Bad Movies

Worst movies I have watched

I have seen my fair share of bad movies. I'm not a connoisseur of bad films but I do enjoy watching some bad films and somebody make fun of the films that were horribly (and somewhat horribly) made. Here's my list of the twelve of the worst films I have ever watched.

12. Batman & Robin (1997) - The movie that killed the franchise, starring Clooney, Schwarzenegger, Uma Thurman, and many others that overacted and made Batman a laughing stock of a franchise until it was rebooted. Mr. Freeze's puns and the overall direction of the film was cringe-worthy from beginning to end.

11. Elmo in Grouchland - a horribly made movie by a puppet handled by a pervert, this movie should have been rewritten to eliminate Elmo and replaced him with some other puppet. 

10. Howard the Duck - George Lucas is known for his award-winning and financially successful movies. This is not one of them.
Hopefully when Marvel/Disney make a new Howard the Duck, they don't repeat the same mistakes as this 1986 monstrosity. The whole premise of the film made no sense and the costume for Howard was horribly done.

9. Plan 9 from Outer Space - a movie made by Ed Wood, the
 godfather of bad movies, this movie has an odd plot involving space aliens animating the corpses of Tor Johnson and Vampira to take over the world. If this the ninth plan, how bad were the first eight? Bela Lugosi was in the beginning but was replaced by a guy who tried miserably to act liked him. 

Disaster Movie (8) & Meet the Spartans (7) - These two parody movies should be scrapped into the ash-heap of history. Poorly made, produced, and written by two dumb screenwriters who try to make fun of movies with horribly executed jokes and puns.

6. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians - Christmas films are hit and miss. This one is a pure miss. Martians wanting to bring Santa Claus to their home planet is about as entertaining as watching grass growing. Jamie Farr is in this movie but shows up almost at the end as a lacky for the bad guy

Hobgoblins 1 (5) & Hobgoblins 2 (4) - I watched Hobgoblins on MST3k, it made the movie entertaining. However, this does not make up for the fact that these are awful film. My first attempt at watching the sequel, I fell asleep. I eventually watch the film all the way through. I wish I hadn't.

3. Beast of Yucca Flats - a  Coleman Francis film with Tor Johnson
as a scientist that was hit by an atomic blast that turned him into a mindless Beast. The actors could not speak on screen due to a lack of film dubbing so any voices were heard off screen. The plot meanders like the Beast and had certain holes that were not resolved.

2. Monster a Go-Go is one of the worst films because of the production problems and the fact that the

end - "there was no monster" - made this a candidate for worst film ever. I have only watched this film via MST3k. I don't think I could survive watching this without the MST3k commentary.

And the top worst film..............

Manos, the Hands of Fate - created in 1966 on a bet, this movie should be shown in Film Making 101 on how NOT to make a movie. Various errors in plot and storyline, dialogue, production, voice dubbing, lighting, and overall sense of incompetence mires this movie in a cinematic cesspool. The fact that even the director thought it was bad, one of the main actors (John Reynolds - Torgo) commits suicide after the movie is made, and that the only reason anybody remembers this is MST3k making fun of it.

I can list more movies that were awful - Stars Wars I: The Phantom Menace (Jar-Jar Binks), All three Human Centipede movies,  and Cloverfield. But that is for another list.....


https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/25-movies-so-bad-theyre-unmissable/

http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-worst-movies-of-all-time

Thomas the Tank Engine and political correctness

First part is a previous blog post, second part is addendum

I grew up watching Thomas the Tank Engine, especially when it was on PBS as Shining Time Station. I cannot understand people when they take fictional characters and stories and say they are racist, sexist, and anti-environmentalist. Did they experience a gloomy childhood where there was no joy in their lives due to their overbearing parents? Do they criticize everything that people take enjoyment? Apparently these trains are too conservative for liberals to enjoy!!!

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/22/thomas-the-tank-engine-children-parents

Rebuttal of this PC nonsense:

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/383541/defense-thomas-tank-engine-charles-c-w-cooke

Political correctness is an attempt by many to keep people from saying anything. We are told that certain words, actions, and/or phrases are offensive to a minority group. It is patently absurd that people need "safe spaces" to prevent themselves from hearing offensive speech. Instead of debating and arguing, many college students of the liberal persuasion want to muzzle others from speaking other viewpoints.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/opinion/sunday/judith-shulevitz-hiding-from-scary-ideas.html?_r=0

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-19/students-fight-back-against-political-correctness-rise-cultural-libertarianism

Harney Peak

This past week, a federal board decided to change the name of Harney Peak, the highest point in South Dakota, to Black Elk Peak. The federal board, with no accountability and no way to appeal the decision, went against the state and its recommendation of keeping the original name.

Technically, the state does not have to change the name on road signs and state maps. However, the federal government, when creating their own maps, will use the new name.

The way people constantly complain and want to change the names of certain landmarks is patently absurd. I am surprised that a Native-American name was chosen, given that we're trying to remove Native-Americans references everywhere else such as in the NCAA and pro sports.

http://volanteonline.com/2015/04/state-board-takes-input-on-proposed-harney-peak-name-change/


http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/08/12/feds-change-harney-peak-black-elk-peak-south-dakotas-highest-point/88619676/

Cola Wars

Coke v. Pepsi v Dr. Pepper -  the debate rages on who has the superior products. Let's look at the various soft drink companies head to head. Each product will be awarded one point per victory in each category. The views espoused in this post reflect one person's opinion and nothing more. 

Energy Drinks - Winner - no one because that's too much caffeine

Sports Drinks - Winner - Gatorade (Pepsi) a classic

Water - Winner - Dasani (C-C)

Iced Tea - Winner - Gold Peak Tea (C-C) is what a tea should taste like, especially unsweetened tea

Juices - Winner - Sunny Delight....oh wait, that's not part of this competition!!

Cream soda - Winner - Mug Cream Soda (Pepsi)

Root Beer - Winner - A&W root beer (Dr. P)

Ginger ale - Winner - Seagram's Ginger Ale (C-C)

Citrus flavor - Winner - Mellow Yellow (C-C)

Lemon-Lime - Winner - Sprite (C-C) is better than Sierra Mist and 7-up

Orange - Winner - Crush (Dr. P) unless Minute-Maid orange pop returns

Pepper-style - Winner - Pibb Xtra (C-C)

Diet  - Winner - Diet Coke (C-C)

Cola  - Winner - Coca-Cola (C-C) over Pepsi and RC Cola

Final Score - Coca Cola  8, Pepsi  2, Dr. Pepper 2

Coca-Cola company takes the gold

BTW, it's pop, not soda, soda-pop, coke, or anything else. If you say soda, you're following the elitist liberal trend. For those who call all carbonated beverages "coke", (a) that's a trademark violation (b) it's not accurate (c) only those who try to sound like southern hicks call it that.

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/rivalries/2013/08/pepsi_paradox_why_people_prefer_coke_even_though_pepsi_wins_in_taste_tests.html

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/coke-ko-vs-pepsi-pep-182306715.html

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Coke_vs_Pepsi

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/12/soda-vs-pop_n_2103764.html

http://twentytwowords.com/map-of-the-u-s-showing-what-people-call-sodapopcoke/

Aberdeen and mosquitos

Aberdeen, SD, is a dump

I have been through many towns in South Dakota. However, there is one town that I have been that I would not want to live again. Despite its horrible police, mosquitoes, cold, and drinking water, Aberdeen is growing faster than most places in South Dakota.  I don't understand how people can subject themselves to such torture living in a god-forsaken city like Aberdeen, South Dakota, any time of the year.

If you don't believe me, live there for a month and see what happens!! Winters are brutal, springs and fall are a bore unless you like hunting, and summers are hot, muggy, and full of mosquitoes. The way the mosquitoes are always a nuisance every year, it's a wonder how a mosquito business like Eastern South Dakota Mosquito Squad does not get sued by everybody in the city of Aberdeen!!!

http://www.aviationpros.com/news/12242367/aberdeen-south-dakota-using-drones-to-fight-mosquitoes

http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2015/SUB-EST2015-3.html

mosquitocontrolsouthdakota.wordpress.com

http://puc.sd.gov/commission/dockets/naturalgas/2011/ng11-003/remedialactionplan.pdf

Snowman explosion

Snowman explosion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqo6LwBIXzQ

Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore documentary - visitor center

Kardashians

Pop culture can make stars of people that are not deserving of the notoriety. The Kardashians are a group of people is a prime example. The Kardashians are an example of rotting of the culture. 

The Kardashians are a family that live a luxuriously lifestyle that many Americans would only dream of having due to their various sources of income. Their extravagant lifestyle is shown on television for millions of Americans to watch because TV producers want reality-based series that cost little and make networks executives huge sums of cash.

Rob Sheffield in his article for Rolling Stone summarized the Kardashians best when he stated: "Their gargantuan egos, their petty jealousies, their catty feuds, the effort-vs.-eye-roll they put into reciting their lines, their commitment to frivolity at all costs – these are seductive qualities in a reality-TV star, however repugnant they might be in real life." 


http://www.therichest.com/expensive-lifestyle/12-great-reasons-the-kardashians-are-so-rich/

http://www.rollingstone.com/tv/features/the-kardashians-the-egos-that-ate-america-20140910
http://variety.com/2007/scene/markets-festivals/keeping-up-with-the-kardashians-1117935063/

Bruce Jenner, Lamar Odom, Kris Humphries, and others - men that have dated Kardashians women have one thing in common:

http://hiphopwired.com/2015/09/20/12-men-burned-by-the-kardashian-curse/

Putin

On the eve of Y2k, a nation was looking for a leader that would replace a president that was portrayed as a drunk. Boris Yeltsin needed a replacement who could steer Russia into the next millennium. He chose Vladimir Putin.

Putin has been leading Russia in various capacity for 14 years, either as president or prime minister. Under Putin's leadership, the economy is booming and Russia is regaining its standing in the world.

Putin is a popular leader in Russia, being portrayed as a superhero in various media. The Russian media always show him bare-chested, hunting dangerous game, participating in martial arts, and being an all-around tough guy. The Russian people eat it up and give him high approval numbers.

Despite his vast approval, Putin is not perfect. His background as a KGB spy is very suspicious of his motives. He is a Russian patriot, which means that he will do push Russian interest no matter the cost. The Russian invasion of Crimea is an example of Putin expanding national influence and bullying Europe into paying more money for natural gas that comes from Russia.

The US media is portraying Putin as homophobic for signing anti-gay laws and that Russia is trampling on the LGBT rights. I have a slightly different take on the issue. Russia has been fighting a slow population decline that has seen their death rate overtake their birth rate after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russia is slowly recovering but has not gotten to the point of the replacement rate. Putin sees the need to encourage people to have children and not be exposed to the homosexual culture. Putin needs more Russians and these laws are designed to do that.

When it comes to leadership, Putin is running rings over the current occupier of the White House. When it comes to moral authority, it's either the ex-KGB spy who is slightly anti-democratic v. the community organizer that enforces the laws he likes, spies on people via the NSA, and who acts more like a dictator every day he is in power.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/vladimir-putin-defends-anti-gay-law-vows-problems/story?id=21588617

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/06/vladimir-putin-15-ways-he-changed-russia-world

http://www.documentarytube.com/articles/did-you-know-vladimir-putin-was-once-a-kgb-agent

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/how-to-understand-putins-jaw-droppingly-high-approval-ratings/2016/03/05/17f5d8f2-d5ba-11e5-a65b-587e721fb231_story.html

http://www.alternet.org/rss/breaking_news/842624/kissinger_says_putin_is_a_'patriot'

Debt

"The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I, therefore, intend to oppose the effort to increase America's debt."

Barack Obama - source: brainyquotes.com

Government should not be spending more than it takes in unless in an emergency. If the government was a business, it would have been bankrupt a long time ago.  Any entity - business, individual, government - that has too much debt on top of massive future unfunded liabilities is heading toward a major economic catastrophe.

Federal program should be prioritized and some that don't make the cut get defunded. If a government believes that certain programs are priorities that didn't get the funding in a previous year, the government should shift funds from a less priority or a program that is very inefficient.

In the past eight years, the national debt has doubled. What has the government with that extra spending? Landed on the moon? Cured cancer? Developed a better way to travel? The answer to all of them is no. The government has doubled the debt and has done nothing to justify it.

Senator Obama was right when he stated that raising the debt limit is a failure of leadership. The problem is that President Obama does not care about reckless spending and is a failure as a leader.

Debt Clock in real time