I was surprised at how terrible this movie is. Since the first “Crouching Tiger” movie came out more than 15 years ago, you would probably think a “sequel” would either have to be 1. So good that it justified a sequel OR 2. An obvious cash-register raider just trying to milk a dead franchise. Well,…
Movie Review: Monster Hunt
Having a “China” day with new reviews of this Chinese oddity, plus the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel, and Kung Fu Panda 3. I’ll also try to throw up some other reviews during the week since the entertainment section has been a little neglected lately… What Works: This was a massive hit in China, which maybe…
What’s Behind Trump’s “Midwestern Problem?”
Donald Trump has a uniquely Midwestern problem. If you closely look at the only states he hasn’t won, four out of five of them are Midwestern states. And I strongly suspect Ted Cruz won Alaska by tricking its residents into voting for a “Free Cruz” out of the state. So if you write-off Alaska as an outpost…
Who “Won” the Latest Republican Debate? Winning is Such a Relative Term…
Grading the candidates in the latest monster-truck-derby/bar-fight/”Debate” (quotes necessary for legal reasons) so you don’t have to…[watch it that is]. Ted Cruz…You would think Cruz would be riding high after “wins” on Super-Tuesday like his home state and the state that bordered his home state, but the bottom-line is that Cruz can not seem to…
GOP Supporting Ted Cruz? Really? Are They Trying to Lose to Trump?
Of all the strange stories that came out of Super-Tuesday, one of the weirdest may be that the GOP seems to be planning to dump Rubio at the exact moment he could actually win some states. I keep seeing different variations of people “questioning” Rubio’s chances. [Uhhhh, you think?] And speculating that maybe they should…
Time to Celebrate the Ending of Super-Tuesday and My (Mostly) Right Picks
Pop the champagne, pour the tequila, uncork the wine, and celebrate folks! Super Tuesday is over, and now the endless obsessing about it can die down, and a few of the weaker candidates can slowly drift off to die peacefully, not unlike the weakest of the buffalo herd. Although it perhaps says something about the…
Why Are Republicans Acting Like They Didn’t Write the Southern Strategy?
“Donald Trump is a racist!” “Donald Trump is getting support from the Ku Klux Klan!” “Donald Trump is drawing white supremacists becaue of his racially divisive rhetoric!” And that’s just what the Republicans are saying about him. The exact question of how racist Donald Trump is may be the best one of the campaign season….
Episode 11–What’s the Matter with Alabama? Examining Red States
In our most personal episode to date, Blue in Alabama and Alabama Liberal explore the fundamental question: Why do red states go for policies that aren’t helping them? And we actually answer it. Join us as we explore The Southern Strategy, how Alabama’s political shifts have been a reaction to race, and the direct correlation…
All My Predictions Were Correct, but Telecast Was Still Ho-Hum
A few days back I posted a “Movie Talk” video (to YouTube and under the YouTube tab of the homepage) saying that DiCaprio, Larsen, Alejandro (director of “The Revenant”) and Vikander were locks. I expressed serious doubts that Sylvester Stallone—the favorite for Best Supporting Actor in “Creed”—would win, and even lamented that I was afraid…
Super Tuesday Predictions For Each State…
How will each candidate do on Super-Tuesday? Let’s take a look… Democrats Hillary Clinton…Will Win: Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, and the big prize of Texas. Will Probably Win: Oklahoma. Decent Odds: Massachuttes, Colorado. Could Go Either Way: Minnesota. Will Lose: Vermont Bernie Sanders…Will Win: Vermont. Might Win: Minnesota. Could Win: Massachuttes, Colorado, Oklahoma. Will Lose Everything Else Republicans…They have all the states Democrats do plus Alaska and Wyoming Donald Trump…Will…
Does Chris Christie Endorsement Really Matter? It Just Might…
By now, Rubio has collected more political endorsements than The Godfather who carried around politicians “like so many nickels and dimes in your pocket.” He’s had damn-near every big name Republican politician of past (Romney) present (Nikki Haley) and waaay past (Bob Dole). So people might look at Christie’s endorsement and think “who cares? Rubio…
Petty Issues: Donald and Jeb “The Tortured Bromance” Edition…
[Author note: Don’t worry guys, with Super-Tuesday right around the corner, we’ll have some good stuff up this weekend. But as I take a small break with petty issues over a larger editorial, you might want to check out this week’s new podcast, episode ten was just posted and it’s loaded with good stuff.] I…
Episode 10–What Type of Strategies and Fans Does Each Candidate Have? Exploring GOP Identity Politics
A very special tenth episode of “A Year Long Conversation” that is a little longer than usual but moves like a bullet-train. We dive deep into: How each candidate’s strategy is shaped by who they are (Ted Cruz’s shady minions, Rubio’s half-hearted endorsements, Trump’s unimaginative strategy of actually winning states). We explore the media’s dead-wrong assertion that…