not proportional.  He'll need to do more to atone for this... And work with the Academy and ...I dunno, maybe some sort of PR outreach.   He should opt out, on own volition, future engagements - and should the Academy and all party's involved want him back, then  they'll tell him it is not necessary.  Not sure I see how that would happen, ...all of this is just a suggestion.  In the meantime, it should be noted ...  Smith is genuine and proven to be so, with 0 track record of anything like this at the age of 53 ...with an illustrious and accomplished career... There are those that deserve forgiveness, there are those that don't.  It depends on how he comports himself in the coming days/weeks...

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3 hours ago, Typhoon Tip said:

I think you guys are both right.

I've often thought that it ...I wouldn't go so far as to say is becoming mockery, but has been getting increasingly more crass.  That does tend to dent the significance/appreciation, and perhaps a return essence would be needed to restore.  I can almost suspect that the erosion of sophistication tact FXWX mentions, with the shock-jock over-bearing 'humanistic' quality ( to put it nicely), might have been leading toward a destiny for like this.  It starts somewhere....  What's the history here though?   I was wondering that on my run ... what's the worst thing that's happened in the history of the program?

On the other hand, I agree the response by Smith was not proportional.  He'll need to do more to atone for this... And work with the Academy and ...I dunno, maybe some sort of PR outreach.   He should opt out, on own volition, future engagements - and should the Academy and all party's involved want him back, then  they'll tell him it is not necessary.  Not sure I see how that would happen, ...all of this is just a suggestion.  In the meantime, it should be noted ...  Smith is genuine and proven to be so, with 0 track record of anything like this at the age of 53 ...with an illustrious and accomplished career... There are those that deserve forgiveness, there are those that don't.  It depends on how he comports himself in the coming days/weeks...

Agree 100%...  The edgy side of the program has been an attempt to increase viewing audience.  But it really has not helped.  In an odd way, this blow up may actually increase viewers next year, as folks wait for the next brawl.  Years ago the emphasis was on a host, like Billy Crystal, having the ability to perform song parodies and skits.  I'm a fan of watching great actors and actresses transform themselves in a movie role.  The need to have their award night become a comedy central show has always puzzled me.

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On 3/24/2022 at 3:13 PM, Typhoon Tip said:

Yeah...definitely see it.   I mean they brilliantly illustrated in the scenes how the hereditary culture of toeing the line ... well, I don't wanna give it way.  Heh, I mean I think we all know where it ended up.    People knowing Z is wrong, or A is dangerous, and not speaking up to an excruciating extent.

Lol... above all else for me, 'how could anyone want to live in a society that crushes life flat by such weighted dogma.  It's not even about communism, either.  It's literally down to the scale of fearing the person's rank standing in front of you, fearing reprisal if they even sniff your dissension.  

If you see that... and understand the cultural vestige - then imagine how a rampart of top Russian brass would handle an inner cadre of unhinged superiors.  

I think it's a fascinating 'stand-off' ... When/if we get through this, there's a fantastic read and/or remake of this history no doubt.   But let's get the world through this first.    

Binged all 5 episodes of Chernobyl over the weekend.  Holy sh.it, and wow, what a great series.  I am assuming that the writers and researchers diligently did their job in making sure that everything portrayed was as close as possible to what really happened at the time of the beginning of the disaster through to the trial.   Everything down to the dismal look of the landscapes and even the rundown interiors of the government run facilities, and beyond were exactly how I envisioned mid-1980's Russia looking. 

The characters...The characters were so abrupt, abrasive, and impolite when interacting with each other, including those outside of the disaster.   Just about everyone in the series gave the impression of being completely paranoid of being watched, and were quick to blame others for misfortunes or wrong doings. It was the way it was, and how everyone operated  in order to keep their own a.sses from being disposed of.  More than one reference was made to getting the "bullet to the head" for doing the wrong thing. 

I couldn't follow the science completely, but during the trial I followed the basics, understanding how the disaster came to be.  The final episode was pretty intense.

My only true criticism is that it was not in Russian, with subtitles.  Yeah, call me odd, but movies like this, I want to hear the native language. Even if I don't understand what is being said, I can experience the emotion.  A perfect example of this is the movie Downfall.  By far one of my favorite WWII movies.  The film captures the final 10 days of Hitler's life, and the actor who plays Hitler was unbelievable, and gave me goosebumps so many times throughout the film.  It is so much more enjoyable watching in German with the English subtitles.  

Chernobyl was a great mini-series, John.  I highly recommend it to everyone here. 

:clap:

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28 minutes ago, Cold Miser said:

A perfect example of this is the movie Downfall.  By far one of my favorite WWII movies.  The film captures the final 10 days of Hitler's life, and the actor who plays Hitler was unbelievable, and gave me goosebumps so many times throughout the film.  It is so much more enjoyable watching in German with the English subtitles.  

 

 

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I saw a post about some wealthy businessman making derogatory statements about millenials having to do with current inflation. He referred to millenials as the “entitled generation” and added implications of bad attitude and laziness, despite the fact that millenials face the worst economic situation in history and are way worse off at purchasing power than boomers. Way weaker dollar than in the 20th century. He said “ha ha they will go to the store and not be able to buy what they want”.

 

i was very offended. He’s probably just pissed people are pulling back and not working becuase the money gets them nowhere. You have to be a complete psychopath to be in a position of extreme wealth and say shit like that.

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7 minutes ago, IowaStorm05 said:

I saw a post about some wealthy businessman making derogatory statements about millenials having to do with current inflation. He referred to millenials as the “entitled generation” and added implications of bad attitude and laziness, despite the fact that millenials face the worst economic situation in history and are way worse off at purchasing power than boomers. Way weaker dollar than in the 20th century.

i was very offended 

My son, born 1972, sent me a book called "The Age of Entitlement" which laid that title on boomers.  I'm in that age group but have had a quite different experience than the "entitled" folks addressed in the book, so no offense here.

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2 hours ago, tamarack said:

My son, born 1972, sent me a book called "The Age of Entitlement" which laid that title on boomers.  I'm in that age group but have had a quite different experience than the "entitled" folks addressed in the book, so no offense here.

I know you may not have intended to scoff at me, neverthrless I’ll explain my position. I’ve spent some time looking into American prosperity and how it has changed. Yes, we have garnered access to less expensive and more advanced technologies, but how good that is for people can be debated… 

The thing about it is, in the mid to late 20th century you could leave high school and garner an entry level retail job, and this would afford you PROFOUNDLY greater financial freedom than it will today. The reason I know this is because my parents have talked to me about their jobs they held while they were young.
 

The fact is, purchasing power was much greater then. Wage-level jobs would easily afford you adequate housing and essentials like food were much cheaper. Education carried much more clout whereas today young people are saddled with HUGE education debt without access to adequately paying positions. This translated to the ability to save a lot of money compared to today, and cultural values were more aimed at responsible handling of finances. The climate for young people has none of that. Young people are forced to live with their parents much longer, and wages no longer afford anything but the most meager of housing circumstances. Corporations and finance are way more powerful today in their ability to manipulate society into a state of perpetual debt which translates to no financial freedom. Corporations, less competitive than before, are continuously bragging about their ability to set prices in a way to reap the maximum profits at the expense of lower socioeconomic classes. 
 

Corporate finance has become powerful to such an extent that it has almost made government structure irrelevant… and that would not necessarily be such a bad thing if it were not run by psychopaths who judge people who are way way way less fortunate than they are. Complete apathy on display.

I realize that this forum is not frequented by as many people in circumstances of poverty as it is frequented by highly educated people in the sciences but not all people have access to that position. I certainly don’t. And I’m telling you, things are much worse than in the past. I’m disabled but the amount I’ve been able to work and cultural values of the past might have lended me to be able to have much more security in my state of ability than it does today, where I have to worry about future homelessness being a possibility 

I think the biggest reasons for the change are the percentage of how much of your budget goes to food and housing and the lack of financial cloud basic college education affords nowadays. In the past it was “work hard and play your cards right and you’ll succeed”. But now it’s “work hard and you have a 30 per cent chance of succeeding”

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