Welcome to the Richardson High School Message Forum.
The Message Forum is an ongoing dialogue among classmates. The goal is to encourage friendly interaction, including interaction among classmates who really didn't know each other. Experience on the site has revealed that certain topics tend to cause friction and hard feelings, especially politics and religion.
Although politics and religion are not completely off-limits, classmates are asked to be positive in their posts and not to be too repetitive or allow a dialog to degenerate into an argument.
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Has anyone seen the movie 1917? It is a very powerful movie. What is extremely impressive about it is how few edits there seems to be. Very long/continuous shots. Must see. After seeing the movie, check out this "Making of..." featurette. I wouldn't watch it before the movie because when you see the movie you'll be thinking about the techniques rather than the story.
The two main actors are standing behind director Sam Mendes. The taller of the two was especially impressive. It was an extremely physical performance.
Lowell,
WTF??? 24 to zip, and then your guys fell asleep! Almost as bad as when the Oilers fell asleep in the playoff s against the Bills in 1993. We had just moved to Philly from Houston and were Oilers fans. Bummer.
As I was driving to the golf course, I was thinking. What if Hollywood took special notice of Ricky Gervais' monologue and all aquiesced to a new way of thinking.
What if all the actors became Republicans, all the directors, all the media ad buyers and union workers and producers. What if, instead of standing up and protesting against the right, they started favoring the right and crash bangin the left?
Castigating Indians(native Americans,) Choice advocates, Peace advocates, Wall denouncers, ACA proponents? Free speech restrictionists? Public school funding afficionados...? More...too long me thinks.
Well, they would have a hard time finding a comedian to host.
And the movies we would start having to watch? I shudder to think.
Could Hannity host? How about Rush? I think my thought is laughable, but it was my thought for a few minutes.
There is plenty of room for alternative thought and beliefs here in this USA.
David, re the Texans...I was golfing and it was 24-0 by 15th hole. Before I got in the clubhouse, it was 24-27...So, I did not see the first part....only the last part. ugh.
Texans need two Off linemen, another pass rusher and about 4 defensive secondary people who are not afraid. Unfortunately we have no draft picks until 2030. We do have what they call money under the cap. I don't follow it closely enough to know what money under the cap is. It seems to me if you get old guys with cap money all the time they are getting hurt more than young guys.
How does anyone get through a season without being hurt in this NFL?
Actually, it they just had Dallas' defense I would give Deshaun Watson a chance....with our same receivers.
You just can't keep a good Texas Tech boy down. I also hear he is an evangelical Christian and from a Consevative family. Woe to those big city Heathens from Houston.
Your list of Republican characteristics is a bit of a stretch, don't you think? By the way, I think the Academy Awards show was just fine when Bob Hope and Johnny Carson were emcees.
Separately, the only reason FoxNews was started and became so successful was because conservatives and Republicans are "underserved" by mainstream news sources.
Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington, DC, centers of entetainment, news, and government, are overwhelmingly liberal and Democrat. They are philosophical silos that seem unaware that half the country is on the other side or, worse, revile people who think differently.
With repect to your dog walking problem I have two options for you. First option. Find a woodworker and get him to make you a walking staff. Get him to make it out ouf hickory with a round knot on the end approximately 6-7 feet tall for effect. Like Ole Moses used to part the sea. Then go to Cabellas and get bear spray and mace, the strongest you can get. Now the next time the dog threatens your well being, spray him with the bear spray. When the owner charges you, spray him with the mace until he goes to the ground. Then take your new staff and start whackin him in the ribs all the while shouting for him to release the demons in his body. Then tell him to keep the dog on a leash or you will return and cleanse him again. He will think you are crazy and avoid you like the plague. This option is referred to as "Peace through Strength".
Or option #2. Spend $10-$15 and buy this electronic dog deterrent. I have one and it works. You must get the one with the flashing lights. Even your dog will behave better. It doesn't work on wifes or girlfriends though. You need a shock collar for that. I'm kidding. That's a good way to get badly bitten. Do you have any idea what the jaw pressure per square inch of a full grown mad woman is. I digress. The model I have is an Aokman Sensor AD-100 and it works. Just google it and a bunch will show up. It will stop dogs from barking and stop charging dogs in their tracks. Reinforce the pulses with the single verbal command "NO" if need be. Still carry the staff with you so you can look cool and bring awareness to the problem.
Did anyone watch the Democrat debate last night. I didn't. I asked my class of 47 students to raise a hand if they had seen the debate. Zero students raised a hand. I'm not sure what that means.
Was watching Fox & Friends this morning, and they showed a live shot of the Capitol. The hosts seemed not to notice the two American flags over the respective houses of Congress. One is blowing from the left, and the other from the right. How symbolic!
Susie in the TV den room hollers out."blah blah blah???"..I say "What?"
She walks into my dining room office. Says, "You know, I was thinking it was Friday. But, its really Thursday!"
Me: "You know what?"
She "What?"
Me. "It doesn't matter."
David, my comment on your classroom not watching. It's the same with everyone. It seems to me these debates are a lot earlier in the campaign than the GOP ones which decided on Trump.
No one watching. Same end as last time. Two candidates unsatisfying.
It is going to be hard to find a unifying person in the future.
Unifying would be someone gettinig 65% of the vote without undue influence of events.
I watched it. I admit I did so partly as a lead-in to watching Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah's critiques of the news, which were "live" that evening to comment on the panel.
(It's a mischaracterization to call the format of these things a "debate", it's more of a joint press conference. I'd find it more useful for everybody just to sit around a table ask questions and talk to each other. But that's just me.)
Separate from policy questions, I have to say that I was favorably impressed by the reasonableness of people's behavior on stage, and also that the questioners didn't really seem to be trying to bait the candidates. Bernie Sanders is certainly mentally sharp, and he has shown that he works together with other people. (One example as I recollect, he jointly sponsored legislation with John McCain on funding for VA hospitals.) Pete Buttigeig presents a very calm and thoughtful persona --- actually, pretty much all of them do.
I was a bit disappointed a couple of times recently when Elisabeth Warren seemed to let the attraction of a particular sound-bite lead her to miss-characterize one of her competitors (Pete Buttigeig and the "wine cave", Bernie Sanders and "30 years" -- Bernie showed he could do math in his head better then she could on stage.). Bringing up an in-passing comment from over a year ago, when you've never mentioned it before, also sounded like falling for a sound-bite..
Here in Massachusetts, we see quite a few TV ads from Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer. Again, separate from policy questions, it seems they are presenting thoughtful, reasonable personas.
While enjoying their evening cocktails, the wife asks her husband, in very seductive voice, "Have you ever seen Twenty Dollars all crumpled up????"
"No," said her husband.
She gave him a sexy little smile, unbuttoned the top 3 or 4 buttons of her blouse and slowly reached down into the cleavage created by a soft, silky push-up bra, and pulled out a crumpled Twenty Dollar bill.
He took the crumpled Twenty Dollar bill from her and smiled approvingly.
She then asked him, "Have you ever seen Fifty Dollar bill all crumpled up?"
"Uh... no, I haven't," he said, with an anxious tone in his voice.
She gave him another sexy little smile, pulled up her skirt, and seductively reached into her panties......and pulled out a crumpled Fifty Dollar bill.
He took the crumpled Fifty Dollar bill and started breathing a little quicker with anticipation.
"Now," she said, "have you ever seen Fifty Thousand Dollars all crumpled up????"
First, I wish I had had the opportunity to talk with you more at the Reunion. I have always enjoyed listening to and reading your comments.
You may not have seen the post debate dust-up between Warren and Sanders. If not, see the video below.
As a conservative, I don't like any of the Democrat aspirants, of course. Bernie is an avowed socialist, and I disagree with almost every one of his positions. Also, his rhetoric doesn't work for me. (I like billionaires, or I would if I knew any.) He will be 79 years old on inauguration day next year. Two terms -- 87. I don't think so.
Warren claims not to be a socialist, but she is in favor of everything that the socialist is in favor of. She also seems to shade the truth frequently. (We already have a president who does that with enviable creativity.) Most important, I'd hate to have to hear her voice for eight years.
I would like Buttigieg if he were conservative. He speaks well and is poised and thoughtful, but he is way too young in my opinion.
Biden is clearly on a downhill slide mentally, and he started halfway down the hill to begin with. He would be 78 on inauguration day. His best characteristic is that he is not a socialist.
Blumberg will be 78 on inauguration day. Plus, I object to anyone who thinks government should have the power to dictate how big a Big Gulp can be!
I don't know about Steyer. Best I can tell, his campaign slogan is "Nobody hates Trump more than I do." Besides, how can populist Democrats be in favor of someone who attended Phillips Exeter Academy??
I don't know anything about Klobuchar.
Trump was my least favorite of the 17 GOP candidates in 2016, and some of his juvenile comments make my skin crawl. It is possible to rev up the base without calling names. However, I am happy with most of his actions, and his economic policies are lifting countless Americans from poverty. They've been pretty good to me, too. If he would stop being a jerk and try to be likable, he would win in a landslide.
Warren is my candidate, but Klobuchar is my backup.
My reason for her is her "story." Mainly, how she worked with wallstreet during the mortgage crises in 2007-2010.
From Oklahoma, divorced mom, Univ of Houston degree, Texas Law, Harvard, work on bankruptcy for individuals and companies. You know the story.
I am somewhat chagrinned by some of her "plans" and feel they are sort of mamdated by her constituency and will have to be on the back page for her to work with both sides of the aisle. She accepts no support other than individuals. (Don't know about what the Democratic committee would give if she was nominated.)
I find nothing wrong with her voice...better than El Trump, Bernie, and Hillary.
I would like to comment on student loan debt.
I see nothing wrong with forgiving the interest on student loans. My son owes 30,000. He is paying it back and has been for four years. In that time, his payment (having been reduced to the lowest amortization schedule they allow) is about 280 a month. He has only reduced in loan in 3 1/2 year by about 1200.
I say, interest free if you pay in back on, say, 5 or 10 year schedule. I know bankers would be pissed off, but that makes sense to me to get more educated youths.
I am pretty sure my life is now complete. Lowell has said "Duh" to me on the forum. Now as Grandfather on "Little Big Man" said, "Life is too ridiculous to continue living."
