Here's one that was percolating in my mind for a while before I was able to put it up; discussing the concept of strength, some reasons men should seek to acquire it, and, as a byproduct, the contemporary tendency to prioritize comfortably ambiguous ideas of 'inner strength' over, you know, the kind you can't fake. … Continue reading Talking Strength at Catholic Match
It Came From Rifftrax: ‘Courtesy: A Good Eggsample’
So, let's do one from the 'completely insane' school of educational shorts. This one is well-summed up by Kevin right out of the gate as "Batman villain Egghead's brief foray into educational films." That actually would make a lot more sense than the idea that this was seriously intended as an educational film. Basically, it's … Continue reading It Came From Rifftrax: ‘Courtesy: A Good Eggsample’
New Catholic Match Post
I saw some people discussing this on the Catholic Match forums a while back and gave the question some thought. The results are now up: The basic version is that men are more physically oriented, women more relationally oriented. A woman typically wants to learn more about a man’s character, personality, and capabilities. Thus, what … Continue reading New Catholic Match Post
It Came From Rifftrax: ‘Understanding Your Ideals’
One of the hundreds of educational films made by Coronet (not an exaggeration, by the way), this is kind of a special case. Typically, these '50s educational shorts are centered around basically ordinary, blandly decent kids dealing with a single, common problem (how to ask a girl out, being shy, etc.). Not this one! This … Continue reading It Came From Rifftrax: ‘Understanding Your Ideals’
‘Skillet’ Frontman Preaches Truth
You know, Skillet is already one of my favorite bands, and I don't have many favorite bands (my taste in music generally boils down to "I like this song and that song, and I don't like that one." I don't usually get attached to bands). They've gone up even further in my esteem with frontman John … Continue reading ‘Skillet’ Frontman Preaches Truth
Kaiju Appreciations; Ebirah
It's been a long time since I've put one of these together (over a year, in fact...that's dispiriting), mostly due to trouble finding the right songs and generally being busy. But I happened to hit upon the right one, so Ebirah is up at last! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M53AhvKa1sc&feature=youtu.be
Talking Violence at the Everyman
My latest piece is up at The Everyman, where I share some thoughts on mass shooters and violent crime in general; thoughts that have been percolating one way or another for quite a while. It is this: back in, say, the 1950s there was comparatively little violent crime in the United States. Oh, there was some, … Continue reading Talking Violence at the Everyman
It Came From Rifftrax: You’re the Judge
I would call this one ‘charming;’ vintage 60s high school romance used to promote Crisco shortening (seriously). The plot has two high school girls trying to tempt the objects of their affections to a party by goading them into a cooking contest. The girls use Crisco and produce a sumptuous meal, while the boys use … Continue reading It Came From Rifftrax: You’re the Judge
Thoughts on ‘One Punch Man’
One of the most common complaints about Superman is that he's boring because he's too powerful. I don't buy into this at all; I think that, if you know what you're doing, you can make Supes's power level into the very thing that makes him compelling. One Punch Man is an illustration of that principle. Meet … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘One Punch Man’
It Came From Rifftrax: “Remember Me”
As a lifelong fan of 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' and its follow-up 'Rifftrax', I figured I'd start writing up a few of my thoughts on their various projects. "Remember Me" is a short designed to teach customer service practices. It focuses on the Customer: the Least Respected Man in America, as he runs a gauntlet … Continue reading It Came From Rifftrax: “Remember Me”
Serpent's Den 