For All Mankind - S01 (TV 2019)

Rotten Tomatoes

For All Mankind - S01 (TV 2019): Alternative history of NASA where Russians win the Space Race to the Moon. A few references to alternative facts that people familiar with history will appreciate, but also a lot of soap opera storylines and convenient plot developments. B-

#VeryTardyReview

The Supreme Court has Gone Rogue

Family Fourth Celebration, Breckinridge Park, Richardson, 2015

The Supreme Court refuses to respect prior rulings by the Court. It has gone rogue. Just this term, it overturned major rulings that were settled law for decades. Rove v. Wade is the obvious one. But the decision to prohibit the EPA from regulating power plants is perhaps even more threatening to our American system because of the legal reasoning behind the decision. The Court based its decision on what's called the nondelegation principle. That holds that Congress cannot delegate its rights to the Executive Branch. Think of all the regulations of the federal government. Almost all of them are set by agencies of the Executive Branch. The agencies were given the authority to create administrative law through laws enacted by Congress. It's this action by Congress that the Supreme Court has said is unconstitutional. If all that is not bad enough, it gets worse.

Random Thoughts: The Lincoln Lawyer

Tweets from June, 2022:

• 2022-06-01: The Lincoln Lawyer (TV 2022): A David E. Kelley courtroom drama fit for 1980's network television. The cast of characters has all the usual stereotypes. The plot is full of as many holes as twists. Whodunnit? Everyone. Watch Goliath instead. C+
• 2022-06-02: In gun-crazy Texas, Gov Abbott's idea is a good way to get shot.
• 2022-06-03: We Feed People (2022): Ron Howard doc about chef Jose Andres and his nonprofit World Central Kitchen. His focus? Feeding people, not raising money. It turns out that running a restaurant kitchen is good training for managing natural disasters. Inspiring. Watch, then donate. B+
• 2022-06-05: Today's Trump fundraising email: "BRAND NEW TRUMP GOLF BALLS." My suspicions are immediately raised. Has he been selling used golf balls in the past?
• 2022-06-05: Do you know what would show they really mean it? Withholding some of those "Big $" from GOP politicians until they pass common sense gun regulations.

After the jump, more random thoughts.

The Card Counter (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Card Counter (2021): Mistitled. It's not about casino gambling. It's about Abu Ghraib and PTSD. It's about revenge and redemption. Oscar Isaac is the best thing in the movie but he's not served well by the script, which has all the major showdowns playing out off screen. C+

WAIW: Water, Trees, Serenity

Where Am I Wednesday?

Fifty points to the first person to identify where this photo was taken.

Answer is after the jump.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Obi-Wan Kenobi (TV 2022): The Mandalorian gave us baby Yoda. This series gives us cute little Princess Leia. Spoiler: Obi-Wan Kenobi spares Darth Vader in the big battle in Episode 6. To think he could have saved us from all those other movies. For fans only. C+

Civil Dialogue? Sure. And More.

Source: Aero Magazine.

This blog usually focuses on local matters, for which there's too little coverage in the news media. For national affairs, there's plenty of coverage of that elsewhere. My comments aren't needed. But somehow, SCOTUS repealing the Roe v. Wade decision that was the law of the land for fifty years feels different. I can't resist responding to this comment in my Facebook feed: "We as human beings and citizens of this great nation are better together when we have respectful and civil dialogue to discuss the issues." Civil dialogue? Sure. And More.

Hustle (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

Hustle (2022): NBA scout finds prospect in Spain (played by NBA player Juancho Hernangomez) but struggles to get him a chance at home. A traditional sports story, but this one is filled with cameos of real NBA stars playing themselves. Adam Sandler wins by playing it straight. B-

Nonprofits, PACs and Political Spending

From: source unknown

Postscript to the look at spending for the recent Richardson ISD election for board of trustees. There was a new player involved in the money race that I didn't mention, that I didn't see mentioned elsewhere, one that I wasn't even aware was a player until after the election. That's North Texas Parents for Academic Excellence. It's a nonprofit corporation formed March 16, 2022, with three directors, Brandon Walls, Bryan Stone, and Sam Jarvis. If the name Brandon Walls is familiar, it might be because he's the Campaign Treasurer for the Richardson ISD Families First PAC. I was very aware of that PAC's involvement in the election. What's curious about the connection between the nonprofit and PAC?

WAIW: Plant a Tree Where It's Needed Most

Where Am I Wednesday?

Fifty points to the first person to identify where this photo was taken.

Answer will be given on Thursday.

Bonus points to the person who knows the name of the sculpture and artist. Don't wait for me to tell you because I don't know.