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mineofilms · 8 days

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Political Discourse on Perspective

“Great Minds Talk About Ideas. Average Minds Talk About Events. Small Minds Talk About People…” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

The Extreme-Progressive-Woke-Left collectively talk a lot about other people and/or groups of other people, usually pertaining to Donald Trump, whom I am not a direct supporter of. I am probably going Independent if I vote at all. Just so it is known. I have just as many issues with the right than I do the left.

Your everyday average-middle-class American are thinking more, they are talking up more, they are curious, they ask questions and then ask more questions. They are humble, they will and often do listen to multiple angles of a conversation. They try to make the illogical, logical. They try to make all the things that do not make sense, make sense. Your average-middle-class person is attracted to these things. Go to New York City, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. What do you see besides the obvious? Lots and lots of bitterness. I see a lot of, ‘alleged,’ smart people who do not have the sense to use that, ‘alleged,’ intelligence and who do not have it mentally, emotionally, and intellectually together. What I see is a lot of people who say they are smart by default based on where they went to school. When I say school, I mean college. None of these people would ever attempt to say they are smart and not be from a fancy college. I see these same people, bitter, living in interconnected boxed right angles, stacked onto one another, like how one would organize the useless things they own and then sit back and be proud of that. Working dead-end jobs, being jealous of others that live free, outside in the sunlight, eating fresh non-processed food. We see the people in the Mainstream-Progressive-Woke-Left-Establishment trying to appear to be intellectuals, but what they are really doing, in doing so, making stupid decisions or saying illogical things, like not being able to properly define what a woman is or that "kill the Jews," is not harassment on college campuses. They won’t condemn “Death to America” chants in public. What we are seeing now isn’t just illogical, it is just really dumb. Extreme-Progressive-Woke-Left collectively attempts to make minority issues displayed as majority issues and those issues be labeled as normal and/or everyday ‘FACTS...’” They keep telling us everything is great and the country has never been better.

We all look outside for ourselves, check our bank accounts, go to the grocery store and that is not the reality that is being projected onto us by them.

The disconnect of the Extreme-Progressive-Woke-Left with your average everyday citizen that identifies as left and/or right is becoming a real problem. It has been a real problem since this movement has attempted to make what are obviously bad ideas appear good and use very poorly executed reverse psychology to tell us we are all wrong, bad, evil and stupid for questioning anything this point of view labels as normal, news and/or facts... As previously stated; I am not even a Trump-guy and can see through all this bullshit. Basically, anyone that doesn't agree with their 'class' is an ‘anti-intellectualist.’ First it needs to be stated that in order to be an intellectual, one has to be, you know, 'intellectual.' Simply going on TV and pulling a Vice President-Second in Command-Dumb-Dumb-of the Year-Kamala Harris-Word-Salad of nonsensical rhetoric does not make what anyone has to say right by default. That is why more people are looking / scoffing at the left. Not because they are left or democrat by default but rather they have had power and look what they did with it. They undid Trump's work out of spite, regardless of right/wrong for the country. It was literally like 15-yr-old high school TikTok drama and then they turn around and tell us, it is all our fault too. That to me is crazy. It would be ok if the left was; “hey, we FK'd up, we'll do better if we win.” No. They say we're better now with Biden than we were with Trump and here is the proof. What proof? The reality is we are not better. They keep on telling us bad is good and we need to accept it. We try to vote, talk, say things that make sense and they turn around and use more language that logically makes no sense.

"Anti-intellectualism…" What in the hell are they talking about?

After “The Matrix Reloaded” (2003) came out. I first thought that both the red and blue pills did the exact same thing. If you take the blue pill or the red pill that one would still wake up in a pod fighting the good fight. That is what I thought back then. I used to joke that if it were me I would give Morpheus the finger, take both pills and jump out the window yelling “wild card,” like Charlie from “Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” Nowadays; I see Red/Blue, in both political terms and philosophical terms, that each ‘choice’ may have a different road, but all roads lead to the same destination. The Red/Blue pill itself is like seeing reality in 2D, flat, a straight line, no depth, while those that control the flow of both pills/colors, see reality in 3D and/or 4D depending on what level of control we have here. 2D beings will never be able to understand and/or perceive 3D, let alone 4D. Even how we perceive 4D, from the 3D perspective is very tough to see/interact with/understand. You take red, you go right. You take blue, you go left. Both roads are curved, but they seem straight to us. Eventually, because they are curved both roads lead to the same destination. The majority of humanity follows the curve, thinking they are going in a straight line away from the opposing color never conceiving that they are playing right into the system's hands.

• Control Dissidence – is when a person believes that they are free, but they do not know that they are more oppressed than those who are still stuck in “The Matrix.” Both pills are a lie. The choice was always an illusion. “Choice is an illusion created between those with power and those without. You see there is only one constant. One universal. It is the only real truth.” ~Merovingian, “The Matrix Reloaded” (2003).

A logical fallacy is a flaw or error in reasoning that undermines the validity of an argument. It involves deceptive or incorrect reasoning that may lead to an unsound conclusion. Logical fallacies can be categorized into various types, and they often manifest in the form of faulty patterns of thinking, misleading evidence, or irrelevant reasoning. These flaws can occur in coherent or probabilistic reasoning and may be intentional or unintentional.

Common Types of Logical Fallacies Include:

• Ad Hominem – Instead of dealing with someone's argument, you attack the person who's making the argument.

• Straw Man – Making someone else's argument look weaker than it really is, so it's easier to criticize. (Over simplification).

• False Cause – Thinking one thing caused another just because they happened together, without enough proof.

• Circular Reasoning – Using the conclusion of your argument as one of the reasons your argument is true, but it doesn't actually prove anything. (Most popular and currently in play most days of the 2020s).

• Appeal to Authority – Believing something is true just because an important person or source said so, without looking at the actual argument. (Very common in the political landscape).

• False Dichotomy – Making it seem like there are only two options when there could be more. (Most binary information systems, like the two-party system).

• Hasty Generalization – Jumping to a conclusion based on too little or biased evidence.

• Appeal to Ignorance – Saying something is true just because it hasn't been proven false, or vice versa.

• Red Herring – Bringing up something irrelevant to distract from the main point.

• Honorable Mentions – Pseudo – Pseudo-logic – Pseudo-intellect – Pseudoscience. Pseudo literally means ‘made-up.’ Let’s not forget, ‘anti-intellectualism.’

Recognizing and avoiding logical fallacies is essential for constructing sound and persuasive arguments, as they can undermine the credibility and effectiveness of reasoning. Critical thinking skills, common sense and logic practitioning are crucial for identifying and addressing logical fallacies in both everyday discourse and more formal debates.

Presentism – uncritical adherence to present-day attitudes, especially the tendency to interpret past events in terms of modern values and concepts.

Presentism is a WOKE and/or Progressive attribute of belief. WOKE is both a Subculture and Internet Subculture that attempts to make minority issues displayed as majority issues and those issues be labeled as normal and/or everyday ‘FACTS...’ Keyword semantic concepts, 'minority...' Minority means, minor, not many, not all, not most, but “some.” Minority can never be mistaken for majority, which is most, much more than minority. These concepts are not one in the same. Presentism refers to a common tendency to judge historical events, people, or ideas by today's standards and values. Instead of understanding the context of a particular time period, presentism applies current beliefs and attitudes to past situations. For example, it's like saying someone from the past was wrong because they didn't act according to today's morals, even though the norms and values back then were much different than present day society. This approach overlooks the complexities of history and fails to appreciate the unique circumstances of each era. Presentism can distort our understanding of the past and prevent us from learning valuable lessons from history. In simpler terms, it's like trying to fit square pegs into round holes—forcing current ideas onto past events without considering the differences in time and context. So, being aware of presentism helps us approach history with a more open mind and understand it in its proper context.

Rhetoric as Semantics:

Rhetoric is the art of being a master bullshiter…

In semantics the meanings in the words would require logical, real, facts and not pseudo-facts where ‘pseudo’ literally means ‘made-up.’ The one part of this that I have always challenged is this all comes down to what a real, true, fact is and what isn't. Facts are obtained by the scientific method, not faith or a/the belief of it (whatever 'it' is). Belief in something doesn't necessarily always mean it is both real and/or true. Belief is just that, a belief, a thought that something ‘could be’ real/true. One believes this, whatever this is, to be true. A fact is taking that belief and proving it is actually real and/or true in the real world… I look deep into most of the things that are being spewed as semantics, but really are just rhetoric, where semantics is the study of real and true meanings of words and phrases and are based on credible facts. Where rhetoric only has to appear it is based on credible facts, but doesn’t actually have to include anything real, true or fact, merely that it only sounds plausible.

For some very odd reason our society has allowed far too much nonsensical thinking to become part of our everyday mental processes. Our attention spans are so limited now. We can blame the internet and/or social media, but the internet was not always like that. People used to spend hours behind their computer screens. I still do, very much so. Things used to be long format. Things used to take time. Now anything over a few sentences on social media via a smartphone or a video up on YouTube is longer than 8-minutes people skip it and move onto something else that is over-simplified.

It is us. We did this. We are doing this. We are allowing this.

It is a real shame that people who are not very intelligent, in general, should become people who lead us. It really does boggle my mind sometimes that some, ok, most, of the people who lead us are of less intelligence than a majority of the very many that make up our everyday average-middle-class American. In a world where presentism reigns supreme, the past becomes a battleground for contemporary ideologies that don’t even make logical sense. History is and is always both complex and written by those that won the wars. To judge it through the narrow lens of today's hypersensitivity of narcissistic-sociopathy that is now our ‘new normal’ misses its richness entirely. As we attempt logical discourse, let's strive for fuller depth of context, recognizing that the past is not a mirror of the present, but a window into how we used to be and where we should go from here. So, let's approach history with humility and curiosity, embracing its diversity and learning from its lessons and/or mistakes. The 80’s were better than the 90s. The 90s were better than the 2000s. It’s always been that way. All of the above, all at once, never ending.

It is more important to remember how it actually happened or those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. And that is exactly where we are heading. Rome fell over a time span of 150 years. I dare us to do better…

Political Discourse on Perspective by David-Angelo Mineo 4/19/2024 2,182 Words

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mineofilms · 13 days

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Review of: “Leave the World Behind”

Leave the World Behind (2023) Writers: Rumaan Alam, Sam Esmail Directed by: Sam Esmail Stars: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Kevin Bacon IMDB Rating: 6.5/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 35% Runtime: 2 hours, 20 minutes Full Plot Spoilers Ahead, You Have Been Warned...

Amanda Sandford, who's not big on people, decides to take her family on a surprise weekend trip to a vacation rental. It's supposed to be a nice family bonding time with her husband Clay and their kids, Archie and Rose. While they're out shopping for groceries, Amanda notices some guy stocking up on a ton of canned food and water. Later, while they're chillin’ at the beach nearby, they see a skyscraper-sized oil tanker crash onto the beach right in front of them. When they get back to the rental house, they realize the TV and Internet are not working, and there are some deer staring at them. That night, the owner of the house, George H. ("G.H.") Scott, and his daughter, Ruth, show up, saying there's a blackout and they need a place to stay. The blackout was why they returned to the home. Amanda's not too sure about them, but Clay's like, "Sure, why not?" Later, emergency alerts start popping up on TV. The next morning, Rose is bummed because she can't watch the last episode of "Friends" without Internet or TV. Amanda gets a bunch of news alerts on her phone, saying there's a blackout on the whole East Coast and maybe it is because of hackers. Rose notices more deer hanging around outside. Clay goes to town to try and find out what is happening, while G.H. goes to his neighbor's house to check things out. Clay runs into a Spanish-speaking lady and sees some weird leaflets in Arabic falling from a drone. G.H. finds a satellite phone at the neighbor's place and figures out there's something wrong with the satellites. He also discovers a crashed plane on the beach while dodging another that is crashing right on top of this one. Meanwhile, Rose and Archie find an empty shed in the woods, and Archie gets rid of a tick that is biting his ankle. When they get back, G.H. tells Amanda about what he found, but they get interrupted by a loud noise that stuns them all. Amanda remembers the guy stocking up on supplies, who G.H. thinks is his contractor, Danny. Clay comes back freaked out by the leaflets, and they decide to try to go to Amanda's sister's place in New Jersey, but they get stuck in traffic as the interstate is clogged with empty and collided brand-new self-driving Teslas; which they narrowly avoid more incoming Tesla cars continuing to drive themselves without drivers into the pile-up, and are forced to return to G.H.'s house. During the night, Ruth and Clay have a deep talk and get distracted by seeing flamingos in the pool. Amanda and G.H. start getting along, but then there's another loud noise and the power goes out. Rose tells Amanda a story from "The West Wing." The next morning, Archie's teeth begin to fall out for no reason. G.H. thinks it's because of the tick bite and suggests they go see Danny for help. Rose disappears, so G.H. and Clay take Archie to Danny’s while Amanda and Ruth look for Rose. They find a bunch of deer at the shed that freak them out. At the same time, G.H. and Clay have an armed standoff as they talk to Danny, who tells them about microwave weapons, makes a deal for meds and sends them to a bunker nearby. Shaken, G.H. thinks as he discusses with Clay and Archie on the basis of his work with military contractors that the country is in a three-stage campaign leading to a progressive-breakdown of social order and resulting in coup d'état or possible civil war in the United States. Amanda and Ruth see New York City getting bombed. Rose finds the bunker, flips on the generator for power. She finds a collection of DVDs that includes the entire “Friends” run and decides to watch the last episode as a computer screen in the background displays a message that warns of attacks by rogue military elements and elevated radiation levels across multiple U.S. cities. Rose gets to watch her last show while the United States burns as the screen cuts to black ending the movie.

I am late to the party with this movie. I didn’t watch it right away when it came out. Took me a few months to get to it as I was watching the entire series/movies/return series run of “TWIN PEAKS.” When you watch “Twin Peaks” you gotta finish it first right? It’s a mind-FK on what the hell is actually going on with that show. So “Leave the World Behind” (2023) I liked… It has issues, sure, but all-in-all it’s a decent watch. My issues are minor, but some of them could be semi-major. While trying to be as realistic as possible it actually seems a little hokey how the characters mesh during the film, but there are some real good moments in and outside of that. 'The not knowing' really saves this movie. Would love to see the same movie, but from Kevin Bacon's character of Danny’s point of view. The end sequence of New York City has a semi-massive mushroom cloud. Too small to be a H-bomb but big enough to still be in the atom bomb family. Does this make sense to anyone else? Is anyone else seeing the same thing I saw at the end? There were no loud sonic booms or blast wave happening moments before. From where they are they would have absolutely felt and heard an atomic explosion, even in the kiloton range over megaton. If it were an A-bomb level explosion the cloud is probably an hour to three hours old. They would have suspected something. To just walk in the woods nearby and discover this huge mushroom cloud in New York City doesn't seem plausible to me. Since the movie is supposed to be ground in our current reality it takes some pretty big liberties, both for positive and negative storytelling probes.

Some Internet theories were saying Aliens…

Aliens? Not the worst theory here. My issue with aliens here is that some people knew this was coming within the confines of the story being told here. I do not think aliens and that knowing would align in a more plausible way than say, a possible rouge AI… I feel like this is how a rouge AI would attack the U.S. though. Why does everyone believe it will happen as if this was “Terminator” or “the Matrix?” Destroying everyone and everything. Killing off humanity in a nuclear fireball would destroy this planet’s ability to host technology to support AI to begin with. The idea of destroying a country with a largely intact infrastructure would be the way to go. Like the machines said in "The Matrix;" "There are levels of survival we are prepared to accept.” ~The Architect. I feel like this movie could exist inside the continuity of "the Matrix" in a way. After the initial attack the machines would need humans to help rebuild and execute the machine's instructions. This could even come from a human-puppet leader, like G.H. Scott's mysterious client. Like they said in the film; ‘America has made a lot of enemies.’ In all seriousness I do not believe these enemies, even United, could take down America in this fashion. Even the Alex Garland film “Civil War” (2024) – where a modern-day United States descends into another Civil War. In order for a plan like this to actually work in “Leave the World Behind” (2023) there would have to be a considerable amount of inside help. Computer-wizards, CIA people and technology verse a largely sleeping Federal Government. There was one news blast in “Leave the World Behind” (2023) that said the White House was under attack by rouge US forces. That made me think. How long would it take under an attack of this nature for our own Generals to begin to seize power, be it for our own good, their own ego and motivations or perhaps part of the plan itself?

In “Leave the World Behind”(2023) it was roughly 24 hours…

So much could have been taken into account and they do not go anywhere with any of it. The kid losing teeth, the animals behaving strangely, the flirting and dancing. I just feel like this was a super great idea with too much passive-progressive-woke takes over going in more direct and logical, real human direction on something like this. I doubt in real life G.H. Scott would keep any of this a secret. The second he knew the world would never be the same again, in a literal sense, things would have taken a more serious and deadly tone. I can give the movie a solid 7 out of 10 stars for effort and tension. A lot of things are left kind of vague. What caused the whole apocalypse, what the Spanish lady was saying, Archie's teeth, and the deal with the secret cabal? The movie doesn't come right out and say it, but it's all about uncertainty and misinformation during a blackout. The message seems to be about sticking together in tough times and not turning against each other. The lady speaking crazy in Spanish talking about some pretty intense stuff, like seeing a plane spraying red gas and feeling lost. We do not get subtitles to know exactly what she's saying, but it adds to the overall feeling of uncertainty and chaos. Then there's the whole deal with the flyers dropping from the sky. Maybe it's a warning, maybe it's a threat, maybe it’s total bullshit, we're not totally sure. It just adds to the confusion and tension. G.H. mentions ‘cabal’ as a joke, but it could be a hint at something more sinister. Maybe someone or something took control when the world was in chaos, leading to even more problems, and Archie's teeth falling out? That's a weird one. It could be from some bug, microwave energy weapon or radiation in the area. Whatever it is, it's not good news. The movie leaves a lot of things up in the air, but that's part of what makes it so interesting and horrifying. It's all about uncertainty and how we deal with it, both in the movie and in real life.

It is an interesting premise though and who is to say how humans would behave when/if the world goes to shit for real. It is bound to at some point. Why not now or soon… If we believe the BS-news and shooty-political takes we are well on our way. I have been saying for years; “just give me a nice spot on the beach so I can sit and watch the world burn.”

Review of: “Leave the World Behind” (2023) by David-Angelo Mineo 4/14/2024 1,826 Words

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mineofilms · 14 days

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Kuron sakusei ni tsuite wa dodesu ka?

The concept of the human soul is deep, rooted in philosophy, religion, and spirituality. Its definition varies across different cultural and philosophical ideas. A textbook definition of the human soul might be considered as: “An immaterial, eternal, and indivisible essence that embodies the unique identity, consciousness, and spiritual nature of an individual human being. It is believed to transcend the physical body and is often associated with qualities such as morality, emotions, intellect, and the capacity for free will. In many religious and philosophical concepts, the soul is considered the core of human consciousness, the source, the locus of personal identity beyond the physical plain of death.” ~ChatGPT In this talk we will expand upon the human soul’s root in philosophy, religion, and spirituality. We are going to add physics, binary information systems, robotics, biomechanical, sociology, quantum mechanics, gravity and other technologies to this talk about the human soul. We will repeat ourselves often here. Be ready… 1) Is the human soul, a piece of quantifiable data?

In 1901, Duncan McDougall, a physician in Haverhill, Massachusetts attempted an experiment to determine whether the human soul has physical weight or not at the exact moment of death. The experiment was to use a very sensitive weight scale of the time period to weigh the body at the moment of death to test whether or not substantial mass leaves the body at the moment of death. The experiment did have results but could not be collaborated by other experiments, often the results were inconclusive, and the scientific community as a whole would later recognize McDougall’s experiments as unreliable. However, despite this, the experiment popularized the urban legend that the human soul weighs 21.3 grams. The question of whether the human soul can be measured or quantified gets into some pretty deep, critical thinking and problem solving thought experiments about what makes us, well, us… The soul is like the core of our identity, consciousness, and people have been talking about it since the first humans looked up at the sky and asked; “Each of us at some time in our lives, turns to someone - a father, a brother, a God... and asks...” “Why am I here? What was I meant to be?” “Is this all that I am? Is there nothing more?” ~Kirk/Spock talking about V’ger, “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” (1979).

Traditional religious ideas say the soul is beyond what science can measure. That the soul is beyond human comprehension. They see it as something divine, connected to God, and lasting forever. In more recent times, with all our technological growth since 1901, science tries to look at the soul in a more practical and scientific way. Religion says the human soul and God is beyond science and that is correct, “from a certain point of view.” ~Obi-Wan Kenobi, “Star Wars: A New Hope” (1977). Right now, that is true. Our complete knowledge of science, specifically physics, is extremely incomplete. We are trying to solve a problem with only a fraction of the data and science we need to tackle the problem. The amount of science-things we did not know in 1901 is daunting. We didn’t know back in 1901 what the structure and function of DNA was. We didn’t know about the existence and properties of subatomic particles such as electrons, protons, and neutrons yet. We didn’t have the theory of relativity proposed by Albert Einstein. Any concept of quantum mechanics and its implications for understanding the behavior of particles on a very small scale. No knowledge on the extent of the universe and the nature of galaxies beyond our own Milky Way or the role of bacteria and viruses in causing diseases. We didn’t have the causes and mechanisms of genetic inheritance or the full extent of Earth's geological history, including plate tectonics and continental drift. We were only in the infancy stages of the complexities of human psychology and the workings of the brain. The potential for space exploration and travel beyond Earth's atmosphere wasn’t even known as science-fiction yet. They were still calling these stories ‘fantasy.’ Flash-forward 123 years to 2024 and science learned all those things above that we did not have in 1901. Science uses tools like brain scans to understand how our brains work and how they relate to our thoughts and feelings. They think that maybe the soul is just the result of all the complicated processes happening in our brains. This might sound like they're taking away the magic from the idea of the soul, but it's more about trying to understand it in a new light. Some even wonder if we could create a kind of digital version of ourselves, keeping our memories and personalities alive in computers. So, while old beliefs say the soul is beyond measurement, new science is pushing us to rethink that. It's a big question that mixes religion, science, and our own deep thoughts about who or what we are. The human soul is a big puzzle that we keep trying to solve. It is part of what makes us human, always curious about the mysteries of our own existence.

2) Does the soul have mass? If so it ‘must’ obey the laws of physics in the form of the conservation of mass and energy, respectfully.

When we talk about whether the soul has weight, we're really asking if it behaves according to the laws that govern our physical reality, which is physics. The conservation of mass and energy says that you cannot just magically have “stuff” pop in or out of existence from nothing—it can only change shape or form. The conservation of mass and energy in its infancy was theorized as far back as 520 BCE by the Jain philosophy, a non-creationist philosophy based on the teachings of Mahavira, stated that the universe and its constituents such as matter cannot be destroyed or created. It was later expanded upon through expression dating back to Hero of Alexandria’s time. The law can be seen in the works of Joseph Black, Henry Cavendish, and Jean Rey. One of the first to outline the principle was Mikhail Lomonosov in 1756. He may have demonstrated it by experiments and had discussed the principle in 1748 through correspondence with Leonhard Euler. The conservation of mass and energy was later heavily defined in science when experiments later carried out by Antoine Lavoisier; who expressed his conclusion in 1773, and was popularized as the principle of conservation of mass and energy.

A friend of yours comes up to you with one of those giant cookies. Your friend cannot just make the cookie disappear or create a new one out of thin air. Instead, they can change the cookie into something else, like crumbs or energy when one eats it. The total amount of cookie-stuff (mass) and the energy it contains stays the same, even if it changes form. So, it's like saying you can't make something out of nothing, but you can transform what you have into different things. This is a universal law and everything of EVERYTHING physical applies to it except for a universal law that would combine gravity of the macro reality with that of the quantum one. Most of this statement is true. There is a slight misconception though. The principle of conservation of mass and energy does indeed assert that you cannot create or destroy matter or energy; instead, they can only change forms. However, the part about exceptions related to gravity and quantum mechanics is not entirely accurate. Conservation laws, including the conservation of mass and energy, are fundamental principles that apply universally to all physical processes, including those involving gravity and quantum mechanics. There is no exception to these conservation laws. While our understanding of gravity and quantum mechanics may lead to complexities in certain situations, the conservation of mass and energy still holds true as a fundamental principle governing the behavior of ALL Matter and Energy in the UNIVERSE.

When we talk about whether the soul has mass, it's important to think about what the soul really is? In relation to the law of conservation of mass and energy, the soul is energy, yes, but it is in a form our current understanding of physics cannot yet define. Under these circumstances we cannot ‘force’ our understanding of this till the science catches up. Take this ‘thing’ called the ‘soul.’ It’s obviously a ‘thing.’ It is a form of energy, but since we cannot yet quantify it in physical terms does it have to obey the laws of physics? That is the question that if we can answer it, then we can do something about that, with that. Traditionally, people think of it as something separate from the body, like a spirit. So, saying it has weight might sound strange because weight usually goes with things that have physical mass. We can touch and measure it. If a thing can be measured then it must obey the laws of physics. It cannot outright break the laws of physics. The only thing we can sort of understand that does this is a black hole. Nothing else discovered fits this definition. If the soul does have attributes that make it a real and tangible thing, which it is, because we experience it, but we cannot properly define it in science terms, it would have mass which means it has weight, it would mean it follows the rules of physics. Like how matter and energy can't just appear or disappear—they can only change from one form to another. This idea makes us think that maybe the soul is a part of the physical reality and interacts with it. In the end, whether the soul has mass and follows the rules of physics is still something we're trying to figure out. It's a big question that makes us think hard and brings together different ideas from religion, science, and philosophy. The actual truth lies somewhere in between all of that; and as we know none of these things play very well together in the sandbox at the park, we call the UNIVERSE...

3) However, do we even have ‘that great an understanding’ of all of physics?

We know next to nothing about physics as a whole. In doing research for this blog I found a “List of unsolved problems in physics,” https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unsolved_problems_in_physics. Where I counted 121 separate subjected-areas of study that the human race cannot answer. There are loads more to discover and understand. As we make strides the answers and solutions tend to come in waves. We solve one problem it may shed light on others, opening up doors to all of the problems, all at once. Gradual improvements, adding new data, and solutions till the next discovery that opens the next door and the next. They can happen quickly or over long periods of time. Have no doubt though, there is a lot more to discover. When we put AI to these problems, this also may warrant some progress.

Our incomplete understanding of physics can be demonstrated in the 2014 Christopher Nolan film "Interstellar." That data from inside a black hole’s singularity can provide clarity on mastering energy, mass, and gravity into one grand unifying theory of everything. This premise touches upon several themes related to our lack of proper understanding of physics and the quest for knowledge that transcends current scientific boundaries. Black holes represent all the answers to all the questions we ever had about the universe and will ever have. The most extreme environments in the universe, where the laws of physics as we currently understand them literally break down into nonsense. This is the only thing in existence that has these attributes. Within a black hole's singularity, gravitational forces become infinitely strong, and space-time itself undergoes dramatic distortions warping the fabric of space-time onto itself. It is so heavy and the gravity is so strong it collapses onto itself where it pulls everything within its reach, into itself. The belief that accessing data from within a black hole could provide clarity on mastering energy, mass, and gravity stems from the notion that these extreme conditions may hold the key to unlocking new insights into fundamental physical phenomena of the universe. Humans seek this information in the quest for a unified theory of physics that reconciles quantum mechanics and general relativity. Current theories offer powerful explanations for phenomena at different scales, but they are not yet fully compatible or integrated into one another. The belief that data from within a black hole singularity could shed light on this unification reflects the desire to understand the underlying principles that govern the structure of the universe itself and at its most fundamental level.

Despite the progress made in the field of physics and technology, there are still many crazy things that elude explanation within the framework of quantum mechanics and general relativity. Dark matter, dark energy, and the nature of consciousness are just a few examples of mysteries that challenge our understanding of the universe on a daily basis. The belief that accessing data from within a black hole could save the human race stems from a recognition of the limitations of our current understanding of physics and a hope that new discoveries could provide solutions to pressing existential threats. It's important to note that "Interstellar" is a work of speculative fiction, and the concept of obtaining data from within a black hole singularity is a narrative device called a “macguffin,” main thing that is used to drive the plot and characters forward. While the film's premise is based on scientific principles, it takes liberties with current knowledge and concludes into the realm of speculative conjecture. Still, the film's exploration of these ideas sparks curiosity and imagination, prompting contemplation of these mysteries of the cosmos, the limits of human understanding and the imagination.

4) If the soul is quantifiable then how can it be described in binary?

The concept of translating the soul into binary code, a language of ones and zeros used in computers, is a thought-provoking idea that connects with many areas of study, like the brain, philosophy, and technology. While it opens up exciting possibilities for understanding consciousness, it also raises deep questions about who we are and the limits of our existence. Imagine if we could represent the soul, the essence of our consciousness, with just ones and zeros, like how computers store information. It suggests a way to simplify something complex into basic parts. But consciousness isn't like a simple computer program—it's a mix of thoughts, feelings, and experiences that can't easily be broken down into digital terms like binary code. Thinking about the soul in terms of binary also brings up big ethical questions. If we could copy someone's consciousness like we copy a computer file, what would that mean for our sense of self? Would we still be unique individuals, or just copies of each other? And should we even be messing with something as fundamental as our consciousness in that fashion? It is only now that we are gaining control over our genetics where we could, and probably will, alter our future evolutionary path. A few decades ago nature was in 100% control of future human iterations. Every couples of years now we gain more and more control over this process. It's not just about science and technology but also philosophy, ethics, and even our understanding of what it means to be human. If we ever figure out how to map the soul in binary, it would change everything we know about ourselves and our place in the world. But until then, it's a fascinating question that shows just how complex and mysterious the human mind really is. Just think of it though. Take your consciousness and put it into different bodies at will. Be an interesting dive.

5) Is it a clone of the body or the person itself? What if we make a bunch of Dwayne Johnson's (The Rock) but they only look, sound, identical and have individually different souls/minds?

Cloning brings up big questions about who we are and what makes us unique, especially when we think about whether we're cloning just the body or the individual- personality that also belongs to that original body. Imagine, making copies of Dwayne Johnson, also known as ‘The Rock.’ They might all look and sound exactly the same, but would they be the same person inside? Cloning technology can make genetically identical individuals, but it cannot copy everything that makes a person who they are. Things like memories, experiences, and personality are shaped by lots of different events, like how we're raised, where we grow up, and the people we interact with. So even if we made a bunch of Rock-clones and raised them all the same way, they'd probably end up being different people. Each clone would go through life in their own way, learning and growing based on their unique subjective experiences. This means they'd develop their own personalities and ways of thinking that are separate from each other. Even if they started out identical, they'd become individuals over time. When we talk about the soul, it adds another layer of complexity. Some people believe that there's something more to us than just our bodies and brains—that there's a soul or spirit that makes us who we are. Cloning might copy the body, but it can't copy whatever that ‘soul-stuff’ is. So, even if we could make a bunch of Dwayne Johnson clones, they wouldn't all be the same person. They'd each be their own individual with their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It's a reminder that even with all our technology, there's still a lot about being human that we don't fully understand. However, if we go back to mapping the entirety of one’s ‘soul’ into binary code? I mean, if we could actually do it and made it work. Now you could have a way to do it. Granted, we’d need one hell of a “macguffin.”

6) Can two identically copied consciousness’s coexist in the same space, time, and space/time simultaneously? Or would they cancel each other out if they came into direct physical contact with one another? From the science fiction film, “Timecop,” (1994), per the grandfather paradox.

The question of whether two identically copied consciousnesses could coexist in the same space, time, and space/time simultaneously delves into the realm of speculative science fiction and metaphysical philosophy. This concept raises profound questions about the nature of identity, the fabric of reality, and the potential consequences of encountering alternate versions of oneself by method of time travel. In popular science fiction scenarios like the grandfather paradox, time travel often serves as a narrative device to explore the complexities of causality and temporal dynamics. The paradox speculates a hypothetical scenario in which a time traveler goes back in time either accidently or purposefully to prevent their own grandfather from meeting their grandmother, thereby erasing their own existence. This scenario highlights the potential paradoxes and contradictions that arise when encountering alternate versions of oneself in the temporal continuum. In Peter Hyams 1994 film "Timecop," it is specifically stated that the same matter cannot occupy the same space at the same time. One cannot travel back in time and occupy the same exact space as their younger self. Coming into direct physical contact causes both pieces of matter, people, to annihilate themselves in a self-contained implosion of matter coming together and then vanishing from existence. In "Timecop," It's like trying to fit two puzzle pieces into the same spot—they just can't both be there at once. So, if someone from the future meets their younger self in the past, using this logic, and they touch each other or come into direct physical contact, it causes a kind of implosion. It's as if the matter from both versions of the person or object suddenly get squished together and then disappear in a few moments. Think of it like trying to shove two magnets with the same poles together—they repel each other so strongly that they can't stay in the same place. It's a unique way for the movie to show the consequences of creating a time paradox. The rule, ‘macguffin,’ that says two identical things cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Similarly, the idea of two identically copied consciousnesses coexisting in the same space/time raises intriguing philosophical dilemmas. Is the human soul, a piece of quantifiable data? Does the soul have mass? If so it would "have to obey the laws of physics” in the form of the conservation of mass and energy. Everything in the universe has to obey these laws. The only exception to the rule as of now is black holes. Do we even have ‘that great an understanding’ of all of physics? There are still many wonders that escape explanation within physics. The nature of consciousness is just one example of the mysteries that challenge our understanding of the universe. If the soul is quantifiable then how can it be described in binary, digital, terms or binary-code? Is it a clone of the body or the person itself? If consciousness is viewed as a fundamental aspect of individual identity, then encountering an identical copy of oneself could challenge one's sense of self, agency, God, creation and existence itself. Would the presence of another identical consciousness diminish or negate one's own sense of identity, leading to a cancellation of consciousnesses? Or would the two consciousnesses coexist harmoniously, each maintaining its unique perspective from the divergent point of view and agency within the shared reality? One possible interpretation is that the encounter between two identical consciousnesses could lead to a merging or integration of experiences and perspectives, resulting in a richer and more nuanced understanding of selfhood and existence. Alternatively, the encounter could give rise to existential conflicts and existential crises, as individuals grapple with the implications of encountering alternate versions of themselves that have different thoughts, feelings, perspectives and experiences from the observer’s point of view.

7) Religious implications... Is cloning against the God of religion, all religions?

The religious implications of cloning are deeply subtle and vary significantly across different religious traditions. While some religious perspectives may view cloning as inherently incompatible or as a violation of the sanctity of life, playing GOD, others may adopt more refined positions that consider the ethical and moral dimensions of cloning within a broader theological basis. Improving the quality of life by curing diseases with cloning-type technologies. Whether cloning is against the God of all religions, it's essential to recognize the diversity of beliefs and interpretations within all the religious communities. While certain religious traditions may explicitly prohibit or condemn cloning based on theological principles, others may offer more delicate perspectives that take into account the complexities of modern science and technology. For example, within Christianity, interpretations of the Bible vary widely, leading to divergent views on cloning. Some Christian denominations may view cloning as opposing to the biblical concept of God as the ultimate creator of life, while others may emphasize human gatekeeping over creation and the responsible use of scientific knowledge for the betterment of all-mankind. Within Islam, there is a range of opinions on cloning, with some scholars arguing that it is permissible within certain ethical guidelines, while others may express concerns about the potential ethical implications of cloning human beings. Probably not the best option to go digging into Islam for anything permissible and/or ethical. Much of the world sees Islam as dangerous and radical, but not for the faith in a God but how they treat anything that does not believe in what they believe, which is fundamentally wrong to force any idea onto another person or group. In Judaism, views on cloning also vary, with some Jewish scholars drawing on traditional ethical principles such as the sanctity of life and the concept of "tikkun olam" (repairing the world) to inform their perspectives on cloning. In Hinduism and Buddhism, the concept of reincarnation and the interconnectedness of all life influence attitudes toward cloning, with some believers expressing concerns about the potential disruption of karmic cycles or the creation of beings without a predetermined destiny. The question of whether cloning is against the God of all religions isn’t a straightforward question to answer. It requires careful consideration of theological principles, ethical values, and scientific insights within the context of ‘each religious tradition.’ While some religious perspectives may oppose cloning, others may offer more focused and contextualized approaches that seek to balance theological concerns with considerations of human welfare, pursuit of knowledge, and improving the quality of life for all-mankind. It will always come down to; does one, some, many, all believe in the one-God creation myth and it is a myth.

8) Sociology implications... What is the purpose of the clone? The intention?

Cloning brings up a lot of questions about how it is used and what it's meant for. Looking at why we clone things and what we want to do with them can tell us a lot about how cloning affects society as a whole. One big thing to think about is why we're cloning stuff in the first place. It's not just about making copies—it's about what we want those copies to do. Cloning could be used for all kinds of things, like treating diseases by making personalized medical treatments or helping people have babies when they can't do it on their own. When we use cloning for medical stuff, the goal is to make people healthier, happier and to live longer, healthier and happier. There is always going to be questions about who gets access to these treatments and whether everyone can benefit from them equally. On the other hand, when we use cloning for making babies, things get a bit more complicated. Some folks might want to clone themselves to keep their family line going or to have a child who's genetically related to them. Others might want to pick and choose specific traits for their baby, like picking out clothes from a catalog. Drawn to the prospect of creating "designer offspring" with desired traits. This will bring up big ethical questions about whether we're treating people like products and whether everyone should have the same chance to have kids the way they want. Cloning also raises concerns about identity and how clones fit into society. If someone is cloned for a specific purpose, like being a soldier or a worker, do they have the same rights as everyone else? And what happens if they rebel against their creators? Understanding the motivations and/or perversions behind each of these purposes is essential for assessing their societal implications. What about abuse of this technology? Build a Clone Army like in “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” (2002). The Arnold Schwarzenegger led 2000 film "The 6th Day," a man discovers he's been illegally cloned and must fight to reclaim his identity in a world where cloning is a dangerous reality. "The Island" (2005) - Directed by Michael Bay, follows a group of clones who discover the truth about their existence and rebel against their creators. "Splice" (2009) - Tells the story of two scientists who create a human-animal hybrid, leading to disturbing consequences. "Moon" (2009) - Follows a man working alone on a lunar mining base who discovers a shocking truth about his identity and purpose.

It's not just about making copies—it's about what those copies mean for all of us. 9) Cloning just parts for medical purposes?

Imagine if science could grow new body parts, like fingers or hands, from your own cells to replace ones you've lost in an accident. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but it's a real possibility with cloning technology. This kind of medical cloning, called ‘regenerative medicine,’ has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, but it also brings up some big ethical questions. One of the main concerns is consent—making sure people have a say in what happens to their own genetic material. Even though growing replacement body parts could be a game-changer for people who need them, it's important to respect their right to choose whether or not to use this technology. You do not want your genetic material out there like some of your all’s personal data or signing it away to said company for them to allow you access like phone apps. They grow you a new leg and in-turn get to keep your genetic makeup for their own uses. I would think most would want control over those sorts of aspects. One can wonder though turning human tissue into a commodity. As cloning gets more advanced, there's a risk that body parts could be bought and sold like products on Amazon. To avoid this, we need strong, but very clear language, rules, and guidelines to make sure cloning is used responsibly and ethically in medicine and not for nefarious intentions. What must be understood are the complex context of cloning... Cloning for medical purposes and using it to make babies are not one in the same or even the same thing at all. The only thing they have in common is they use cloning technology to come their intentional outcome. Medical cloning here in this sub-point is all about making replacement tissues or organs to help people get better, while reproductive cloning is about making whole new organisms. Keeping these two things separate, we can focus on the medical benefits of cloning without getting caught up in ethical debates about creating life. There's still a lot we do not know about cloning, especially when it comes to just making parts instead of whole bodies. As previously stated we might not even be able to do this without the whole body. We have to be careful not to accidentally create conscious beings without realizing it. It's a tricky balance between using cloning to help people and making sure we're not doing anything unethical in the process. And therein lies the problem… By what specific criteria do humans judge a thing, anything, ethical and/or unethical? By what actual standard?

10) We can clone the body but, not the mind/spirit. Instead, science uses a way to create an image of a person's personality using their entire INTERNET history. See example “Caprica,” (2009) “Battlestar Galatica Re-imagined” (2004-2009) prequel series about how AI/Cylon is created in that fictionalized-Universe.

The concept of replicating a person's mind or personality using their internet history raises intriguing questions about the intersection of technology, ethics, and identity. While advancements in artificial intelligence and data analysis techniques have made it possible to analyze vast amounts of digital information, the idea of creating an accurate replica of a person's consciousness remains speculative and troubled in complexities. The ability to generate an image/copy of a person's personality based on their internet history opens up possibilities for understanding human behavior and understanding in unprecedented ways. By analyzing patterns in online activity, such as social media interactions, search queries, time eyes are tracked on specific things on your screen(s), comments you leave, notes you take and digitally save and browsing habits, researchers may gain insights into the details of individual personalities and decision-making processes. This could have applications in fields such as marketing, psychology, and personalized healthcare. However, privacy concerns loom large, as the collection and analysis of personal data from online sources raise questions about consent, autonomy, and the potential for surveillance and manipulation. The unauthorized use of individuals' digital footprints to create virtual replicas of their personalities without their explicit consent could violate their rights to privacy and self-determination. On the other side of this how accurate could this possibly be? There's the question of how well computers can really understand human stuff. Sure, they're good at crunching numbers and spotting patterns, but they're not so great at understanding emotions or social situations. So, even if they analyze all your internet history, they might miss out on the real you—the one with all the messy feelings and thoughts that don't always show up online. Or do they? Not everything you do online reflects who you are in real life. People don't always act the same way online as they do in person. Many don’t actually. So, even if they collect all this data about you, it might not paint an accurate picture. Not everyone or even most are verbatim who they are in real life using their computer. Much is lost in translation. An example would be do you post everything that comes into your mind as far judgements go on all your social media platforms? No of course not, most do not, while some actually do though. We see you Karen… What I am saying here is if one often thinks in those terms and then does not replicate that same logic, attitude, and behavior in the way they use a computer, smartphone or the internet. How accurate would that image be when compared to the real you? Much is lost in translation. AI would have to fill in the gaps with its own interpretation of that same logic. In order for a copy of something to be perfect it has to be perfectly copied. While artificial intelligence algorithms may excel at identifying patterns in data, they may struggle to capture the degrees of human consciousness and subjective experience. In most science fiction AI tends to struggle with understanding, conceptually, what the ‘human element’ actually is and how it functions. Factors such as context, emotion, and social dynamics are difficult to quantify and replicate accurately, raising doubts about the reliability of personality replicas generated from computer data and internet history alone. If we went by my own internet history I would appear to be a sci-fi nerd obsessed with cloning humans haha… While it's fascinating to think about recreating personalities from internet data, there's still a lot we don't know. It's like trying to copy a painting without knowing all the colors—it might look similar, but it won't be quite right. It would be something familiar but likely a hyper-radical of a portion of that person’s personality but not their personality verbatim.

Ok, see what I mean? I do not think I can just say “CLONING” in a simple way and it just be understood. In my defense, cloning isn't exactly a simple concept... It isn’t a MEME or TIKTOK—it's a complex subject that touches on various fields.

Science helps us understand the natural world, including our bodies and minds. It guides us in thinking about how cloning could work and what it might mean. Technology is key in making cloning happen. We must think about the ethics of using it to create and manipulate life. Robotics we are getting pretty good at in recent years. Making robots that act more-like humans. So, how close are we to making biological copies, too? Biomechanical looks at how living things interact with machines. It helps us think about creating biological beings that are part-human, part-machine. Medicine is all about health and healing, but when it comes to cloning, we have to consider the ethics of tinkering with our bodies. Sociology is about how we live together in society. So, we need to think about how cloning might change our social norms and values. Different religions have their own views on the soul and what makes us human. So, we have to think about how cloning fits into these beliefs as well. Spirituality explores beliefs about the soul and what lies beyond the physical world. It's important to consider how cloning might challenge and/or open up these beliefs. Philosophy dives into big questions about life, consciousness, and who we are. It helps us think about things like the soul, whether cloning is ethical, and what it means for our identity. The psychology of it digs into how our minds work. The psychological impact of cloning on people. Physics tells us about the rules that govern the universe. Understanding these helps us see how cloning fits into the bigger picture. While metaphysics looks at reality beyond what we can touch and see. It ponders how our souls fit into the physical world and then later into the spiritual one. Computers use binary code (ones and zeros) to do stuff. Can we really quantify and copy something as complex as human consciousness with it? Conservation of mass and energy are basic rules of the universe. Understanding how they apply to the soul and cloning helps us think about what's fathomable. Quantum mechanics explores the weird reality of tiny particles. Could quantum stuff affect consciousness and cloning? A complete understanding of gravity would be a big deal in how we understand how the universe works. The theory of everything, that grand theory that explains everything in the UNIVERSE. How might this tie into cloning and our understanding of the soul? What we are missing in physics is we do not know everything about how the universe works. So, there are still gaps in our understanding of consciousness, how cloning might affect it and basically most other subjects connected to it, which is EVERYTHING...

Cloning isn't just about making copies—it's a journey through science, ethics, philosophy, religion, and what it means to be a ‘THING,’ existing, at all. Being human…

Kuron sakusei ni tsuite wa dodesu ka? Japanese (What About Cloning?) by David-Angelo Mineo 4/13/2024 6,233 Words

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mineofilms · 20 days

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Review of: “Stake Land”

Stake Land (2010) Writers: Nick Damici, Jim Mickle Directed by: Jim Mickle Stars: Connor Paolo, Nick Damici, Kelly McGillis, Michael Cerveris, Danielle Harris IMDB Rating: 6.4/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 62% Runtime: 1 hour, 36 minutes

Spoilers Ahead, You Have Been Warned...

Jim Mickle’s film "Stake Land," has a different feel, a different vibe than your typical end-of-the-world zombie-vampire apocalypse-type film. Take “The Walking Dead,” the more popular post-apocalyptic standard and “The Road,” the somber tale of a surviving father and his young son in a post-apocalyptic future and 2010’s “Stake Land” is somewhere in the middle with a post-apocalyptic world where zombie-vampires rule. The performances, particularly by Connor Paolo as Martin and Nick Damici as Mister, are commendable, grounding the human elements of the plot with believable characterizations. “Stake Land” offers a fresh take on the vampire genre, blending elements of horror, drama, and worldbuilding to create a decent movie here. I saw this over the weekend of April 7th, 2024 and was left uncertain as to why I had not heard of this back when it came out. I really liked this. It grabs you from the beginning. “Stake Land” stands as a hidden gem in horror, offering an intimate and beautifully crafted story of human survival, not just from zombie-vampires, but other groups of surviving humans. Some that use these creatures as weapons for their own dominance. The movie doesn't shy away from violence or difficult themes, presenting a stark portrayal and more realistic take on a collapsed society. Despite its limited theatrical run, “Stake Land” made some noise and earned praise from its audience. It’s original and does not feel forced. It was originally envisioned as a web series before it evolved into a feature film. Mickle's background in horror, demonstrated in previous works like "Mulberry Street," shines through here as well.

The story follows Martin (Connor Paolo) and Mister (Nick Damici) as they navigate through a world ravaged by zombie-vampires, encountering both allies and adversaries along the way. The addition of characters like the pregnant Belle (Danielle Harris) adds depth to the story, characters and struggle of the complexities of human survival in the face of horror by the undead and the living.

The notion of humanity is challenged relentlessly as characters confront the dual threats of zombie-vampires and ruthless human survivors. The film portrays a world where the line between humanity and monstrosity blurs, forcing individuals to deal with their moral compasses in the face of loss and death. Whether it's the visceral terror of encountering the bloodthirsty undead or the sobering realization of betrayal by fellow humans. The characters are constantly reminded of their fragile existence. Yet, amid the chaos and despair, moments of compassion, love, humanity and resilience shine through, underscoring the enduring spirit of being human. Despite the horrors surrounding them, the characters cling to their humanity as a beacon of hope, like Kelly McGillis’s character of Sister Agatha (a Nun) navigating through the darkness with courage and determination. “Stake Land” serves as a poignant reminder of the essence of being human—adapting, surviving, and finding solace in the bonds forged amidst adversity.

What sets “Stake Land” apart is its ability to deliver a compelling story on a small budget of $650,000, utilizing practical effects and smart storytelling to create a fully realized world where you care what happens to the main characters. The film's pace keeps viewers engaged. One would think having this much human-relationship-building in the film that it would be over two hours. This movie moves along pretty quick, but doesn’t feel forced or too long for its 96-minute runtime. The pacing feels very natural, while its atmospheric score by Jeff Grace adds to the overall experience. The special effects and make-up are on point. When it is necessary this movie provides plenty of action, gore and it gets dark with the reality it portrays. It is not shy about its approach to the violence which I was appreciated for. These movies tend to try to scare people rather than just freaking people out with the gravity of reality dealing with circumstances that come with a story like this. While it may not have achieved blockbuster status, “Stake Land” remains a fine gem of indie horror films that do not get enough credit. As Danielle Harris herself attests, it's a film that deserves more recognition and discussion within the genre. So, if you're looking for a hidden gem to add to your horror collection, look no further than “Stake Land.”

“I've seen things you wouldn't believe. Things a boy shouldn't see. I was like any other kid; I didn't believe in the boogeyman. Then the world woke up to a nightmare.” ~ Martin (Connor Paolo).

Review of: “Stake Land” (2010) by David-Angelo Mineo 4/7/2024 788 Words

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Review of: “Seveneves”

Seveneves (2015) Writers: Neal Stephenson Release Date: May 19, 2015 Awards: 2016 – Nominated, Hugo Award for Best Novel. Won, Prometheus Award for Best Novel. Film Adaptation: 2016 – Skydance Media and Imagine Entertainment own the rights with screenwriter William Broyles Jr., director Ron Howard, and producer Brian Grazer attached to the project. 2024 – No updates other than the 2016 announcement. Audiobook Runtime: Roughly 38 hours.

Spoilers Ahead, You Have Been Warned...

Plot: Set in a near-future Earth facing imminent destruction due to a catastrophic event: the sudden disintegration of the moon. The story follows humanity's desperate struggle for survival as they race against time to escape Earth's impending doom. The novel is divided into three parts: the initial effort to preserve human civilization in orbit, the struggle to rebuild society after the cataclysm, and a distant future where humanity has evolved and adapted to life in space.

This audiobook was 30+ hours of technical babble, and while a good book and idea, I ultimately did not care for how the story flowed. I oftentimes blanked out while listening to this over long stretches. It has some really great stuff in it, but lacks decent characterization. Four major plot holes that many other reviews keep saying is “ambiguous,” but I argue, “no, these are plot holes…”

Plot hole – 1) The Agent – The event that shatters the Moon. They do not know what caused it or what it really was, but all the book is willing to dive into and was willing to discover was something very small, moving very fast. struck the moon at the core and shattered it. The book states it was heavily investigated, but they couldn’t really figure it out if it was an act of malice by an outside the Earth influence or not, (aliens or act of GOD/god)… To me, this just doesn’t work. I just fail to understand how humanity just gives up on the search of the cause but uses the reality of what comes next to just write that problem away.

Plot hole – 2) The Mars Mission – A small group of humans break off the swarm of human survivors and attempt to travel to Mars to start anew there. It’s never mentioned again. We do not know what happened to this group. They take a few lines to discuss it but come to the conclusion they do not have the resources to make the trip and will die out due to all of this in short order. As I said, it is never mentioned again, even after the third part of the book that takes place 5,000 years later.

Plot hole – 3) JBF not being punished for war crimes against humanity – Julia Bliss Flaherty, mostly referred to as ‘JBF’. She is President of the United States during the early parts of the story. A combination of Trump/Biden/narcissistic-sociopath, who is guilty for nuking a country and responsible for the deaths of 99.5% of all surviving humans. She violates the international accord, that no world leaders will save themselves, by saving herself, fleeing to the ISS aboard a stolen Boeing X-37, along with Pete Starling, her science advisor. JBF attempts to reassert her leadership and persuades a large number of Cloud Ark survivors to abandon the ISS/Swarm. JBF loses control fast and a war ensues among the dissents. This leads to JBF directly being responsible for the death of nearly all of what is left of the human race, beside the handful of survivors. The second she started to become a social problem she should have been ejected out of the airlock. It was agreed nothing of the old world was to rule over this new one.

Plot hole – 4) The Purpose – Basically, it is the spacer’s religion but it isn’t really clear as to what the purpose is and what it is all about. It’s just left open to interpretation which is what is wrong with this whole plot.

The most interesting aspects are left, not even to the imagination, but rather briefly talked about as if they are uber-important; then just left unanswered, nor do the main characters even care about answering those questions, which, like I said, are the most interesting aspects of the book.

This book would be perfect for the modern-day woke-feminist, with most of, if not all, the character leads being female and all of them being extremely one dimensional and hypersensitive (modern-day woke-feminist). I am not even saying that to be disrespectful. I am saying it because that is what the females act like in this book. They are all full of crap about how they perceive each situation and how their decision making is based on subjective feelings, which would be the worst thing to do while working in space in the real world. You do not have time to get emotional working on and living on the ISS for real and this book tries to be based on a real reality. So just calling a spade a spade there. I immediately related these characters to these attributes. Granted this book was written in 2014-2015. Its 2024 now. It is easy to retrospectively say this and it make sense now, but then, I might have saw the characters in a different light. We live in different times and it isn’t even that long ago.

I do not know if I would ever trust Neal Stephenson again with another story. I mean, the book isn’t terrible. It is good. There is a story about the struggle for survival there. It has some really great stuff going on here. I just think it wasn’t executed very well from a storytelling point of view. Others have read this and loved it. I did like it but thought it was wordy, slow and poor characterization. These issues were deal breakers for me. If a movie ever does comes out. I hope they leave all that messy stuff out of the story and tackle the things that were actually interesting about the story. Tackle these four plot holes to make better sense. Make us care about the characters. Give them some real backstory. Also, who the FK blew up the Moon to begin with?

Review of: “Seveneves” by David-Angelo Mineo 4/6/2024 1,031 Words

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mineofilms · 2 months

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Review of: "Poor Things"

Poor Things (2023) Writers: Tony McNamara, Alasdair Gray Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos Stars: Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef IMDB Rating: 8.3/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 79% Runtime: 2 hours, 21 minutes

Spoilers Ahead, You Have Been Warned... Plot:

A young woman brought back to life (Emma Stone) by a scientist named Godwin Baxter, who goes by just [God,] (Willem Dafoe). Under his care she is thirsty for knowledge and adventure. She runs off with a slick and debauched lawyer (Mark Ruffalo), on a mind-bending adventure across Europe. Free from the prejudices of her time, she grows resolute in her purpose to stand for sexual freedom, equality, and liberation. A quasi-retelling of “the Bride of Frankenstein” of sorts, with a few twists and interesting characterization. As all great movies have… Great characters… At the end of the day, movies are made for people by people about people. I think that is why many movies fail these days and why the super-hero genre business is as bad as most see them as far as quality of the story being told goes. $200 million to make a movie that is largely done in and by a computer. “Poor Things” had a budget of 35 million and at the time of this writing, made on its U.S. run 32.9 million.

The movie itself is fairly artsy in its aesthetic. Wide-angle approaches to shots, fish-eye type angles. Part of the movie is in black and white and the other part is of vibrant coloring. The dialog is pretty well crafted with lingo being of the times but closer to 1900 industrialism and some steampunk elements. The tone is childish at times playing on the feelings of Bella Baxter (Stone) as a woman trapped in the mind of a growing child but at an accelerated rate. The story takes a twist when Bella discovers sex and sexual curiosity. She realizes how little of life she has actually lived up to this point. God, has not allowed her off of his property and Bella craves to examine the world with her unique perspective, often literally portrayed through shots resembling the view through a front door peephole.

The film explores the boundaries of life, death, and societal norms. “Poor Things” is not easy to categorize, described by viewers as absurd, ridiculous, and strange. However, it captivates us with its exploration of these dated societal norms and intricacies of the time period it is trying to represent. The plot takes an unexpected turn revealing that Bella carries the brain of her unborn child. The film follows Bella's journey of discovery, from basic life skills to understanding societal norms and sexual liberation. Emma Stone delivers a standout performance, portraying Bella with unparalleled unpredictability. Mark Ruffalo adds a layer of humor to the narrative and is a scene stealer that will make most laugh. The film's R-rating is notable in an era where graphic content like this has been often toned down to get a lessor rating so that it can be seen in theaters by a larger audience. It fearlessly embraces its vision, presenting a violent and thought-provoking storytelling experience that is highly sexualized. This film, unapologetically committed to its vision, invites viewers to delve into its complexity, making it a journey that may not be for everyone, but certainly promises a unique and thought-provoking experience. “Poor Things” is based on Alasdair Gray's book of the same name. However, adapting a complex narrative like “Poor Things” is always a challenge, and I appreciate that the film stands on its own merits, even without having read the original book. Director Yorgos Lanthimos, known for his visually eccentric style, doesn't disappoint. The film transforms famous cities into absurd, otherworldly versions while capturing their essence.

The performances, particularly by Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, and Emma Stone, are exceptional. Stone's portrayal of Bella is as risky as it gets; yet a compelling performance, adding depth to a character discovering the world from scratch. The film offers a more human touch through Bella’s character growth and exploration. It's a dense, hilarious, disturbing, and heartfelt experience. “Poor Things” feels like a breath of fresh air, deserving multiple viewings. One of the film's standout features is its undeniable beauty. Shot on 35mm film, and uses more practical sets and visual effects, although there is CGI there. It is not as heavily used to create these fantastic visuals, but to enhance or fill up what they shot using practical effects on set. It creates a lush and rich atmosphere, combining classic historicism with vividness. The set design, portraying fantastical Victorian settings, is both outrageous and classical. The range in costume design adds another layer of postmodern flair, creating a visually stunning realm once the scenes in color start to show up later in the film.

“Poor Things” is more than just entertainment; it's a thinking film that encourages the audience to consider its underpinning politics of how women are seen during this time period, even though it is not a true period piece. The film is filled with literary references and symbolism, from “Frankenstein” to ‘Eve’ in “the Garden of Eden,” providing a multidimensional experience. Emma Stone's portrayal of Bella is exceptional, capturing the character's complexities. However, I acknowledge that the film diverges from the book in its characterization. While Bella in the film may display a more intense and unrepentant nature, it doesn't necessarily undermine the film's overall message. The differences in characterization provide a darker, more cynical perspective on human nature, contrasting with the optimism found in the original novel. Despite these changes, “Poor Things” remains a thought-provoking exploration of societal norms and the human condition. Its stunning visuals, coupled with strong performances. The sex scenes, while graphic, are still done tastefully and even comical in the brutal honesty of sexual gratification from an adult body with the maturity of a young child. Bella discovers sexuality and wants to share the bliss with everyone and doesn’t understand that sex is a complicated social barrier for most, especially in Victorian times. The film is cute like this all the way around and I am sure I will watch this again.

One of the oddities within the plot and characters is the backstory of who Bella really is. Why her body was chosen for resurrection and who Godwin Baxter really is? There is some dialog in the film and as I said I had not read the book but Godwin to me is Frankenstein’s Monster. Years later, the Doctor himself, has passed away. Has left everything to Godwin. God refers to the Doctor as his father and that he was heavily abused growing up. I infer this as the Doctor built Godwin. Was constantly attempting to make him better through very painful medical experiments. Only later in life did the Doctor treat Godwin as a human and then later a son. The one point that is shown down the board is the minds of the resurrected seem to have an aptitude for knowledge and experience. They want to learn and once they learn, well, how to learn, they tend to learn quickly and intently. By the halfway point of the film Bella has surpassed Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) in intelligence. This drives him slightly mad and full of jealously. By the end Duncan believes Bella to be a crazed manipulator that has bewitched him to ruin his life. It should be noted that Duncan manipulated Bella, due to her lack of knowledge of the world and being an attractive adult female to whisk her away to travel, make love and Duncan get drunk and gamble. When Duncan loses power over her, he cannot bounce back and it is quite satisfying to watch him descend into madness.

The movie does not linger on these backstories of Godwin, his father and the creation of Bella. They are mentioned to give some contextual meaning but I thought these were some of the more interesting pieces of the plot. All and all this is a beautiful film and a real whacky way to tell a story of growth, adventure and love from a growing woman’s perspective. Sort of coming-of-age story, but not in the same sense or tone as the coming-of-age films from the past. However, here, told in a really abstract, artsy and strange way.

Dr. Godwin Baxter: “My father once told me, "Always carve with compassion." He was a fucking idiot, but it's not bad advice.” Swiney: “We must work. We must make money. But more than that Bella, we must experience everything. Not just the good, but degradation, horror, sadness. This makes us whole Bella, makes us people of substance. Not flighty, untouched children. Then we can know the world. And when we know the world, the world is ours.” Bella Baxter: “I want that.” Swiney: “Now go and fuck someone and bring me ten francs.”

Review of: “Poor Things” by David-Angelo Mineo 3/2/2024 1,481 Words

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mineofilms · 2 months

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Review of: Dokken – Shadowlife (1997)

Dokken, a name resonating with '80s rock. The anti-cool kids at the musical table, serving up anthems in leather and loud guitars. The vibes of my early music listening experiences. Dokken's the kind of band that roared into the scene, belting out melodic metal and hair-flipping jams through the 1980’s. For me, I discovered them in 1987 after seeing “A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3 Dream Warriors.” Dokken broke up, the first time, after the 1988 Monsters of Rock tour. This band, probably known for just as much dysfunction a band can have than hits and records the band created in all its incarnations. This Blog right here and now focuses on the departure from their classic sound and later lineup in the later 1990s. This was the first hint the old Dokken would never be the same, but rather an evolving thing moving forward. Which is neither bad nor good. It is whatever one needs it to be. If you love the Dokken sound, or maybe you only like the classic sound and never liked the 90s and early 2000s run. Perhaps you discovered Dokken at a fair or a festival and love it all. Perhaps you love the later material from the band. There is so much to choose from. Almost like Black Sabbath with how many different eras and different types of sound for the band.

Dokken released 'Shadowlife' on April 15th, 1997. This was about two and a half months before my High School graduation. I was absolutely going through some tough mental shit that year. That is another story. Music for me, SAVED me that year for sure. I am amazed I never got serious about music during this time. The writing was all over the wall there but I was so busy working and being miserable I just wanted to listen and escape. I was a major fan of Dokken’s 1995 comeback record “Dysfunctional.” I really loved that record and I still do. They later released a live acoustic-style record playing reincarnations of their classic material with a few choice favorites from ‘Dysfunctional’ and an instrumental from George Lynch’s last solo record. ‘Shadowlife’ marked a departure from their classic sound and received mixed reviews upon its release. These mixed reviews are largely negative or passively positive, giving the band credit for doing something experimental. People who love Dokken, like me, will defend ‘Shadowlife’ up and down but even I, concede, this is a bad record, sonically. However, that does not mean I do not like the record, all-round. I absolutely do. I just recognize that I have listened to this album so many times over the years, out of all the newer Dokken material out there, this one stays with me. The songs I like on it, I really like and the album always reminds me what that year was like for me. However, I do have issues with the album and how it sounds.

Tensions within the band were beginning to resurface. Dokken ‘Shadowlfe’ would be recording this record without long time engineer/producer for the band’s music, Michael Wagener. There was a decision by Lynch, Pilson and Brown to explore a new musical direction on this record. For 'Shadowlife' the decision to go with Kelly Gray as the sound engineer/producer for the album. Kelly had some early success producing Candlebox and Pride & Glory. A shift towards a more 90s alternative and grunge influence, which deviated from the melodic hard rock style that had defined Dokken's success and the more heavier more progressive style they demonstrated on the ‘Dysfunctional’ album only eighteen months prior.

George was highly experimental in the 90s. Allegedly influenced by his interest in bands like Monster Magnet and Tool. I will argue this a little bit. If you go back through Monster Magnet’s first three records, all released from 1993-1998 there are not a whole lot of similarities of what they were doing at the time and how Lynch plays. I know some of that is subjective, but some of it isn’t either. The title track “Superjudge,” one of the more well-known songs on Monster Magnet’s first record, by the same name, sounds nothing like Dokken or Lynch Mob. It’s a completely different style of Hard Rock. Sure, you can throw them in with Alternative Metal or Alt-Rock. What you shouldn’t do is say Dokken, Lynch Mob have songs in common, sonically, with Monster Magnet or Tool! Even Candlebox, the producer’s other works that had a huge single on the radio, have little to nothing in common with Dokken and Lynch Mob. So I am confused as to how that influenced Lynch to play what he played and how it was tuned on the ‘Shadowlife’ record? Even Tool, is a stretch. I’d say Lynch tries to imitate the style, but I always felt he is sounding great when he is playing heavy stuff and not so much the ambient stuff. I am just not going to swallow that at face value. The departure from Dokken's signature sound was met with criticism from fans and the music industry in general. The album struggled commercially, selling significantly fewer copies compared to their previous works.

“To put it into perspective, ‘Dysfunctional’ sold 450,000 copies after its cycle, when we released ‘Shadowlife’ it sold 50,000 copies.” – Don Dokken

The reception of 'Shadowlife' contributed to the already strained relationships among band members, and the subsequent tour faced challenges. Lynch was out halfway through the tour. I know ‘Shadowlife’ gets a lot of hate. I feel its aged way better than it did when it first came out. I was probably the only real Dokken fan in all my school. Mind you we were a 5A school at the time. Creed's "My Own Prison" (band’s self-release CD/Tape) were starting to make the rounds. Tool was FK'n huge that year. No Doubt, Tonic, Bush, Pantera, Type O Negative, Nine Inch Nails, White Zombie, Rollins Band. Rush had a new record that was doing well at the time. Queensryche had a new record that was getting heavy radio play. Even Motley Crue's ‘Generation Swine’ was getting air play. So it wasn't that far a stretch for Dokken to release an album during this time. When ‘Dysfunctional’ came out I was blown away by it. It was the perfect modernized-Dokken record for my 15-year-old-ass... I still feel this is the best record as far as judging the band on Metal/Hard Rock standards of being Heavy, produced really well, with highlighting a lot of what the band did well with their originals. ‘Dysfunctional,’ for me, was a Dokken record for grownups that kids/teens that followed the band during the first run of Dokken records were released, listened to. Sonically, Dokken was going in a great direction. ‘Dysfunctional’ was heavy, melodic and groovy. It was a great sound for hard rock in 1995. 1997 rolls around and all hell breaks loose.

‘Shadowlife’ Track by track. I implore you to listen for yourselves. Especially if you know the band’s signature style and sound. “Puppet on A String” https://youtu.be/UG0PM1RgOnA?si=xIiJhF4TUl_ZO_lu

This used to be rough for me. It isn’t exactly knocking you out of the park here. Especially where we left with the band with “What Price.” This song was hard to like at first. It did grow on me over the years. There are a few live versions of this floating around on YouTube that gives a better context on what this song is supposed to sound like. This is where I feel having a non-melodic rock producer hurt this song and the record overall. It’s got some solid grooves to this that sound much heavier live than the studio cut of this song. On the studio version Dokken’s vocals are scaled way back and have some pretty questionable vocal filters/effects on it. In the live version it sounds more Dokken-esh. Instead of making this song and alt-rock song they should have made it a heavier/darker song. They still could have pulled off a more alternative sound and it still be heavy and not shrouded in ambient guitar effects, which really destroy a lot of these songs from the record. If they just would have played them straight, like a hard rock band should, just be what you are and beef everything up. Instead we get this and this isn’t bad. Like I said, it has grown on me, but it still sounds like Dokken trying to be an alt-rock band not a hard rock or melodic metal band.

“Cracks in the Ground” https://youtu.be/akzY-2M3C6U?si=f2gIvK-nbxgLt12w

1996-1997 was what it was, but hard rock was still doing alright for itself. Metal was a thing. Some of the bands from the 1980s that were still active in the 1990s, were putting out pretty heavy records that were more related to metal than say 1980s hard or glam rock. It was like bands from the 80s were done with the makeup and the pop sound it came with for wearing all black and playing harder driven rock music. Not all bands did this. Some experimented due to the popularity of alternative/grunge music. Rock music in general was getting heavier and using more electronic aspects of music to replace guitar as the main focus of a song. Guitar solos were either much much shorter or replaced altogether with groovy power chords. Some bands just couldn’t do this at a level where the fans could understand what was happening.

“Cracks in the Ground” largely does this with all its ambience from George Lynch. While the song itself is quite good, I think if this song came out now people would notice it more. What hurts this song is the weird guitar effects in the background that doesn’t seem to end. The chugs sounded good, when they there, and needed more of it. Jeff Pilson’s bass sounds great on this song particularly and has a good sound across the entire record.

“Sky Beneath My Feet” https://youtu.be/L6UtkisAaj8?si=5SDqDr6Y_1aeBwMc

This song, while I like, really needed some heavy chugs on this one. The guitar tones here is where this song gets drowned out. There are a few cues on how this song sounds and reflects how the whole record sounds. Lynch’s guitar tones for the songs and the drowning out of Don Dokken’s vocals. Jeff Pilson’s bass sounds thick all the way through the record, but the off-sound of Don and George are also evident throughout the album.

“Until I Know” https://youtu.be/1LTJnBh_sRI?si=2SEpKuNPOzdD3ebl

I do like this song, but it is weird, even for Dokken. It’s like an outtake turned song. The ambience in particular here ruins the song. It would have been better served as a purely acoustic song. Played that way the song would have sounded a whole lot better and like a real rock song. Lynch’s constant use of these effects on his playing on this record in combination with how Jeff sounds on bass and the drums just makes the song feel like a filler-song that is a filler song.

“Hello” https://youtu.be/TWCaw7gzQ8U?si=6OznMaFqN3XC1dFF

Another song where they tried to be an ALT-Grunge band. This song doesn't work for me. To me, it sounds like Jeff is EQ’d for metal. Mick for grunge, Lynch in whatever sound he feels he is in and the muted down of Don’s vocals. All that together is where “the weird sound” comes from. Lynch really needed the power chords or the tones he brought on Lynch Mob’s first record, ‘Wicked Sensation’ here. He has to constantly put ambience in his stuff. It works sometimes, but a lot of times it’s just distracting and that is down the board with Lynch's playing and style over the decades. I would never hire Lynch to get his take on DJENT, Thrash or Thall in today’s metal culture. Great soloist and has on Post-90s Lynch Mob records; played a grittier, darker, heavy guitars that have more in common with Monster Magnet and Tool now than this did for the time period of ‘Shadowlife’. This song would make me laugh due to it being an inside joke at the time with one of my little brothers. There was an ad on TV going around about alcoholism where a drunken father would yell at his little son because he broke a glass trying to get himself some water due to his dad being too much of a drunk to take care of his son! The dad yells at the kid, appears threatening, and the kid whimpers away in fear saying; “all I wanted was a drink of water…” There is a line in the song, used twice and two other times in a variance; “All I need is just a drink of water.” My brother and I still have an odd sense of humor with things like this. When talking about scary things, he will just bust out with the line from “Aliens;” ‘They mostly come at night... Mostly.’ You can say that about badly recorded records too…

“Convenience Store Messiah” https://youtu.be/AURJtWpqTBQ?si=lL9y1u9FDG9fH3jU

It’s a decent song. I loved the Dokken – “One Night Live,” where they did a live, mainly, acoustic record. I am not shocked they tried to do a song or two on ‘Shadowlife’ like that. Also I get heavy Beatles vibes from this song and on “One Night Live,” where they did a Beatles cover on that record, “Nowhere Man.”

“I Feel” https://youtu.be/W1xmVFpm0GI?si=YR7TcoAMFZegxfhR

Resembles “Hello” too much but the song is much better delivered here. One of the few rockier songs on the record. It’s how the guitars sound (again) that make me question this one. Lynch isn't all ambient on this one as much and just plays more straightforward. Still could use more chugs and thickness. Some of the guitar filters sound bad but one can say that across the whole record. The guitar tones on the record are very questionable here. It wasn't just all Smashing Pumpkins and Alice in Chains the entire decade. 1997 had a number of older bands with new records that were getting heavy radio play. The excuse bands from the 80s couldn’t write songs for the 90s is just bullshit. There is some of that happening during this time and it is easy to point to Dokken as part of this, but they were not the only 80s bands in the 90s that were flat lining here.

“Here I Stand” https://youtu.be/xvLEZKqZ3B0?si=5xJvQoFyvLkFYlj3

Jeff Pilson on vocals is fine for me. He can sing… We had already experienced War & Peace from Jeff. Those records are pretty good. This isn't weird outside the lack of heaviness of the guitars. We needed more from George on this one but it’s still a good song. Putting “I Feel” and “Here I Stand” back to back on the record I think helps to drive the record as a Rock record, but we needed more batches of songs like this. Probably the closest song on the record trying to achieve an alternative sound but still be a rock song. If they would have dropped all the bizarre choices like the drowning out of Don’s voice and all the guitar ambience, filters, and just did more songs like this –this album might have reflected what it was trying to do better.

“Hard To Believe” https://youtu.be/8KWw4oNGkQg?si=-s_hdUTIRIAfYGj8

This is a great ballad that never got a chance. I understand why many do not like this song. More of the same with the guitars. However, the darker tones help to drive this one. One of the few songs they let Don be Don more on and it works for me. I often sang this to myself when it came out. I was heavily depressed my senior year of High School. This song pretty much spoke to me that way... I still listen to this in my current "songs to be depressed to" playlist.

“Sweet Life” https://youtu.be/oC-N--QBFEA?si=mMv1v_Unvrl3AMxz

Ugh... Yeah... This song didn't really work for me either. It’s too much NOT DOKKEN here... As I said, I do not mind trying new things on a song here/there, but down the whole record, this sound doesn't work for the band. The song really needed heavier guitars here. While Lynch’s playing is quite good here, it is some of the tones that bust this song up for me. He could have kept what he did here and just add that layer of heaviness this song needed. It is just missing something. Ah, yes. It is missing Dokken…

“Bitter Regret” https://youtu.be/fsq14IbEr28?si=STLK0pOo1gN7aoBa

A great song... I have rediscovered this song lately and I still love this. It captures grown-up-DOKKEN very well... I am learning this song for a future “bust out a song for no reason out in public." For all the other reasons I love the acoustic material the band had put out up to this point. If “Until I Know” was done as a purely acoustic song this would have made the third acoustic song on the record and if you count “Hard to Believe” would have marked four ballad-style songs on a record that was supposed to match a more Monster Magnet and/or Tool vibe. This is why I argue that point of view so vigilantly. When I listen intently to these songs I do not hear this in the songs. This album seems to have so many hands in the cookie jar no one seemed to know what it was they were creating. I have stated this in and out all through this blog.

“I Don't Mind” https://youtu.be/WpTeXhmxlnY?si=R0sFkfAmbvyjHVZS

More of the same with the songs that ruin this record. “I Don’t Mind” is just a jumble. Just doesn’t sound like Dokken. Sounds like Dokken playing a song written by someone else, EQ’d by someone that doesn’t know how Dokken is supposed to sound, and that just sums the entire record for me.

“Until I Know” (Reprise)https://youtu.be/XXYimIklhBI?si=xLAOG-q9j6mPGW3w

Not only did we get “Until I Know” as an afterthought we get it twice here... Just as bad the first time.

“How Many Lives” – Japanese Bonus Track(Could not find an official stream of the song)

Hey if you can find it, it’s worth a listen. It tries to be heavy with Lynch's playing; but it doesn't work. It’s a more DOKKEN-askew song and isn’t bad, but the guitar tones do a good job of ruining this where it could have been a rockier song. It tries too hard to be that grunge song that it isn’t. Would have made a better choice on the record than the “Until I Know” (Reprise) we got.

“Deep Waters” – Japanese Bonus Track(Could not find an official stream of the song)

This song should have been on the record. It wouldn’t have saved the record, but if Dokken wanted to take Dokken and morph them into an ALT-Grunge band, this song does a better job than any of the songs that tried to pull this sound off that made the record. I feel the guitar sound is sort of what they were going for, where the tones actually work for this song better than it did on the other songs where I say the guitars ruin it.

“Damned” or “The Damned” – Unused songhttps://youtu.be/fkt9Yt0J95o?si=yMoIGcjMx0VCM86R&t=2453

Do not have much on this song. I found it surfing YouTube looking for live versions of songs from ‘Shadowlife’ and this song came up. In the video it is referred to as “Damned,” but I found another text-based entry from a radio station using the name, “The Damned.” To my knowledge there is not a studio version of this song, at least not one on the Japanese import where “How Many Lives” and “Deep Waters” come from. I couldn’t even find any other recordings of it outside of this one. The song is good. I think it should have been recorded and been added to the record.

‘Shadowlife’ Conclusion:

All-in-all, it is still a bad record. It’s still the Worst DOKKEN record out there. However, there are some really good stuff on this album that shouldn’t be ignored or trashed. That if one takes these songs and puts them on other records they might have been bigger songs for the band. I really do feel that this album ages better, sonically, than a lot of the other Dokken materials as far as looking at Dokken from a more modern-day metal perspective. I do not know if there is or was a path to make ‘Shadowlife’ a great FK’n Dokken record. I have stated what I love and hate about the songs, their structure, how they sound, what Kelly Gray did to Don’s voice, to George Lynch’s playing and tuning choices on the record.

Every member has their own story why this record bombed and sure people can blame whomever. At the end of the day I feel like of all the opinions I have heard about this I feel like it is a case of tensions being there, always, and no one really had direct communications on how to address these tensions. It is possible ALL couldn’t do this anymore, it is also possible it is just Don and George not being able to be in a band together. Mick being along for the ride and Jeff being the best voice of reason that the band could muster. Sure they can do a few shows and cut a song in the studio but to write, record, tour a whole record as a band. I just do not think these guys can do it. When they were younger it was easier. Age, money, life, changes tend to be the great communicator. There really isn’t a right/wrong here. We all cannot go back in time, retrospectively fix the band, and tensions within the band.

I have always believed that the stories out there about the band, have been, exaggerated. Hell, probably by design. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if media sources still talk about Dokken then Dokken is still relevant. You look at all the bands that came, saw, broke up, resurfaced with new members, broke up again, changed their name, broke up, went to court over the use of the band name, have multiple versions of the band by past members, started a new band, to come full circle and still be doing it. Dokken is right up there. Sure, they won’t be G’N’R but not even G’N’R is G’N’R. So who cares? Yeah… Love them or hate them. Love ‘Shadowlife’ or hate it. Regardless of how disappointing ‘Shadowlife’ was to most, I’d still wear the CD out four or five times a week leading up to and well past my graduation. I listened to ‘Shadowlife’ and defended it all through the 2000s. I have always talk about this record in terms of what I love about it and what I also hate about it. Dokken was there all those times as a young person listening to five to eight year old cassette tapes, riding my bike in the trails of North Port, FL in 1990. All I really have left to say is; Enjoy DOKKEN… I did, I still do… Enjoy DOKKEN…

Review of: Dokken – Shadowlife (1997) by David-Angelo Mineo 2/21/2024 3,846 Words

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mineofilms · 3 months

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Yoga Over Weight Training

Read, then watch the videos for better contextual value.

I sent a variation of this to a friend of mine and posted on my social media feeds. This person was seeking help with lower back issues and numb legs. They asked my advice as a personal trainer and someone who rather looks very deeply into these things from both a philosophical and fitness point of view.

DDP on Joe Rogan talking about Arthur:

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Never, Ever Give Up. Arthur's Inspirational Transformation!

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Before I go on; one absolutely should seek medical guidance at some point and a chiropractor may or may not be the best form of medical help. It might, depending on the severity of your issue. I am no medical professional. I can only comment based on my own experiences, fitness knowledge and ability to research at a high level. If you want to really find out what is happening to you the only way a medical professional can find out is an MRI on that area. I am no expert by any means. Just that I have had problems. I thoroughly researched my issues and also sought out medical advice.

This is why I would give yoga a go over weight training. Yoga does a few things. It’s not just stretching, but it helps align your core and work your core without having to do actual conventional working out. You do not see bodybuilders or powerlifters do yoga often. Some, sure, but I am saying it isn’t something you see everywhere. They do not do it because they literally cannot do it. They are too over developed to be flexible like that and it physically hurts them so they stop or quit doing it. The truth is they literally are not in shape even though their outside look says otherwise. Some of the strongest people around are people that work construction or outside work. What happens is they tend to work harder and not smarter. Think more about working smarter and not harder here. Yoga is one, if not the hardest workout techniques to master. People will fall many times, but the ones that really want to feel better and/or look better get back up. It's all about getting back up. It is a challenge and test of heart and character. No one is watching, really. Just you. It's the attitude to do something even though it's difficult and one is in pain is so damn important. It is so important people have to force themselves to do something. Arthur’s story above is one of the best examples of that you're ever going to see. His video has 108 million views in 11 years. Disabled Veteran that was injured due to too many jumps out of the plane and landing feet first over and over again. It damaged his back so severely he couldn’t walk on his own anymore. The military fully disabled him and he accepted that was his new and normal life moving forward. Over the course of a few years Arthur gained a shit tone of weight and his body was literally dying the slow death when the body is no longer physically active in a healthy manner (work smarter not harder mentality).

I mean who has better excuses to give up than this guy or others like him? Most don’t even try. They use the excuse ‘they can’t’ due to whatever medical reason, mine own medical issues and excuses included. They cannot see how they can go from nothing to something in a relatively short time of 6-12 months. High School mentality of 4 years was a big deal, but are those 4 years that huge a deal in the larger scheme of your life? I did the math. 4 out of 45 years is about 8.89%. So 9% of our lives that we have lived was dedicated to that High school life. The point of this is 6-12 months to correct 30+plus years of poor behaviors, (behaviors that may have contributed to one’s unique physical/mental or both circumstances), is a fair trade off.

• Arthur began the work. • He failed at first. • He fell... • Many times he fell. • He documented it. • He started to gain balance. • His core became stronger. • In 6 months he lost 100 pounds, a side effect of doing yoga, and was able to walk with a cane. • In 10 months, he lost 140 pounds, walked with no cane and sprinted 50 yards.

• Sprinted, not walked with a cane, or not with a cane, but a dead-wind sprint.

• The man literally looked like he was 15 years younger.

• He defied all the doctors that said he would never walk again without help. • He did that and more. • All because he didn’t quit.

He understood that to be great at something, whatever it might be, that he would fail, epically. Epically fail and fall before he could become even a little bit good at this, then later, great at this and he endured. That is what it takes. I do not do yoga, I need to. Me, my excuse, is time. I never have enough time and I rather still enjoy weight training full-time, but I understand that I will need to change that in the near future. My body is too beat up to be grinding that way forever. The thing about yoga is you can do it anywhere at any time. No gym membership required. You can go on YouTube and find all sorts of free yoga instructions or pay for one or some. The DDP Yoga, Diamond Dallas Page, the Pro Wrestler from the 1990s started doing this to correct his back and shoulder injuries from being a pro wrestler for 25 years. He was so successful with it that he began hosting classes and then released his first DVD set in the mid-2000s and it blew up. DDP yoga is one of the more well-known yoga programs out there now. He has worked with and helped a lot of professional wrestlers with getting back into shape, helping with addiction issues (see how he helped Jake the Snake Roberts) and working with people who have really bad injuries they do not know how to work around.

We are talking about core/back/legs here.

That is why I say yoga over weight training but getting a band and doing stretches with a band isn’t a bad idea either. I am no yoga-guru, but I would think about doing 15-minute sessions every day, no matter what. Make it part of your daily habits. You have to make it habitual. There is no quick fix to these things. They tend to fail because the people tend to quit or modify it to such a degree no real work is being done. You have to stick with it and force this as part of your day/life and remove influences or people who do not support this for you. This comes full circle. You have to leave those, or whatever ‘it’ might be that hinders your strives to be better, behind. That is why I have to, every once and while, rant about something, because people in general, either are not paying attention, or they are so fixated on themselves, they just project themselves and their problems onto other people. Some will identify with this and leave you be while others will just enable it or you to get you out of their hair.

The past can only help you as a reminder, not a literal thing or experience one can relive. People still think that they can undo, unsee, or unsay what was once done, seen, said under the expectation of forgiveness. You do not forgive for forgiveness’s sake but one forgives because the person seeking forgiveness is working on themselves that it forces them to change. It’s a logical fallacy to believe one can change something that cannot be changed. Like the concept of time travel... One can never unsay, unsee or undo something they once said, saw or did and I have had to leave those behind that still think in those terms, that they think it is real. It’s not. As long as you are working on you, and make your physical, mental, spiritual health a priority, a process, a habitual thing that is part of you on every day and everything you do that strives towards other things. You are on the right track. No one can tell you –you are not on the right track. The ones that do are trying to sell you something or their main motivation is to make money off your ill fortunes. I have mainly good days but there are days or even weeks where I can’t do much of anything except grab my walking stick and walk around the woods, listening to science fiction books to give me that semblance of woe and awe of existence, taking in as much as I can. There will be a day I won’t be able to.

I really feel if you try the yoga thing and really put in the effort, mentally, physically, spiritually you can make strides. But starting is going to suck. It’s going to hurt. It’s going to tell you to quit. Don’t listen. Do your 15 minutes every day. Make it as much as a priority as people make their morning coffee.

“In our personal and professional lives, we are constantly hit with one adversity after the other, most of which we have no control over. But the four things we have total control over is how we react, how we adapt, how we breathe, and how we take action.” ~Diamond Dallas Page

DDP Yoga can be found at https://ddpyoga.com/

Yoga Over Weight Training by David-Angelo Mineo 2/11/2024 1,619 Words

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mineofilms · 3 months

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The Buffalo Bills for the fifth straight season end the season with a playoff loss, 27-24 in their third home playoff loss ever, and second in two years to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the 2023 NFL playoffs. This is the third time in four years that the Kansas City Chiefs have eliminated the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs. This loss was not as dramatic as last year’s loss at home to the Cincinnati Bengals or that last 10-seconds in the divisional loss to Kansas City two years ago. When the Bills got on the field Sunday, January 21st, 2024 they really Billlieved they were gonna win. The media had already been talking about how this was the Buffalo Bills year they would overcome Kansas City. However, the Chiefs had other plans. It is a disappointing loss, which makes for a disappointing season. The BillsMafia balled out this year. Not just during the season, but all the lead up to the playoffs. Hordes of fans waiting in lines, in freezing cold to help shovel snow out of the stadium. The wild card game verse Pittsburgh had to be postponed for a day due to the poor weather.

This review of the 2023 Buffalo Bills season is not going to be a splatter of throwing our people under the bus. We had a hell of a lot of adversity this year from injuries, ‘again…’ Even more so than the 2022 season. Our guys battled all year, but at the end of the day we lost. We didn’t get the pants beaten off us this time. We could have won this game and most feel we should have won this game. I felt like even if we did win that we probably would not have been able to beat Baltimore due to our defense being so rough against the run and the Ravens being a run-dominant team. However, after watching the AFC Championship game, I don’t know, maybe Allen and company might have sailed right past Baltimore. This will be another honest review based on what I saw with my own eyes and over thirty years of watching, playing, understanding the game of football.

With all that out of the way. Let’s Begin…

Tough for the Buffalo Bills to die out the way we did. Josh Allen, ‘the Alien,’ showed up. Our beat up defense, not so much. Sliced apart like warm butter most of the game. I am sure there are many that are blaming the kicking. Well our kicker should be paying better attention which direction the wind is blowing in the same area you live in but I guess that is what false hope looks like in pro football.

Our Defense was shaky most of the season due to another case of the injury-bug. However, unlike last year, the Bills were able to adapt much better with Coach McDermott calling the defense this year after Leslie Frazier announced he would not be back with the team for the 2023 season. Not fired, just that he would not coach in 2023. At this point he is no longer under contract with the Buffalo Bills. So if he does decide to coach again, it won’t be with Buffalo. The Buffalo Bills for 2024 definitely got some things to fix. We were exposed on defense in crucial situations due to these injuries. A play here, a play there. With the right people on the field, those plays never happen. However, Coach McDermott always had a fix in the game this year. This year the Bills stepped up there ‘situational football’ alertness. Injuries are not an excuse. Every team goes through them. We have been weak against the run for the past three seasons, but we showed a lot more mustard this season than we did in the past, and if it wasn’t for injuries we do not give up nearly as much as we did. We made adjustments in the 2023 offseason to beef up the defensive line and we started out well enough till the injuries began to pile up.

The Buffalo Bills have some free agency challenges heading into the 2024 season. We have 19 unrestricted free agents. It will be unlikely we will resign them all. Some of these guys were key to the Bills success and have earned a chance to either play to start or go somewhere else for more money.

• WR’s Gabe Davis, Trent Sherfield. • RB’s Latavius Murray, Damien Harris. • DE’s A.J. Epenesa, Leonard Floyd, Shaq Lawson. • DT’s DaQuan Jones, Linval Joseph, Tim Settle, Poona Ford, Jordan Phillips. • LB’s Tyrel Dodson, Tyler Matakevich. • CB’s Dane Jackson, Cam Lewis. • S’s Micah Hyde, Taylor Rapp. • QB Kyle Allen. • TE Quinton Morris (restricted)

On this list I feel six guys we absolutely need to resign are Trent Sherfield, A.J. Epenesa, Leonard Floyd, Dane Jackson, Taylor Rapp, and Poona Ford. I’d like to resign Gabe Davis but with the emergence of Trent Sherfield, Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid it is going to be difficult to sign Gabe Davis under the expectation of more money in a new contract. Is he worth more money? I say yes, but his performances do not really warrant that. We really needed him to step up the last two years and he really hasn’t shown us that. If he is willing to come back to Buffalo and play for less money, then sign him, absolutely. However, if he demands more than we can pay him then we have to allow him to go and test the market. He is a starter in this league and at times has shown all-pro quality play, but it has been too far and in between. Jordan Phillips and Micah Hyde have stated they may retire, but as of the writing of this blog we have not heard from them that this is what they are going to do. Just ‘likely’ that they will retire. Be nice if we could get DaQuan Jones back as well. Buffalo made strides in the offseason last year by beefing up the defensive line, only for those strides to be hindered by injuries and now free agency.

While the NFL Salary cap is increasing for teams this offseason by about $16 million, the Buffalo Bills still find themselves in a tough spot, projected to be around $45 million over the cap. Stefon Diggs is set to carry around $28 million and Von Miller’s comes in close to $24 million. When we made Ken Dorsey our offensive coordinator we immediately signed some bigger bodied WR/TEs which led me to believe we would see a more run balanced offense using our same offensive package of three, four and five wide receivers, but now with two or three tight ends on the field at all times. Much like how our offensive game plan was for the divisional playoff loss to Kansas City two years ago. Run out of these bigger more spread out packages and push the ball down the field with deep throws and crossing patterns. We didn’t do that and the woes with Ken Dorsey as a play caller came to a halt after the week 10 home loss to the Denver Broncos. With the official signing of Joe Brady as the team’s offensive coordinator I would think Buffalo will return to this style of play or closer to the style of play Brady was calling with Joe Burrow at quarterback when LSU won the National Championship in the 2020 College Football Season. We only saw glimpses of what the offense could be during the final stretch of the regular season. Granted, this offense had problems hooking up with Diggs for nearly two thirds of the season, but I would think the Bills will see this on film and make adjustments going into 2024. Diggs is virtually open on every play but defenses did a better job of taking him out the game plan. Buffalo did adapt to this and spread the ball around, but you cannot just not throw to Diggs. We saw earlier in the year that man is so hard to get a solid hit on that he winds up breaking tackles for more yards. The man can still ball out…

The Bills sign longtime assistant coach Bobby Babich as their new Defensive Coordinator. Babich has been with the Bills and Coach McDermott since 2017 and even before that with McDermott when he was in Carolina. He started as the secondary coach, excelled there and moved up to linebacker coach where the line backing core were standouts and has now been officially hired as the Bills defensive coordinator. It is too early to tell whether he will be the play caller on defense as of yet, but even if he is or isn’t he will be working with Coach McDermott on the defense as a whole. This will take pressure off Coach McDermott, which at times during the season we needed someone to help in a more official capacity on defensive adjustments in game and even call plays when Coach McDermott needs to have attention in other areas during the game. One of the main points here is that this is an extension to what the Bills have already been doing. This just makes it official. Coordinators work directly with the head coach, but it always felt the Coach MeDermott would say something and the coordinators would say something else. With Dorsey and before that, Frazier on defense, were not seeing eye-to-eye with Coach McDermott. I always felt Coach McDermott would say something in a press conference and it would just go over both those guy’s heads. I felt like Frazier should have been fired after the 10-second meltdown in Kansas City, but it took another year for him to leave the Bills. Coach McDermott likes to promote from within. The team spends just as much time, energy on their coaching staff as they do their young players, building them up and making them work for us.

Babich was getting interviewed for defensive coordinator positions from the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins. We sure as hell were not going to let him go to Miami, where we play the Dolphins twice a year and this year playing them in week 18 for the divisional title. On paper this is more of a big deal than it is on the field as Babich is already a huge part of our defense and now he has the title to go with it. The one thing that we can build on is depth. That when we are at full strength we know our backup guys can do the job and they can. Sure there are/were holes, but we did a great job of hiding those holes most of the time. Granted, not all of the time, which is why we are not playing the 49ers in the Super Bowl and the Chiefs are. At full strength we will now have a better understanding of depth at those positions, but we did not adjust well to these injuries. Instead of doubling down with our strategy we needed to make better adjustments with matchups on the field, on both sides of the ball. You do not run nickel/dime/zone packages and never blitz when your defense is that beat up, both on the line and secondary. Once you lose the threat of a pass rush from the front four; running a zone will kill your defense. I have seen it time and time again. Zone can work, but your front four has to get pressure on the quarterback or they will find holes in the zone and just dink and dunk you to death. The defense cannot recover fast enough under that sort of pressure and they didn’t. We just kept doing it over and over again. When Coach McDermott mentions making adjustments this is what I feel he means. Not just on the defensive side of the ball, but the offensive as well. Coach mentioned making adjustments as a priority in the press conference after last year’s loss to the Bengals and I billlieve that is what we did much better at this year. Our offensive coaching needs to fully understanding the weapons we have on a given situation with the players we have on the field. We saw this in the Kansas City game with plays specifically for Shakir. I think we will see more of this in 2024. At least, I really hope we do anyway.

Coach McDermott was far less patient and lenient this season with defending his coaches as we parted ways with Frazier, thank the football Gods for that one, and the firing of Ken Dorsey two thirds into the season. The writing was on the wall, but coach is super loyal to his people. However, this year the leash was far tighter. I do not billieve that will be a problem in 2024. The coaching staff is set, mostly all guys promoted from within. We cannot be too cute anymore. It is time on third and three to run the ball with efficient play calls that favor us and do not rely on some scatter-garbage-junk-play that picks up the first down. We should get the first down not because we are bigger and can push the defense back, but more based on the strategy. However, our offensive line this year did push around a lot of good quality defensive lines. We did struggle here/there against really good defenses like Kansas City. I think next year we will have that in mind more and we will see some stuff that makes more sense. Almost like basketball where you have isolation plays. We still have match up nightmares when defenses try to play us. Sure, they were able to slowdown Diggs this year, but other guys stepped up and showed they can also make big plays. I am not saying its ok to not target Diggs. He is still the best player on the field catching/running with the football, but if you double him you still got to deal with Cook, Shakir, Kincaid, Knox, Sherfield. These guys made plays this year that Diggs would usually make. However, I see the Allen/Diggs show making a big comeback in stats in 2024.

The Situational football got better after the Philadelphia loss. I feel like Buffalo really got a better clamp on this, understanding how to play in the fourth quarter. We started winning matchups and games at the end of the year where I thought we were going to lose after what had happened so often in the past with us. We hadn’t played what I thought was great football since the first Miami game and we still almost pushed through all this. I do not billieve any sort of different game plan would have changed things against the Chiefs. We were just too beat up on defense to outright stop Kansas City, but I feel like we are right there. We are literally plays away from going to the show. If one only passively watched Buffalo Bills football this year this may come as a shock. Things were unraveling and Coach McDermott was able to right the ship, make a pretty good run with limited resources. Are we disappointed? Sure, of course we are, but I feel a whole lot better going into the 2024 season than I did the 2023 season. 2022 should have been our year and it wasn’t. We ran into troubles again, but this time I feel like we learned. Coach McDermott and General Manager Brandon Bean have their work cut out for them, but I think the team is moving forward in a really nice direction. We have amazing talent at every position, but we have to stay healthy, which has been the biggest challenge the past two seasons.

Down the stretch between injuries and all the other adversity surrounding this team this year we did play better complimentary football and it showed. Still got to give this team credit. If Jim Kelly, Thruman Thomas, Andre Reed, Bruce Smith and Steve Tasker know anything about adversity in the game of football it is these men. They know… This team also has its own unique taste to add to the adversity this franchise has faced. All too well and it tastes like Bantha Poohdo… We still have gap problems down the board due to injuries, an undersized line backing core, and not being able to get a steady pass rush. It just exposes our zone too much. We must get better at third and longs. This killed us this year. At the beginning of the year we made tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The last ten weeks or so I saw guys straight-up miss because they got their head down or take bad angles and it’s the same guys over and over. One cannot tackle what they cannot see. I see us making more changes on Defense. I think we really need to add something at the linebacker positon. The depth just isn’t there yet, but the young guys did step up, and the unit as a whole looks promising.

We need to take a step back with our offense and look how we ran the ball in those last six games of the 2022 and the 2023 season. As stated above, we bulked up at the skill position and we should go back to that. We can run the spread with four and five wide outs, who says that must be wide receivers? Put two tight ends there instead and run out of it. Run quick hitters out of that. We can still run our pass attack in this formation and it will make defenses go mad trying to get the right matchups to stop it. Plus, you have more blocking for the Alien runs. I don’t know what we are going to do at running back to back up Cook, but we need a bruiser. Perhaps resign Harris or if Hines is coming back, implement more of him in the game plan. Cook is great but it would be great to have a solid second runner in there that can drop a shoulder and get three yards.

Josh Allen is a goddamn Alien, but he cannot do it all by himself, all of the time. He is over 90% of our total offense. We need to take some pressure off this guy with a running game. He will still get his 300 yards and multiple touchdowns, but we have to use him smarter. This will be year seven and we cannot have our #1 guy taking all those bumps all of the time. We cannot have Allen running around the field and play backyard hero-ball all of the time with the expectation that is how we have to play to win. Maybe year one, two and three, but now in year seven? I felt like we relied too much on junk plays this year, again, to sustain our offensive output.

Next Season we play another first place schedule, the NFC West, plus the Detroit Lions, likely to be another Thanksgiving game, I am guessing. It’s a decent schedule and someone has to go backward. I do not think it will be us. We have been in the mix five years in a row now. I think we have learned a thing or two, or five. We have grown up a lot from these past seasons. I am predicting Josh, ‘the Alien,’ Allen is going to be the NFL MVP next year. I am going to put a few dollars on that once I find a good bet. I think the Bills lose maybe three or four games and the road to the Super Bowl will go through Buffalo. Our road schedule could be a tough one in 2024 going by just what I see on the surface. Some teams will improve while others are in full rebuild, so we will have to see how the offseason plays out and the draft. The draft now is more important than it has ever been. Young guys are coming into the league and making more an impact than they have ever before. The Bills have the 28th overall pick in the first round, and nine total draft picks. We have no third round pick but have two fifth rounders and three sixth round draft picks. At a glance we need wide receivers, defensive linemen and help at the secondary positions. We play a lot of our tougher opponents at home, including the 49ers. Home field advantage is a real thing, but we were so flat in the divisional game it didn’t matter. If we do learn, grow, get healthy, adjust, and ad to what we already have then we’ll be back playing meaningful games in mid to late January again. Our defense has been and still is a bend but don’t break defense and they played like it most of this year except for this last game and a handful of others. The Buffalo Bills lost six games in the regular season this year. Josh Allen left the field leading or tied in four of them. Now you can say our whole team, surrounding area, people, and culture is bend but don’t break and this will not break us.

We Will Rebuild…

Till next year. I am proud of the team. Time to work on me and leave all this behind till late summer 2024... I'd love to see someone shut Mahomes up... Please...

One Team, One City, One Love, OneBuffalo…

"In the realm of righteousness, we sculpt our own justice, forging a path where vengeance prevails and the defending champs yield to our strength of our collective resolve. Go BILLS..." ~Insane AI

The 2023-2024 Buffalo Bills by David-Angelo Mineo 2/10/2024 3,643 Words

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mineofilms · 3 months

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Cynicalnation

This message, this blog is going to sound very cynical and most of it is a sarcastic joke to my friends and audience, surrounded in some logical truths, but do not take this writing too seriously. I saw a post about blind positivity, inner peace and getting joy by helping others. It made me want to vomit with all its multiple layers of both MLM (Multilevel Marketing), and ‘manifestation,’ which is more pseudoscience than a real thing one can practice, then execute like an app on your phone and poof, your life is now amazing and full of riches, full of friends, and love.

I've observed an alarming trend where people are becoming excessively, annoyingly optimistic, positive and have misunderstood the concept of ‘manifestation.’ It's baffling. I mean, seriously, why are some individuals so unrealistically positive? What's with all this constant talk about kindness, helping others, and spreading love? Then turn around and demonstrate the polar opposite of these things as your “real” personality. How am I to believe one or many are kind, always helping and spreading love, when they themselves do not practice what they preach? They only do it when people are watching or they have something to gain. Granted, I do not have an issue with people doing this. Most people are like this. I have a problem with the false bubble of bullshit that is projected onto me after it has already been stated as ‘nonsense-talk,’ part.

Honestly, in the larger scheme of things, I do not really care, but care a little bit to play devil’s advocate on the topic to write about this. I really just do not want to write about Left/Right politics anymore. The more I see, the more fired up I get at both sides. I have found, that when I do not pay much attention to the political arena I am a much better, happier and a hornier Mother-Fucker. Thumbs up to those. The Right, figure heads, keep imploding on themselves and the left is laughably dumb. I've got my own life to live, with time shortening every day. I'm not here to be anyone's savior or role model. Helping people? Volunteering? Giving money, I already do not have, to someone else and whatever GoFundMe page they have setup for it. Doing things for others for the sake of not appearing opportunistic?

No thanks. I've got better things to do.

If someone's struggling and are constantly on the social media bragging about it for attention, likes, support, financial support. Hey, that's their problem. I'm not stopping what I am doing. Why bother? It's not my responsibility. I didn’t sign up, apply or ask to be that for anyone. I am single by choice. I am kid-less by choice. I know a lot of people, but call very few of them “real-friends.” I certainly don't love random people or much care about what they do or how they struggle. I just don’t. I wasn’t raised that way. However, life prepared me for that reality. Who am I? Who are all of you to defy causality? Causality is the universal relationship between cause and effect, where one event (the cause) brings about another event (the effect). This is a universal law in the Universe. Something, anything, cannot happen without a chain of causality setting the stage for its occurrence. The effect can never come before the cause. To do so is against reality, is against physics, is against science. I ask why I or anyone should really, modify their behavior or their intentions, which doesn’t bother anyone really, just so the weaker, lazier, daydreamer, people can have a better hand than they were given? That's just absurd.

Life is hard, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. Being cynical and detached, just like faith, optimism and to love things are taught to people through real life experiences. Not false ones. Why waste time, energy, patience, resources on all these feel-good actions? Let people be angry; it's their natural state anyway. Let people suffer, many, but not all, but many chose ‘causes’ that resulted in those ‘effects.’ Love and prosperity of the Universe? Please... I'm not going to wish that on anyone. You want it. Go out and FK’n make it happen for yourself. Don’t just sit by and daydream about it and then misinterpret what ‘manifest’ means, change the definition countless times, just so you and your followers find meaning in the pain and suffering you absorb in life.

Your life sucks for two reasons:

1) Because you won’t do what needs to be done, notice I didn’t say, want, but needs to be done. 2) You just SUCK, period…

A want is something you subjectively believe is a need, but really it is just a want. A need is something you require and cannot move forward or survive without it in the literal sense. A want is a desire or preference for something that is not essential for survival (a need), but adds comfort, pleasure, or satisfaction to life (a want).

It-Is-Not-A-NEED…

‘Manifestation’ is the art of pretending that your thoughts have magical powers, capable of shaping the Universe. All you have to do is just think really, really hard about something, believe it is real and voila, the Universe supposedly rearranges itself to make it real just for you. Forget logic, evidence, or any semblance of scientific backing. Who needs that when you can just wish for a yacht and expect it to appear in your backyard? Apparently, the Universe is on standby, eagerly awaiting your mental command. Like, you, personally, are God or a God, and everything in the Universe revolves around you. Cough, narcissistic-sociopathy anyone? It's as if gravity, physics, and common sense take a backseat to the mighty force of positive thinking. Just think positively, and your dream job, dream partner, and dream toast that strangely looks like Jesus Christ, aka Jesus-Toast, will materialize before your eyes.

Forget about the countless factors that actually influence life events; it's all about channeling your inner wizard and pretending you're some sort of cosmic influencer meditating to BS ambient sounds that are supposed to be binaural beats in the Delta (1-4 Hz), Theta (4-8 Hz), Alpha (8-14 Hz), Beta (14-30 Hz), and Gamma (30-100 Hz), ranges, respectfully. It's not like there's any need for hard work, planning, or realistic goal-setting. Why bother with practicality when you can just daydream your way to success? Manifestation deserves a standing ovation. After all, who needs evidence when you have the power of wishful thinking? Keep manifesting, my friends, and maybe, just maybe, you'll manifest a sense of humor with this sarcastic telling of this tale. Good luck with that! If someone wants to call me names, lie to me, or wish bad things upon me, go ahead. It doesn't affect me. I'm not here to spread rainbows and sunshine. My peace? It's in not caring about random others of the 7.9 billion human O2 wasters currently on Earth. Have a ‘whatever’ day, I guess.

Now after all that, the truth is the original idea of manifestation comes from the often misinterpretation and oversimplification of quantum principles within the realm of quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics deals with the behavior of particles at the subatomic level, and some proponents of manifestation latch onto the uncertainty and observer effects within quantum physics. The misinterpretation and oversimplification come from the act of observation or intention at the quantum level can influence reality at a macroscopic scale. This is simply not based on fact. The only real proof of this is at the quantum and microscopic levels. Not the macroscopic scales that we see and interact with in our everyday reality. It's crucial to note that these quantum effects are not applicable or significant in the context of the current configuration of the human consciousness that shape our everyday experiences. Manifestation enthusiasts often draw parallels without a solid scientific basis, leading to a speculative and misguided connection between manifestation and quantum mechanics. In essence, it's a misappropriation of scientific concepts to lend an air of legitimacy to a pseudoscientific belief. Where the word ‘pseudo’ literally means “made-up.”

Now most of this tale was a sarcastic joke. I am not really this cynical towards people and life in general. However, I do share many of these ideas that I have sarcastically written here. I do not believe in anything that people cannot show real tangible proof for. When it comes to unprovable concepts I take more liberties, but those liberties are always based on and grounded in logic, common sense, critical thinking, problem-solving, science and tangible proof. Not on belief, faith, God, and/or good will towards other humans. It’s just not, so stop it with that shit already…

“The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.” ~George Bernard Shaw

Cynicalnation by David-Angelo Mineo 1/16/2024 1,479 Words

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mineofilms · 4 months

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Political Nightmares, 1/5/2024

So President Biden just gave a speech today (1/5/2024). His first on his bid for his second presidency. It was probably one of the better speeches, as far as quality of the words that were chosen, he has done in recent memory. I certainly cannot remember if/when he actually had a speech worth talking about. At least on my end of it. Like every great villain or liar they mix some truth in with their BS. Here is no exception. While I do happen to agree on ‘some’ of his takes about Trump, I certainly do not believe that by default. That by not voting for Trump is a vote for Biden. No, I think not. Sure, most will live by that mentality of the two-sided-coin. This is just another example of that ‘binary by default’ mentality. That if I am not LEFT then I must be RIGHT by default. Those statements are inherently NOT TRUE. However, by the rules of binary, that is exactly what that means, but when applying that to the real world, it doesn’t work, it never did, but we are to play pretend that it did work; and that we should all consume, obey, procreate based on those assumptions. We have other opinions, but they tend to be ignored due to the rules of the binary mechanisms. While that isn’t necessarily 100% accurate most will follow that logic. It is all they know. Do not expect to get someone that can only think in points understand what a line is when you connect those points. Evolving from one dimension to two dimensions. They will never get it. One will always have to slow it down too much or spend too much time, while dummying it down for them, for them to grasp the concept. The more we push devices in their faces with abbreviated concepts and context to those concepts, the stupider our civilization will become.

While I agree that Trump isn’t the best candidate; we have no one really stepping up either. Sure there are a few names in the hat, but they spend so much of their efforts trashing everything, everyone, in their own party, bickering over favor, over being that person that walks the walk on the hot coals in the pit over just talking about it. One of the things that tends to rile me up about the LEFT is how they tend to frame their words. They say it is Trump/MAGA but what I believe they are really talking about is themselves. During Biden’s speech/trashing of Trump he listed several topics claiming it is the RIGHT/MAGA-sided people that are the cause of this and they are dangerous for freedom. While the reality is this is what the LEFT has been doing for nearing a decade now.

The LEFT keep telling us January 6th was this big attack on American Freedom, but when we see all the video footage we see nothing but non-hostile groups of people walking around that are guilty of trespassing and perhaps disturbing the peace, at best. Yet, somehow, people are getting lengthy punishments for what is largely a non-violent, over-exaggerated trespassing violation. Was there some violence going on? Of course there was, there is always going to be a few people in a group that has their own agenda. The sheer lack of common sense, logic and problem-solving skills demonstrated by the LEFT and their media sources just shows, only in part, why following the LEFT ideology isn’t the best of long-term plans.

Granted the RIGHT isn’t much better. They tend to try to play the same games as the LEFT but the LEFT are much much better at it than the RIGHT. The RIGHT always comes off as Idiotic-Jesus-Karens, hiding behind the Bible and Christianity over trusting in science, common sense, logic and problem-solving skills. If we left the RIGHT to their vices the constitution would be no more and replaced by the Bible. No one wants a theocracy, that is why we do not live in one. As much as I will show respect for those like Ben Shaprio, for his witty and intellectual prowess, the man always comes prepared to debate, but tends to look silly when he tries to combat actual logic with the Sky Daddy logic. It would be difficult and frustrating trying to have philosophical conversations about logic with someone that puts faith above all other knowledge. I have always felt from the beginning between Biden and Trump that both are terrible choices for this country right now. Both talk from a place where they understand nothing from the common person, which makes up most of the people in this country. I certainly do not trust Biden, but that apple of trust does not get handed over to Trump because of that. However, that is how the system currently operates.

Anyone else see/feel like this is NOT the way to move forward in our society?

While Biden gave a great speech, most of what he had to say is about a narrative both sides keep pushing and the bulk of America doesn’t believe is real. Most do not even know what the FK Biden is even talking about; because said narrative doesn’t actually FK’n exist to begin with. Where exactly, and how exactly can we label January 6th an insurrection? When we think of what an insurrection is and they flip over to what actually happened it is very hard for me to see what the LEFT is saying about that day. I am not saying the RIGHT here is right, as in correct. There should have been resources in place so a hoard of people couldn’t push passed security without shots being fired upon the crowd in defense. I am not saying who/what right/wrong here. Only that this country tries to play the moral high-ground in the public eye, but behind closed doors they act like a bunch of kid-touchers that do not wanna get caught touching kids. Granted I am not saying ‘kid-touchers’ literally. Merely that I am using that as an example of doing a terrible terrible wrong to the people of this country and either hide it or place the blame on someone else, like Trump. Trump can undo all the Biden madness and I suppose based on that, that is a good thing, but Trump being the best person for the job? Yeah, I think not. Most of the things Biden was pointing the finger at in his speech that Trump has done (allegedly), is really what Biden’s been doing for three years now. They just removed Biden’s name and inserted Trump’s name. Where most of the people that watch a little or a lot cannot even keep up with the he said/she said BS. Most people cannot even tell the difference anymore it is so goddamn convoluted. At the time of this writing I am probably not going to vote. There isn’t anyone I want to vote for, (again). I come to this conclusion pretty much every time I feel pressured by social media to cast my vote and have a voice, but the voice in which I speak breaks the abnormal normal of what today’s normal is supposed to be; if we continue to listen to these talking heads on the dailydaily. We haven’t even gotten into the Hunter Biden stuff yet that may or may not get the President into trouble about the legalities of his ability to be President moving forward. We are seeing more of Biden’s appointed people being called into courts and in front of committees trying to find out why the border is overrun. Why Hunter Biden is on, or was on, the payroll for foreign nuclear power programs that directly have inappropriate connections to the President. Biden makes statements about violence in our political establishments. Well, what about our colleges full of Presidents in those environments that allow Jews and American-Jews to be harassed and threatened by violence in our colleges? Navigating the current political landscape, (Whoa)ke Cult-Lure, gender-mad and two old idiots running for President feels like choosing between two imperfect options. President Biden's recent speech, while well-delivered, appears to perpetuate narratives that many find disconnected from reality. The binary mentality in politics oversimplifies complex issues, overshadowing nuanced opinions that don't fit neatly into LEFT or RIGHT categories. I question the effectiveness of the modern-day political system and expresses skepticism about casting a vote in its current state.

"Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted. A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude. One believes things because one has been conditioned to believe them. I am I, and I wish I weren't. I like being myself. Myself and nasty. I want to know what passion is. I want to feel something strongly...reality, however utopian, is something from which people feel the need of taking pretty frequent holidays... Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view, is silence about truth. A love of nature keeps no factories busy. But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness, I want sin. It is natural to believe in God when you're alone-- quite alone, in the night, thinking about death. If one's different, one's bound to be lonely." ― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

tantibus politicis, 1/5/2024 (Latin for political nightmares, 1/5/2024) By David-Angelo Mineo 1/5/2024 1,597 Words

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mineofilms · 4 months

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The LIST

For months we’ve all been seeing a lot of social media posts and news reports about Jeffrey Epstein; including claims around the release of a list of his clients and/or co-conspirators. However, the reality is there is NO SUCH LIST. It is accurate that there's a release of previously sealed court records, and names to those records, but the majority of the names mentioned aren't accused of any wrongdoing or they've already been named publicly. The people on the list are to be questioned, sure, but this isn’t a list of guilty perpetrators. That is what ‘some’ news sources, social media and tinfoil hat people want to believe, but them wanting it real doesn’t make it real, because they want it to be real so bad. That isn’t how manifestation works. The documents are part of a lawsuit filed against Epstein's former girlfriend Elaine Maxwell by one of Epstein's victims Virginia Giuffre. She is one of the dozens of women who sued Epstein saying he had abused them after her lawsuit was settled in 2017. The Miami Herald requested court papers that were initially filed under seal. Some of those documents were released over the following years, but this next batch remained sealed because of privacy concerns regarding Epstein's victims and others who weren't complicit in his crimes. The judge also said a handful of names should remain blacked out because they would identify people who were sexually abused and that information isn’t exactly for public consumption… People still have the right to keep their names safe from the public. Just because this is a huge news story does not mean these people still do not have privacy rights. They do…

Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide while in prison awaiting trial. There are lots of conspiracy theories related to his death, as in, he was killed, did not commit suicide. The video of his last moments was mysteriously turned off or the footage is missing as he was on suicide watch. There is a list of VIP people, politicians, celebrity types and other billionaires and millionaires, where Jeffrey Epstein would fly these people to a remote vacation island where children were being sex trafficked for portions of these groups of people.

The Above Information Was All Background Information.

What I want to do is write a logical explanation as to why the media and the general public are looking at the names on this list as if they willing participated in these sex acts against children, other crimes and/or at the very least, knew this was going on, but did not report it. My argument is just because a name shows up on this list does not necessarily mean a person or a group committed any crimes at all. It is just as possible these people were isolated from any of these illegal crimes just as much as they could have been a part of all this. As of right now there is no real evidence to suggest that if a person's name was on this list that they are guilty of crimes by default, even with no direct evidence of any crime being committed. The only pro-evidence is just Jeffrey Epstein and his assistant and a person or persons’ name being on this list and them knowing and having some loose business dealings with Jeffrey Epstein. Both sides of the media and YouTube conspiracy theorists are labeling ALL people on this list as villainous, guilty of sex crimes against children and all around, bad people.

The inclusion of names on a list doesn't automatically imply guilt, and it's crucial to distinguish between allegations, suspicions, and proven criminal behavior. Some may be skeptical of the legal system or other institutions, leading them to question the credibility of investigations in general. This lack of trust can contribute to the belief that everyone associated with Epstein must be involved in some related wrongdoing associated with Epstein’s criminal activity. It's crucial to differentiate between suspicions, allegations, and proven facts. Simply being associated with Epstein does not make someone, or even anyone, guilty of criminal activities. It is essential to rely on thorough investigations, legal proceedings, and concrete evidence before making judgments about an individual's involvement in illegal activities. People should be cautious about spreading unverified data as fact, and the legal system should be allowed to determine guilt or innocence based on proper procedures and evidence. Not what FOX News or Social Media says is real, true, fact. Where most of the information being presented on the news and on social media, alike, is false, wrong or a straight-up lie.

Being on the ‘Epstein-List,’ to me is almost like being shamed by high school administrators when you get into trouble for smoking in the bathroom or some other petty issues at High School and they blame you just because you hang out with a “specific” bad person, that you are associated with. I'd always roll my eyes when this was said to me and even now I think it is a stupid way to think. That sure, some of the time guilty by association is true, but not all the time or even most of the time. If I was on the list, that just makes me a child rapist because I flew on a plane with a guy that was into that. I know nothing about it, but am on the plane ride and when I get to the island I am chillin' at the beach or a bar the whole time I am there, witnessing no sexual acts with children, but still feel like people are weird in general. I fly back with the group not knowing much of anything. I know some people did some FK-shit, but one or many can say that about any group of people that have money and go to an island. Rich people are always doing things they shouldn’t be doing or if they were not rich and average like most of us wouldn’t even have the time to think about all the nonsense they can cause because they are too tired working sixty hours a week, working two jobs, taking care of multiple kids that are not even theirs.

The concept of "guilty by association" is a logical fallacy, and making assumptions about individuals based solely on their loose connections with criminals is not a sound or fair way to judge anyone. Regardless of who they hang out with, who they may work with and even go on private jets to remote islands with. However, there are psychological and societal reasons why this tendency exists. Humans often rely on mental cheat coded (shortcuts,) known as ‘heuristics,’ to quickly make judgments. In the case of guilt by association, people may use this cheat code that if someone is connected to a known criminal, they must share some level of responsibility or guilt. Our current society tends to fear and distrust those associated with individuals involved in criminal activities. Well, most of the time… This fear can lead to a broad assumption that anyone connected to a known criminal is likely to be involved in illicit behavior as well. People may simplify complex situations by categorizing individuals as either "good" or "bad" based on their associations. This oversimplification helps individuals make sense of a complex world, but can lead to unfair judgments. Now apply this to Child Sex Trafficking and watch a person’s career go down the tubes. Isn’t that what defamation is? The media does more than play its part in all this. The media plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions. If media coverage highlights the connections between an individual and a criminal, it can influence public opinion and contribute to the belief in guilt by association. This is even more toxic when the social media perspective is added to it; where most of the judgements on social media are often rash and have little truth to them at the beginning. People tend to seek information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs. If someone already believes that individuals associated with a criminal are guilty, they may selectively focus on information that supports this belief while ignoring contradictory evidence. This is just a fancy way of saying: “Go on Google and everything you see there is true by default. Do not bother to even ask of the validity of the content. Just believe it is all based on facts because Google said so.” The lack of critical thinking in some cases, people may not engage in critical thinking or question the validity of assumptions. This lack of critical analysis can contribute to the acceptance of guilt by association without considering the individual circumstances.

While it's natural to be concerned about connections to criminals that use children in such a disgusting way; fairness and justice demand a more nuanced and evidence-based approach. Legal systems are designed to establish guilt or innocence through due process, relying on evidence and the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise. However, let's not be dense about that, but because my name is on a list I am now looked at by the media and the public for, whatever this list is supposed to imply, my guilt on.

If I know I am innocent and the media starts saying shit. I am suing them and I am going to win too. I just think the YouTube conspiracy people have nothing better to do than latch onto something, anything really that could make sense to them. Remember, the Earth is NOT FLAT and you’re idiot if you actually believe that. They do it every few months. I have a friend who is big into this stuff and I keep telling him he sounds like a quack and he gets pissed at me. I then tell him it isn’t the idea that makes him look whacky, but how he does it. His posts/rants look exactly like that of an Alex Jones or other wild conspiracy theorists. That if he wants people to take him seriously then he has to treat the content seriously. Not this fly by night, really bad memes, screenshots, doctored other postings. Shady articles from websites that have little validity to them to begin with. It is just like the rhetoric/semantics line I keep saying. Rhetoric doesn’t have to be based on real facts. It just needs to appear that way and the same goes for taking conspiracies and making them appear real. One has to make it understandable. Not just some rantings of a delusional mind. One or many cannot expect people to believe up is actually down if you cannot clearly show, speak about and articulate why up is actually down and we all have it wrong. If one or many cannot do that, that it simply will not be taken seriously, regardless if it is real or not.

So, yeah, every time I hear about this “LIST” or the names on the list. I just laugh and am like, you have nothing unless you have something other than a name showing up on a list of passengers. If a plane has 100 people on it, are we to assume all 100 people are bad, evil, rich, kid touchers? That is crazy… I am sure some of them ARE, sure… But ALL? And guilty by Default? Again, crazy… Yet the RIGHT-sided people hold onto this like Churchill would hold up signed documents by Hitler, that he wasn’t going to attack these places and within a few days/weeks Hitler would just continue his massive attacks. Breaking all the promises he signed previously. That hoping, is just the same type of hoping. It’s baseless… Based on very little and almost all on assumptions without any real evidence other than a few names showing up on a list and/or other, possibly, doctored up materials. It just doesn’t work for me at all for those very reasons. They are chasing ghosts. The RIGHT keeps chasing fantasies like if they can just get some of these things to stick, they will win. No… The RIGHT will never win. They just won’t lose. That doesn’t mean they won anything. The RIGHT turn on each other faster than Schmigel killing his best friend for the Ring of Power from the “Lord of the Rings.” The LEFT doesn’t lead. The LEFT leads their own interests and those interests do not coincide with us, the people. It used to, here/there but not anymore. This is another example of that ‘binary by default’ mentality. That if I am not LEFT then I must be RIGHT by default. If I am not RIGHT then I am LEFT by default. Both of those statements are inherently NOT TRUE. However, by the rules of binary, that is exactly what that means, but when we apply that to the real world, it doesn’t work, it never did, but we are to play pretend that it did, and that we should all consume, obey, procreate based on those assumptions. We have opinions, but they tend to be ignored due to the rules of the binary mechanisms.

In the labyrinth of cognition, where reason intertwines with folly, human minds dance on the edges of wisdom and ignorance. Veiled in the mist of impulsivity, we weave tales of brilliance and blunders. Our thoughts, like fireflies in the vast night of understanding, flicker erratically. In pursuit of clarity, we stumble through the maze, often lost in the corridors of haste and bias. Within the kaleidoscope of intellect, brilliance and folly coexist, revealing the paradox of our nature. Amidst the symphony of ideas, the melody of brilliance is occasionally drowned by the dissonance of our own limitations, and thus, in transient folly, we are dumb. "'FK this,’ he said to no one in particular. ‘Don't tell me I clawed my way up from VR addiction just to learn that aliens blew up the Earth because of an old Michael Jackson song and Star Trek. I won't believe this shit! I won't believe it!'" ― Charles Pellegrino, George Zebrowski, The Killing Star

Elenchus (Latin for: The List) by David-Angelo Mineo 1/5/2024 2,342 Words

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mineofilms · 4 months

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End of the Beginning

“Is this the end of the beginning? Or the beginning of the end? Losing control or are you winning? Is your life real or just pretend?” "End of the Beginning"

Going through my writings for the past year when I kept coming across instances where things just do not make sense to me. Not the words I write or topics I talk about, but rather ‘some’ of the takes of these topics by the random minorities of INTERNET TROLLS, Internet Subcultures, and others. The problem in general with Internet Subcultures are Internet Subcultures. However, I have already written about that and those extremely short and not very well thought out opinions of said topics of mine.

This year was marked by life after Hurricane Ian, with damage to the house, only now being repaired. Due to inflation, rising insurance premiums and cost of living going up while monies coming in are either static or going slowly in reverse we had to make serious concessions as to what we wanted for our home. The house is forever changed. We won’t get the pool cage replaced. The insurance pay out was half of what it will cost for a new one and the insurance for it could buy a brand new pool cage every three years. We went over a year without one, adapted our lives and maintenance around that and it has worked out to a point where we had the time to think about what we actually wanted and how much we had to pay with for it. Now that we have a real concept of what we want we are slowly getting that done.

I started the year’s Blogging on my fitness history and journey over the years. I am still at it. I have learned to train smarter, around my current limitations and I feel I look good for what I have had to go through with my ability to still train at a high level. This past year I wrote about the Buffalo Bills more than I have in the past over a one year span. I am probably not done. With how Buffalo is these days, there is usually something worth discussing every few weeks, let alone months. I wrote a lot about redefining Woke-Culture as ‘(Whoa)ke Cult-Lure.’ I wrote about that subject enough to be a target of trolling then doxing by a very persistent but small group of 40+Don’t-Matter-Progressives on a stupid platform that no one really uses called SpaceHey. SpaceGhey, is what most that know the platform call it.

“Reanimation of the sequence Rewind the future to the past. To find the source of the solution; The system has to be recast.” ~BLACK SABBATH

I did more movie reviews this year than I have done in recent years. I think I will continue this trend in 2024. When I do a review I tend to write about movies that I knew nothing about going into it and being very surprised at how good it was. I will also write about movies I saw that I thought were going to be good from the trailer and/or the plot write-up and the movie being so terrible that I had to write about all the things I hated about it. In great detail, of course. I do not always review films that everyone else has seen or is popular. I go by what I want to watch, not what the mass media and YouTube reviewers say I should watch.

Movies I wrote about this year:

• Infinity Pool (2023) • You People (2023) • Knock at the Cabin (2023) • Nefarious (2023) • Choke (2008) • Oppenheimer (2023)

Movies I briefly talked about this year:

• The Elephant Man (1980) • The Thing (1982) • Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) • Altered States (1980) • Tightrope (1984) • Communion (1989) • The Fourth Kind (2009) • The Entity (1982) • Prince of Darkness (1987) • Galaxy of Terror (1981)

Along with my thoughts on politics and political ideologies I also dove more into religion/faith using Christianity as the main example. The only reason Christianity gets mentioned the most when I talk about religion is because it tends to be the most popular or most obvious. Most of everyone has heard of the rumored, “son-of-God,” Jesus Christ. We have all heard the stories and all that. It is the easiest one to prove wrong as well, but we’ll save that for 2024 and beyond. I spent just as much time writing about Social Media, Music and technical blogs with aspects of using smart devices and using older accounts with those devices. It is sort of pain in the butt when something newer comes out and it isn’t exactly compatible with your main accounts because your main accounts are now two decades old. I have newer accounts sure, but none of them are as used as my main INTERNET accounts that have most of everything signed into them. Sometimes the process is overly complicated and I will take detailed notes as to how I came up with the solutions. I will write out the notes in the form of a blog to tell the tale or just a backup for myself if I ever have to deal with the problem again. I prepared another medical update that handles the past/present of my medical conditions in a better, more thorough, breakdown. I had to take a break from everything during the months of June and July due to being sick. A combination of getting the flu and medications having adverse effects on my body for my diabetes. We still have yet to get a real handle on controlling my blood sugars. Granted we have made some strides in the right direction but my sugars continue to be higher, even with the medications they give me. At the beginning of June is when I started receiving harassment from that contingent of hypersensitive 40+Don’t-Matter-Progressives on the SpaceGhey. After I handled that, went on vacation, came back, got sick again, did I begin writing again. I was sent an open survey by my county’s Democratic Party and they made the mistake of allowing the survey takers a textbox for every question to give people a chance to say what they want to say. I will tell you; I wish ALL multiple choice tests or surveys did this. I have always had a problem with the multiple choice approach. It lacks contextual-value. Not all questions are written with context in mind and they should. Anyway; I sent them a very detailed survey back with why I would never register to vote or vote for a Democratic Party representative in any form of Government. This sparked a little bit of a debate, as most assume if one isn’t a Democrat then by default they must be a Right-Wing-Trump Supporter, which isn’t true either. I do not support either one of them as my main way to express how I feel about politics.

Both are poor choices for social societal evolution.

I took mid-October and the first part of November writing about the Israeli/Palestinian War. I wrote about 8,791 words on the subject. I studied the history. I looked at opinions on both sides and I fact-checked most of the things that are being spewed as semantics but really are just rhetoric, where semantics is the study of real and true meanings of words and phrases and are based on credible facts. Where rhetoric only has to appear it is based on credible facts, but doesn’t actually have to include anything real, true or fact, merely that it only sounds plausible. I take the same approach when talking about ALL forms of religion. That is why religion is such a tough sell and extremely easy to dismiss when looking really hard at the science, logic and common sense on the subject. If one is Pro-Palestinian they will be very triggered by what I got to say, but if one is Pro-Israeli they will be just as disappointed in my resolve or opinion on the matter.

I finally got around to defining what “Two-Step Flow Theory for Idiots” is…

One of the last big things I talked about this year are the Ten Things That Terrified Me in Film/TV. Things I remember that freaked me out in a Movie. I am 45 now and a lot of these were seen when I was a kid. So 80s baby all the way. I really harp on “conceptual horror” over just visuals. “Conceptual Horror” would be imagining you as a child, in bed, feeling this sense that you are being watched. You cannot see anything, but you look in the darkest corners of your room to see BLACK and feeling there is something there that wants you to be terrified of its presence upon you. You get the distinct feeling this thing, this entity, wants to do bad things to you or at the very least make you do bad things to others or yourself. That to me, this uncertainty, this distinct feeling of “a harmful force upon you,” is terrifying and really the only thing that truly haunts me. That unknown feeling of dread by something you cannot quantify, but is in your space that is supposed to be yours and safe.

2023 was a year where I looked into AI more than I ever have. Both with using ChatGPT, and writing prompts or, “cheat codes,” for ChatGPT. I wrote a few blogs about AI and I will continue to do that. I also listened to the audiobook versions of the “Remembrance of Earth's Past” or known as (The Three-Body Trilogy) by Liu Cixin. Three-Body is a mind-bending existentially terrifying sci-fi journey that explores humanity's encounter with an alien civilization. From the deep of cosmic concepts to intricate political and philosophical threads, Three-Body is an exploration of the unknown, challenging our understanding of the Universe, reality, perspective, perception, existence itself. Very few science fiction novels actually change how I think. This series absolutely did that with its concepts of first contact, the dark forest theory, game theory, nihilism, time, relativity, relativistic time, reality possibly being an infinitely long loop, love, death, infinity, multiple-dimensional realities, macro and micro quantum reality, religion not being real and existentialism. I will do a bigger BLOG-breakdown of the series with heavy spoilers at some point in the future.

For 2024, I currently have fourteen Blogs scheduled as of right now. This doesn’t mean I will be writing only fourteen Blogs but that those are the ones I have multiple pages of notes on the subject for and want to tackle. I wrote 30 Blogs in 2023. Where only half of them were planned in advance. I do plan to continue to work on Fiction this year. I am hoping to complete something this year for sure. There has been and will be many changes to my life and how my family carries on its wayward son… I tend to say this every year that the year before was the worse year of my life. The same can go for 2023 as well but I think of it in different terms now.

On 12/22/2023, after I had just came back from one of my deep thinking sessions on my walks around the wooded area in my neighborhood, my father passed away. Dad would have been 70 on the first day of 2024. As a family, we elected not to post this on the typical social media posts on subjects like this. Being Friday evening and all, with Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and my Nephew’s Birthday a day after that we did not want to ruin anyone’s holiday. We didn’t want our friends and family to have to stop their lives for our misfortunes. The truth is my father has been extremely ill since 2004, even before that. I started noticing my Father’s health change in and around 1995-1996. During that time, and years to come, my father did very little to help himself with his health. The Doctor would instruct him to do A, B, C and my father would take that and create his own sense of D, E, F of it. Health declined every few years. Every few years the cycle would repeat itself. Every time he’d go to the ER or stay in ICU, he’d come back, a little bit less of himself and more zombie-like. 2021 my father finally hit a wall that he couldn’t just walk through and his strength and awareness around him would dwindle. The last thing to go is a person’s sense of self. Towards the end he would stop communicating like a normal person. He would talk to us sporadically but be less and less coherent and more and more incoherent. Finally, my father’s body could no longer hold out and he passed peacefully in his sleep. One minute he was resting then next he was just a vacant vessel for a human soul.

I am not exactly sure how to word all this to sound as it should. As I have said, largely my father hasn’t been around in the way we know him and all you may remember him for a very very long time. It is hard to really understand how I feel and think at this moment. I do not feel that sense of sudden loss that most tend to go through. Actually ALL my brothers feel like this about this specific situation. When I think about this now, on the last day of 2023 and the day before his birthday, is I revert to when I was a kid and we lived in Tampa, Sarasota and right when we moved to North Port, from when that all started in 1984-1991. That is really how I think of my dad now. I cannot really think about him as my father, near and after 1997. 1997-2001, I was just graduating High School, trying to figure out adulating, finishing school, working dead end jobs, then going to college and not having a single clue as to what I was supposed to do. My brothers were all in High School doing their thing. My mother was dealing with my father, who started his descent into what we ALL had to go through for the last 20 years. Guidance for me was non-existent and with friends that are no longer here in my life anymore. I picked film in college because I loved movies. I wanted to work behind a camera from the time I left High School to now. I picked that because of the love but also because it would get me away from here and having to deal with all this stuff my dad was going through and watching my friends’ transition into their current lives, both for the best and not the best of circumstances.

I never actually got out of here and my degree is/was a complete waste of time, energy, money, resources and false-hope. Granted I love what I know but wish I could at least make a living doing it over just writing about it. Now with my own mortality showing these same signs; I am the same age now that my father was in and around when he began his issues. I think about how much quality time I have to work on projects like this. Both time and the roadblocks that were there, that are no longer there, but other roadblocks still exist. I feel like 2024 will be an end of a new beginning and the beginning actually begins, now…

Reflections of the self and redemptive nature of living life and then eventually time catches up. The ultimate fate of us ALL is death, the light, the love, the life, the emptiness and despair of it ALL. "It's a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done before. A far better resting place I go to, than I have ever known." ~1859 novel by Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities” reused in the final moments of the 1982 film: “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” The very first record/tape/music I ever purchased was Black Sabbath’s Paranoid per the recommendation of my father. I was 11…

Rest In Peace Dad… 1/1/1954-12/22/2023

“Release your mind. Fast forward to the secrets of your code. Your life's on overload. Delete or save…” "End of the Beginning" ~BLACK SABBATH Writer(s): John Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Terrence Butler

Finis Principia (Latin for; End of the Beginning) by David-Angelo Mineo 12/30/2023 2,737 Words

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mineofilms · 4 months

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Club Satan

This is a response about an article posted on my Facebook feed on an ‘after school Satan Club’ at a Memphis elementary school, and now at a local elementary school in my town for elementary school students. The article’s headline: “Satanic Temple plans ‘After School Satan Club’ at another elementary school…”

1st and foremost I do not support or favor any religion in general. If you ask me what I think happens when we die? That talk will be about 2.5 hours and using so many references, from science, to science fiction, fiction in general, philosophy, logic, critical thinking, sacred geometry, astrophysics, politics, numerology, etc. One or many wouldn’t even grasp most of these concepts at the beginner/novice level, let alone, understand the lack of general awareness that religion, in all its glory, is the number one killer of human beings in all the history of mankind. Not by predators, not by an asteroid strike in our distant past, not AIDS, not heart disease, drug addiction, cancer, the black plague, global wars or diabetes, hunger, lack of drinking water. Nope… Religion has killed more people than all these combined. So you will have to excuse my lack faith in religion as an ideology that benefits all of mankind. You will never see me say the opposite, ever…

It’s been suggested human beings have roughly been on Earth in our current form for around 300,000 years. While Christianity’s history is around 2,000 years old, give or take a few decades. That is a huge gap, over two orders of magnitude (2.18) older than the Christian faith. One can insert just about any history they would want with that gap of time. Plenty of time for interpretation, telling of stories that miss details or include details that never happened. The Bible very well could be the first science fiction novel ever written for all we know. Movies like; "Prince of Darkness," directed by John Carpenter in 1987, centers around a group of scientists investigating a mysterious cylinder filled with a pulsating green liquid discovered in an abandoned church. The film explores the notion that early humans misinterpreted profound forces as benevolent when, in reality, they embody darkness and destruction. As they study the liquid, they uncover disturbing revelations about its extraterrestrial origin and its connection to an ancient evil force that transcends time, space and reality as we know it. As the liquid is studied by the group, it is suggested that our ancestors, grappling with incomprehensible phenomena, crafted a narrative (Christianity) that skewed the reality of these entities. Portraying God as a symbol of life, love, and light rather than the “Anti-God,” a malevolent, primordial entity with the potential to bring about apocalyptic consequences. That we never know what this energy actually is, but it can only be described in Christian terms of “Satan’s Father” or the “Anti-God.” The “Anti-God” is not a being of life, light, and love but a force of death, darkness, and destruction, shedding light on the possibility that humanity's early interpretations were shaped by fear and misunderstanding rather than divine revelation. "Prince of Darkness" and other films that attempt to challenge viewers to reconsider established beliefs and contemplate the origins of religious narratives. That is just one example of how creativity and attempting to look at religion with an analytical mind over blindly accepting what is written as literal gospel/truth/facts.

In the article, the Satanic Temple clarifies its mission, “presenting itself as a non-theistic entity that interprets Satan as a metaphorical symbol, separate from the supernatural associations often assumed. The club's curriculum, contrary to misconceptions, focuses on science-based and inclusive activities, aiming to foster benevolence, empathy, critical thinking, problem-solving, creative expression, personal sovereignty, and compassion among participating children.” https://www.live5news.com/clubsatan

Just because the group says we do not teach about Satan in terms of religion doesn’t mean it isn’t about Satan. This one quote from the article destroys any credibility that the Temple may have had about what its mission and goals are with this club. I support the first amendment, but if we cannot have Jesus in public schools then there isn’t any room for Satan either. If a public school is gonna allow Christian-theme clubs in their school then based on the first amendment Satan should also have its say. The Jesus-Karens’ wanna cherry-pick when it is ok or not ok to break the law, as they always tend to look at the law as silly when compared to the laws in the Bible, which to me, is just as silly. These same people will openly break the law when it suits them and always point to the Bible as the one true law.

Now that is fine and dandy, but if we all have to follow the law, so do Jesus-Karens’.

The question of whether it is fundamentally wrong to teach religion of any kind, including topics like Jesus or Satan, in public schools:

• Separation of Church and State: Teaching religion in public schools “may be” seen as a violation of our 1st amendment rights as outlined in the constitution of the United States.

• Religious Diversity: Every individual in that school and every public school has their own personalized belief structure. It would be fundamentally wrong to choose one and make that the standard for everyone. Hence, why ALL separation of Church and State exists to begin with.

• Parental Rights: The responsibility for religious education lies with parents and religious institutions, not public schools. Public Schools across all of the United States has taken a bigger interest with our children the last decade or so. They have been fighting with lawmakers during this time attempting to gain rights’ to kids without their parents being notified. This subject can be a blog all by itself. Giving them free spaces to teach and practice “progressive” values, that are hardly progressive, in terms of progressing forward in a direction of enlightenment. However, what I see “progressives” doing isn’t going forward, which is what the word actually means. Instead, “progressivism” steers human thinking backward, under the pretense of moving forwards. Even if it is after school and 100% voluntary there is still pressure to promote these concepts and for kids to accept the invitation or be told “they are on the wrong side of history.” It is why Separation of Church and State and Religious Diversity above exist in the first place. This is the part I think the schools lack the most. There is pressure by people for them to help promote it and pressure for kids exposed to it to join. Where they are supposed to be spiritually safe…

• Focusing on Academics: Public schools are primarily institutions for academic education, and introducing religion diverts resources and time away from core subjects. How we can expect our kids to know Math, English, History if we have them confused about what comes after this life or not. Can kids be kids and worry about this garbage when they have real stress in their lives? My only real acceptation to the rule about religion in public schools is if religion is mention in Historical Context. I can give a pass on that, but that would be more for High School level kids learning about world history in a classroom for historical context. Not religion as the subject, but merely part of the story that is world history.

Parents shouldn’t have to be in this spot of being angry about this particular thing to begin with. When we send our kids to school. We trust they are safe: Mentally, Physically, Emotionally, Sexually and Spiritually. Let’s not forget the incident by the original Jesus-Karens in the 1980s when Al Gore and his wife tried to cancel Heavy Metal due to it promoting Satan and they lost, BIG, and were humiliated on live TV. When we buy a CD and it has the “Parental Advisory” sticker on it, that is their contribution to pop culture, gate keeping, and heavy metal.

If a school was a religious boarding school or something specific, a non-public school, then I’d get it why religion is in school, but public schools, na… I have no issue with some things about religion in schools like the pledge of allegiance and God being mentioned in it. I always interpreted the word “God” to mean “whatever creation myth one believes in,” and creation itself is a myth, not a fact but a myth. I believed this at 8-years-old.

I have three different categories for defining God and it is based on how we spell God. God (any and ALL Gods of religion) • GOD (The Universe itself is GOD, not a conscious being, just everything encompassed into one big thing called the Universe/GOD) • god (Sacred Geometry Spirit Energy, Nature, not necessarily a conscious entity).

The word “God” to me never meant solely the Christian God, just “god.” The pledge is fine how it is. As far as promoting Satan goes, I feel the same way. I joke about hailing Satan, but that is all it is, a joke. It is utterly ridiculous, just like thinking more than God just being an imaginary friend for grownups. I am actually making fun of Satan here not hating on Christian faith, specifically. I am a metalhead. Always have been. I never associated Satan worship with metal music, but there are subgenres of metal music that focuses on the worship of Satan and the destruction of all Catholicism. I think all faiths are part of the clown show. It doesn’t have a place in public schools, whatsoever, for just the few reasons I specified here. However, they probably are different for you and absolutely different for most other people.

I am an agnostic, which is just a fancy term for saying; "I do not possess the information to make an informed decision on whether or not the One-God-Creation-Myth is more than just a myth and if any of this is actually tangibly real in our reality." Agnostic is just saying we do not know enough to say God does or doesn’t exist so we just do not have a stance on it in the terms that believers and non-believers have their stance. By default both sides tends to label us as either believer or non-believer, which is why we are agnostic to begin with. Agnostics tend to not believe in binary information systems about reality.

That not everything is as simple as positive and negative…

“In the status quo of trial by social media; the facts have nothing to do with anything. No matter what you do, no matter what you prove, no matter what you dismiss, logical approach or common sense thought or thoughts about a topic, there is always going to be people on a keyboard that will project the reality that they would like, that most fits with what they want to believe and have that all based on hurt feelings and sentimental opinion on every issue. Every issue is split in half or binary nowadays. There are no winners in this and the lives that are directly affected by it will never be the same.” ~me, September. 2023.

Every topic is so polarizingly binary: yes/no, us/them, good/evil, right/wrong, left/right, zero/one, gay/straight, black/white, man/woman, Jew/Muslim, Life/Death. You get the idea. Sources are biased, especially ones from the great religions of the world, the legacy news media from both left/right sides. Both spin their takes as pandering of right/wrong vs what right/wrong actually are. Both sides always paint the other side as: wrong, bad, evil, while always labeling themselves as correct, good and just. In binary information systems both sides cannot be these things. They must be one or the latter, ALWAYS…

The great flaw I see here with Jesus/Satan in public schools is we cannot have one without the other. If you have pro-Jesus after school programs in public schools then one or many must allow the latter that same respect. I have written at length this year about binary information systems and how they formulate, shape, our opinions and positions in reality. They are not what they are supposed to be, but the point I am making here is in public schools both should not be allowed. I agree with most that Satanism is just as much a religious faction as Christianity is even though they are saying in the argument that they are “presenting itself as a non-theistic entity that interprets Satan as a metaphorical symbol, separate from the supernatural associations often assumed. The club's curriculum, contrary to misconceptions, focuses on science-based and inclusive activities, aiming to foster benevolence, empathy, critical thinking, problem-solving, creative expression, personal sovereignty, and compassion among participating children.”

If you are a Christian parent and you want to protect your children from teachings that go against your faith, the public school system would probably not be trustworthy places to safeguard those concepts for your children. The public school systems are working to strip rights from parents so they can teach your kids what “they” value, not what “you” value…

Should be noted that just because I personally loathe religion of any kind, I do not hate people for choosing a religion/faith. It is your entitled right to choose what you want to believe. My only, real, issue with any of it is the forcing the beliefs on everyone and shunning those that choose not to listen.

Religion, to me, are the original Karen's of civilization, but I am not going to trash my brothers/sisters, family and friends for believing. I encourage freedom of choice, freedom thinking and being free to believe in what you want to believe. That is the beauty of this country and the beauty of the greatest document ever created, the constitution of the United States of America. It is the projecting of religious concepts over the Bill of Rights onto other people that tends to rile me up on the subject.

I have said this before about religion and religious folks:

"If one or many make religion/faith about them, internally, and not about empathy, love and support for others then the message they believe in and support is the wrong one. You have missed the point if you ever think this is all about you… The second you do that, the battles and wars you wage in the name of that faith are perverted, fundamentally and logically wrong. If you believe in hell, you are more than likely already on that ‘one-way ticket to midnight, call it, Heavy Metal…’”

Club Satan by David-Angelo Mineo 12/15/2023 2,417 Words

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mineofilms · 5 months

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I Pray to JOBU!

In the heartbreak BILLS' tale, where victories slip away like sand, lost in the situation, a fateful choice, in the shadows, another soul-crushing loss.

At this point we need the old gods to return to Earth and SAVE the Buffalo Bills. We need the greatest sports God to grace us, oh, alas Babylon, alas Babylon, yee, oh... The Buffalo Bills need JOBU… I pray to JOBU… I give him Chicken Wings, Pizza Logs, Blue Cheese, Beef on Weck, Crown, Molson, Labattts.

He will come… He will come… (insert Major League JOBU theme music)

The Situational Curse Continues…

Situational Football…

We fail at it ALL of the time now. Not some of the time or once every few years.

NO… Every time… We Fail Miserably At It…

It is something we have not been able to shake, going as far back as the Houston Wild Card Loss. That was the 2019 season. You can make all sorts of excuses for this loss at the Eagles: The Refs, Bad Luck, Beat-up on Defense, Shaky Special Teams. Coach is right, it isn’t just one person, one play or one call or non-call. It is the 2021 season all over again, but with the 2022 woes. In the situation we don't know what to do and how to execute it. Ok, maybe we do know “what to do,” but the execution of it is still a major problem.

You can see it on Hyde’s face after the touchdown on 3rd and forever.

“Oh, no… Not again…” Yes… Again…

But What Is Our Resolve? We Have Yet To Actually Figure This Out.

Lately, the last few games or even two seasons, these 4th quarter meltdowns are happening ALL of the time now... Till we rise above these situations we won't get to the next level and now the playoffs are doubtful but... NEVER SAY NEVER... This is exactly how the 2021 season was. We lost a heartbreaker to the Bucs in OT, then went on our bye-week and ripped off 7-straight wins to steal the division title and lose that crazy game to Kansas City. I still BILLieve in this team and I will say if we do make the playoffs every team in the AFC and the NFC is gonna pay attention. We are not gonna be a team one wants to play in the playoffs, if we do get in. We are two games back if you count our last game at Miami as a win. That means we need to win out and Miami has to lose two other games during their schedule, besides to us, for us to tie and we win the AFC East by tie-breaker. Should be noted that Miami has 9-wins, all against teams under .500. History says, Miami will crumble just like history says that the Bills were gonna blow that game at the Eagles. I do not always trust history in sports, but more times than not, it is the correct assumption.

That Is Why It’s A “Historic Moment.”

With some other potential Wild Card teams faltering that could also be a path to the playoffs. Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Houston, Miami are all suspect. They have to keep their peddle down too. If we limp in it doesn’t matter. We’re in… If we make the playoffs in 2023 it’s gonna be a “historic moment.” Josh Allen is playing at a high level. The offense is finding itself again and outside of Kansas City and Dallas the defenses we will be facing are suspect. I also feel we match up well against Kansas City and Dallas. If the Offensive line can continue to protect Allen we got a shot at those games. If we beat Kansas City after the bye, we are where we thought we’d be with splitting these two games. That was the goal, split them and try and smash Dallas at home. It is still there. We still have some control here, but we gotta win these games and not leave them on the field. However, when one is cursed it is extremely hard to get said curse lifted…

Grace Us, Oh, Alas Babylon, Alas Babylon, Yee, Oh… I Pray Thee JOBU… He Will Come… GO BILLS…

I began noticing the "Situational Curse" since the Houston Wild Card loss and even in games that season. That was the 2019-2020 season. It is now the 2023-2024 season. This issue is still an issue and now it is costing us multiple games over it being one a year every year.

It Is Happening More...

I Think Putting This All On Mcdermott Is The Wrong Take.

I am seeing a lot of uninformed fans, calling themselves BillsMafia, that seem like they literally have not been watching the games or watching the games through the lens of highlights/RedZone Channel, which does not give the FULL CONTEXT of what is on the field, in the game. It is cliff-notes logic at best. So it is complicated for me to accept those opinions of the team as real opinions, when the context is all over the place. I get it -it is on McDermott, but him and Bean should hire someone that emphasizes these points, in-game, up in the booth. We do not need an analytics guy. We’re a team that doesn’t require analytics when stuff like this keeps happening, in-game. Repurpose that position with someone who points out. "No matter what, watch for this, watch for that. Do not forget your assignments. Do not forget the Universe is against this team. Do not assume. Plan for the worst possible situation happening on this play. Think about it more, deeply… What is likely to happen if I do or do not do this or that on this play?"

I Feel Like We Miss This Point. Over and Over…

We missed it in 2019. We missed it in 2021. 2022 and now in 2023. You can even throw 2020 in there as well.

Every year since 2019 this aspect of the game has gone against us. We need to be more assertive here with this issue and not just talk about what we need to do to improve the team and/or play the uninformed blame game on whose fault this is. If we do nothing, then nothing will change. If we keep ignoring it. It will keep rearing its ugly head, which is exactly what is happening. Why is it that no one else seems to be bringing this up? We are down to fumes on defense, but still keeping us in games. What I do not understand is why would you put that defense on the field and expect them to go win the game? They are beat up... We do not match up well, at all, in a situation where we have to go out and hold anyone to 4-and-out to win. How many more examples do we need on tape to show this? Sure, for most of a game the BILLS will play great defense. However, when the game is on the line, we simply cannot be expected to go out and win that game, with this defense, with these injuries. We are a bend but do not break defense till it is the last drive and the other team knows they can methodically move the ball down the field against us. We do this, quite often the last two seasons, three would not be wrong either. Still, Coach will send them out there expecting them to triumph.

In that respect it is more on McDermott.

I am not saying the Fat Lady is singing, but there is a line of thicc girls starting to line up for tryouts. We are in a better position with the bye-week Sunday games played by the other teams. Kansas City lost and we are prepping for them. It is still right there. I am going to say the same thing I did in the 2021 Divisional game. "It is right there... All the BILLS gotta do is go out there and TAKE IT..." Take it, instead of trying to win the game. Go out there and take it from them. Go take it from EVERYONE... The Universe is against this team. Be that asshole who does things in spite of that. That just because the Universe says "not so fast..." You kick that M'F'K'er in the gut and give them a Stone-Cold Stunner... Cue Music and tossing victory Beers...

(Music cuts to Major League JOBU theme music followed by banner)

Over The Music There Is An Announcement:

“The greatest sports God to grace ALL, oh, alas Babylon, alas Babylon, yee, oh... You provide Chicken Wings, Pizza Logs, Blue Cheese, Beef on Weck, Crown, Molson, Labattts. I have come. JABU is here… I shall put in a good word for you all with the big guy bout dat cruse.”

I Pray to JOBU! by David-Angelo Mineo 11/28/2023 1,476 Words

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mineofilms · 5 months

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amplectere palloris

Fear, in philosophical terms, emerges as a profound exploration of human consciousness and existence. It's a visceral response intertwined with the fundamental questions of life, reflecting our vulnerability in the face of the one thing we are all afraid of. The UNKNOWN… Rooted in existentialism, fear encapsulates the paradox of being alive, a relentless reminder of mortality. As a primal instinct, it taps into the separation of survival and contemplation, shaping our understanding of courage amid frailty. Within the philosophical landscape, fear transcends mere emotion; it becomes a dynamic force influencing our narratives, distorting perceptions of time, and challenging our conceptions of self. It is both an intimate experience and a universal phenomenon, connecting individuals through the shared recognition of life's uncertainties and the constant negotiation between dread and resilience on the philosophical stage of human existence.

—A dream?—

—A False Reality?—

—Existentialism—

—Nihilism—

Or NOTHING AT ALL?

Completely Meaningless and Purposeless…

“The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Fear is like a storm of strong feelings, swirling together in our minds—feelings like worry, dread, and discomfort. It plays tricks on how we see things, creating illusions and making us imagine things that aren't really there. It messes with time, making us think too much about what might happen in the future or what's happened in the past, blurring the lines between then, now, and later. It's the reason we feel like running away, freezing in our tracks, or getting ready to fight when we're scared. Fear makes us think about the big questions in life, like how vulnerable we are, but it also pushes us to find courage and face challenges. It's a bit mysterious and hard to pin down, not fitting into clear categories, and it likes to hang out in the spaces where our thoughts and feelings mix. Fear is like a ghost, showing up when we least expect it, changing our stories into scary ones filled with worry and nervousness. Even when it's not around, we can still feel its impact, a lingering feeling that says a lot about how deeply it affects us.

“Dread’s Embrace” is basically a Top 10 Things That Terrify Me in Film/TV. In no order the ten things I remember that freaked me out in a Movie. Granted I am 45 and a lot of these were seen as a kid. So 80s baby all the way. Just a side note that I really harp on “conceptual horror” over just visuals. “Conceptual Horror” would be imagining you as a child, in bed, feeling this sense that you are being watched. You cannot see anything, but you look in the darkest corners of your room to see BLACK and feeling there is something there that wants you to be terrified of its presence upon you. You get the distinct feeling this thing, this entity, wants to do bad things to you or at the very least make you do bad things to others or yourself. That to me, this uncertainty, this distinct feeling of a harmful force upon you, is terrifying. That unknown feeling of dread by something you cannot quantify, but is in your space that is supposed to be yours and safe.

The Elephant Man (1980) Writers: Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren, David Lynch Directed by: David Lynch Stars: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft IMDB Rating: 8.2/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 93%

The life of John Merrick (John Hurt), a severely deformed man living in Victorian London. Discovered by Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) in a circus freak show, Merrick becomes an object of fascination and exploitation in society's eyes. As the narrative unfolds, it explores themes of humanity, compassion, and the cruelty of societal judgment. The film creates a haunting and emotionally resonant cinematic experience. The film navigates the division between Merrick's extreme physical deformity and the profound beauty within, unraveling a tale that challenges societal norms and explores the depths of human empathy. “The Elephant Man” isn’t a horror film, but as a very young child, the makeup scared me to death. I was like maybe three-years-old, watching David Lynch films. This movie is dark in tone. It looks like a horror movie. It feels like horror movies do. At times it is a horror movie. To a young child not having any real context to this, I was scared shitless. I couldn’t get enough of it. I was terrified for years by this movie. When I was finally old enough to watch it with a more mature mind. I cried… We can be boundless in our ability at human cruelty. As a young child I would walk up to my poor mother with a pillowcase over my head grabbing her leg and repeating the lines from the movie, over and over again.

“I Am Not An Elephant! I Am Not An Animal! I Am… A Human Being! I… Am… A… Man!” — John Merrick — The Elephant Man (1980)

To a hip mother in her late 20s of the 1980s this was, of course, cute to her and encouraged. Why she wasn’t teaching me Film Production College level courses at four-years-old I will never know…

The Thing (1982) Writers: Bill Lancaster, John W. Campbell Jr. Directed by: John Carpenter Stars: Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David IMDB Rating: 8.2/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 92%

You thought clowns were creepy? Try facing the uncertainty of not knowing if your colleague is secretly a walking, talking extraterrestrial entity ready to turn your organs into an intergalactic smoothie. It's the kind of uncertainty that makes you want to hug your pillow and question your life choices.

“The THING” isn't just a movie; it's like that ex that creeps on your Facebook for the new girl, a pure ride into the abyss of trust issues. It's a reminder that the world of reality might have some limits, but the world of paranoia and fear? Oh, that's boundless, my friend, boundless.

So go ahead, watch it with the lights off, but don't blame me if you start questioning your reflection in the bathroom mirror as thing, a thing, “The THING.” “The THING” has a way of making you realize that sometimes the scariest monsters aren't under your bed—they're sitting across from you at the research station's poker table. And yes, it looks like it would really hurt to be a victim of this shape-shifting, paranoid alien. We never seen anyone in pain. They either die fast or are absorbed slowly, experiencing unimaginable terror before the body dies. My dreams, say terrifying. Cosmic Horror wasn’t even a thing in mainstream horror films when I saw this, but I remember as a kid loving this movie, and as an adult believing this to be a classic among classics. The Special Effects gave me a nightmare-upgrade to five-stars. The grotesque transformations and visceral horror make your childhood fear of the dark seem like a walk in the park. I still have dreams or elements of dreams that have to be inspired by “The THING.” The visuals to me, at the time, represented what movies could not or would not show us but this one time, they went all out and did.

Who can you rely on when the guy next to you might be, “The THING…”

Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) Writers: Ron Kurz, Victor Miller, Sean S. Cunningham Directed by: Steve Miner Stars: Amy Steel, John Furey, Warrington Gillette IMDB Rating: 6.1/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 48%

You thought unmasking Jason Voorhees was intense? Jason's potato sack isn't just an accessory; it's like that unexpected plot twist that leaves you wondering. What’s underneath that sack? A suspenseful journey into the slasher movie with a mutant as the killer. I mean, who needs a shape-shifting alien that literally absorbs you with tentacles when you have a machete-wielding maniac with a mysterious face covering?

Back in the day, I was about as tall as a potato sack, probably three or four-years-old as well, and I'd often mix up my horror films. I'd be grappling with the chilling thought of Jason Voorhees while simultaneously picturing the haunting imagery from David Lynch's "The Elephant Man" under that sack. Talk about a mindfuck. I thought they were the same thing. Potato-sack-Jason, at the time, was an enigma of horror surrounding Jason's possible appearance. Limited backstory. Not really sure how he is supposed to be alive, living the woods? Knew what pants and shows were at the very least. The big reveal — that moment when the sack comes off. The choice to conceal Jason's physical appearance builds an aura of suspense and terror throughout the movie, as viewers are left in suspense, not knowing the true extent of the horror beneath the sack. The impact of this revelation echoes through the annals of the genre, solidifying the potato sack as a symbol of the unknown horrors that lie beneath, forever etched in the minds of horror enthusiasts and me as a child.

Altered States (1980) Writers: Paddy Chayefsky Directed by: Ken Russell Stars: William Hurt, Blair Brown, Bob Balaban IMDB Rating: 6.9/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 71%

"Altered States" explores the boundaries between consciousness and primal instincts. Driven by the relentless quest to unlock the mysteries of human existence and consciousness itself through sensory deprivation and hallucinogenic substances. Where blurred lines between reality and hallucination as the boundaries of time, identity, and even physical form disintegrate. The existential terror arises from the unsettling notion that reality itself is a basic construct susceptible to manipulation. The film's vivid visual effects, coupled with its psychological intensity, create an atmosphere of dread by challenging fundamental perceptions of self and reality. The tone of this movie. The sense of dread from the soundtrack. I was, again, very young and usually would only get glimpses of this film over the years till I was old enough to appreciate it.

The scenes of transformation into a blob of proto-consciousness and subsequent reconstitution serve as a visual metaphor for human existence. Dr. Jessup's (William Hurt) experiments with altered states of consciousness lead him to a primal, pre-human form—a manifestation of pure, unbridled consciousness. As Jessup undergoes these radical transformations, question boundaries of selfhood and the nature of reality. The visual representation of his reconstitution underscores the fragility of human form and the transformative potential within the recesses of the mind. We all used to be something more animal. More hunter, more predator than dossal plant eater woods dweller. This surreal imagery and tone contributes to the film's existential unease, as it explores the profound and unsettling implications of manipulating one's consciousness and challenging the conventional boundaries of human existence.

Perhaps A Warning To Not Try To Hack God.

Tightrope (1984) Directors: Richard Tuggle, Clint Eastwood Writer: Richard Tuggle Stars: Clint Eastwood, Geneviève Bujold, Dan Hedaya IMDB Rating: 6.3/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 50%

This isn’t about the film. It is about a mask that is literally in one or two shots of the film, that it just so happen to be in the trailer. It was either Dirty Harry “Sudden Impact” or another Clint Eastwood film around that time; where there is a scene in an amusement park, where someone is wearing a creepy mask. That always freaked me out as a kid. I cannot remember exactly what movie it was, but I knew Clint Eastwood was in it. This mask scared the living crap out of my six-year-old ass every time I would see the preview on HBO back in 1985. This gave me nightmares for years and I didn't really remember what movie it was from till recently. I remembered Clint Eastwood was in it and there was a carnival or celebration. At first glance, I thought it was “Sudden Impact." After watching the movie I realized it wasn't it. I had been thinking for months about what I saw from horror films that actually scared me to my core as a young child. I remembered most of everything but this. After thinking hard on this subject for months I finally remembered it after going through all the movie trailers from Clint Eastwood films starting from 1982 and moving forward on YouTube. After only a few movie trailers I found it. “Tightrope” (1984). Stars and co-directed by Clint Eastwood... The Killer would wear masks, but this specific mask was at an outdoor exterior scene. The mask is only in the scene for a short second, but in both the trailer and the HBO teaser the mask was prominently shown and that was the part that always freaked me out as a kid. So here is a better look at the face that terrified me more than any creepy neighbor, creature feature or alien of the 1980s...

Communion (1989) Director: Philippe Mora Writers: Whitley Strieber Stars: Christopher Walken, Lindsay Crouse, Frances Sternhagen IMDB Rating: 5.5/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 46%

The 1989 film "Communion" unfolds as nightmare fuel. Based on Whitley Strieber's autobiographical account, played by Christopher Walken, of a series of real-life Alien abductions from a race of Aliens called “the GREYS.” The film explores his unsettling experiences, blurring the lines between reality and imagination. As Strieber (Walken) and his family confront the mysterious events and beings, the intricate dance with the unknown, a shadow, movement behind a door. Only a crack open. Nothing could possibly hide around the small of a crack of space. You look harder, your vision adjusts to the dark. Then you see it. A large black almond-shaped eye with no pupil, just staring at you, coldly. It’s both there and not there at the same time. You see the door creak open and then you wake up in your bed, believing it to be a dream. OR WAS IT?

The beings are not products of imagination; they are manifestations of existential terror. Short in stature, yet towering in malevolence, their featureless bodies and colossal, almond-shaped jet black eyes become conduits for an insidious force that defies comprehension to all that bear witness. Their presence is an intrusion into the sanctity of our psyche, a violation of the comfort derived from the familiar. The false and disjointed realities projected onto us by them makes us feel like we are watching ourselves perform in a film where we try to speak to ourselves to get out of there, but the us in the movie cannot hear us as we become a voyeuristic explorer of scenes that straddle the boundaries between sanity, insanity and stone cold terror. Love and familial ties dissolve into the pool of nightmarish aberrations, and reality itself becomes a will-less substance manipulated by unseen hands. The film skillfully crafts an unsettling tone that taps into the primal fear of being abducted by “the GREYS.” – They have haunted us for sixty years, perhaps longer, we just cannot remember it.

The ability to evoke sheer terror without relying heavily on explicit visuals of the alien beings capitalizes on the power of suggestion and atmospheric tension, causing a lingering anxiety that transcends mere jump scares. Apply this logic to a ten or eleven-year-old. Damn right, I was scare as hell when I saw this. The scenes depicting Strieber's abduction experiences are a masterclass in psychological horror for any era, plunging us into the depths of existential dread. The film doesn't merely depict the physical aspects of abduction; it digs into the psychological trauma and the unsettling unknowns that characterize such experiences. For those fascinated by the enigma of alien abduction, "Communion" remains a standout choice. Its ability to induce genuine unease, coupled with a haunting portrayal of the psychological toll of otherworldly encounters, makes it a fun and exciting watch if you like to be freaked out while you watch movies.

Abduction can induce terror through the invasion of personal space, loss of control, and the unknown. “The GREYS” mysterious presence creates an unsettling atmosphere, leaving most in constant fear and uncertainty. The heightening anxiety through psychological manipulation and the violation of domestic sanctity. The terror stems from the inability to comprehend “the GREYS” motives, leaving victims vulnerable to an enigmatic and menacing force beyond human understanding. 2013’s “Dark Skies” and 1993s “Fire in the Sky” get notable mentions for their tone and depiction of terrifying Aliens abduction sequences.

The Fourth Kind (2009) Director: Olatunde Osunsanmi Writers: Olatunde Osunsanmi, Terry Robbins Stars: Milla Jovovich, Will Patton, Hakeem Kae-Kazim IMDB Rating: 5.9/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 41%

"The Fourth Kind" was presented as a "re-enactment" of real events rather than a fictional narrative. The marketing campaign aimed to blur the lines between fiction and reality, creating a sense of mystery and intrigue around the movie. I fell for the trap myself. However, the “real events” that the film claims to make are a series of unrelated, other, random stories from all over the United States. The film was presented in a pseudo-documentary style, with reenactments of supposed “real events” mixed with both re-created footage based on the “real events” and actual "archival footage," along with interviews with the alleged “real-life people” this happened to. This approach was intended to make us question the authenticity of the story as it flips back and forth to the “re-enactment,” movie footage and the “archival footage.” Where the “archival footage” is also footage created for the film’s presentation to appear “based on actual events.”

This strategy received heavy criticism for potentially misleading people and exploiting the idea of real-life trauma for entertainment purposes. There were a lot of people online as well that felt cheated after discovering that the entire film was a work of fiction. An inside joke from producers to movie fans. The reality is people do "disappear" in and around the area of Nome, Alaska. They have a high rate of alcohol abuse among the locals, statistically. As isolated as this location is, it wouldn’t be out of the norm to wander off, nothing but the vastness of wilderness and not return. Exposure in the winter, bears in the summer... Man is not dominant here, even with our technology. It is a dangerous place to live. Make no mistake. Now ad hallucinational-alcoholism on top of that and I am sure you will find reports of people seeing Santa’s sleigh…

With all that said…

This movie still has some good total freak out moments in it. The aliens here are completely shrouded in Ancient Alien mystery. They are complete unknowns but command so much raw horror. So extremely terrifying, the ones that have seen them with their own eyes go insane if they saw “them” and remembered that they did. The fear of the subconscious and the unknown traumas that might lurk in one's mind. Combined with the dread “they” evoke to everyone that comes into contact with them. To know your eyes have seen something, but the memory cannot pull the image, and still the mere thought of it shows the body still remembers. It has not forgotten that anxiety, that fear, that horror. Go back and watch how the abductees start to act once they know they have seen “them” and they cannot remember but their anxiety immediately rises.

One of the Better Examples is the Owl.

The abductees didn't remember being abducted, but the owl evoked unspeakable terror in them. Like brainwashing or being tortured. A great example of what PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) actually is. Those scenes, in particular, evoked the worst kind of dread in me. I still feel my neck prickle in those sequences. The tension never lets up once all the characters understand what it is that is actually happening. Where Abbey (Milla Jovovich) discovers something terrifying has happened to her on the audio recorder she had turned on for dictation as she was being abducted by aliens and couldn’t remember it. That whole scene is freaky and really stood out to me with unease. The idea that she was abducted by aliens but cannot remember the experience. We hear what happened on the recording, every sound and it creates a chilling sense of vulnerability, terror and powerlessness.

This is the only modern-day film that is represented here. Remember this is a list of things that terrified me in Film/TV, mostly things that have stayed with me from when I see them as a child through the lens of a child. Most of these feelings are from me trying to retrospectively make sense of what I saw, how I felt and how I feel now.

The Entity (1982) Director: Sidney J. Furie Writer: Frank De Felitta Stars: Barbara Hershey, Ron Silver, David Labiosa IMDB Rating: 6.7/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 41%

The movie fictionalizes the real-life case of Doris Bither (Barbara Hershey), who claimed to be attacked and raped by invisible entities. Parapsychologists from UCLA observed the paranormal events and agreed to study the case. The film follows the fictionalized account of these events, incorporating supernatural horror and pseudoscience elements. The potential motivations of these entities, including feeding on human energy for survival using sexual assault as their weapon of choice. The invisible and unknown nature of the entity, the disturbing themes of sexual assault, the blending of supernatural and pseudoscientific elements, the relentless attacks, the emotional impact. Pretty much every rape scene in the film is horrific and painful to watch. From a special effects point of view it is absolutely brilliant for 1982. I mean seeing this as a young child and not really understanding the context of sex and there not be a man on a woman, but thin air on a woman just freaked me out from the time I saw the film as a child to an adult in film school. This movie still gives me ideas about what ghosts are and/or actually could be. I have a whole blog exploring the intersection of physics, consciousness, and the supernatural, into the idea that ghosts may be entities with measurable mass or formless energies that have consciousness. Drawing on concepts like Sacred Geometry and Quantum Mechanics. Considering the possibility of consciousness existing independently of organic matter. It connects various cultural representations of entities, from demons to energy vampires, and poses intriguing questions about the nature of consciousness, existence, and the mysteries within the UNIVERSE…

Kummituksia (Finnish word for Ghost)

Prince of Darkness (1987) Written/Directed: John Carpenter Stars: Donald Pleasence, Lisa Blount, Jameson Parker IMDB Rating: 6.7/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 61%

"Prince of Darkness," directed by John Carpenter in 1987, centers on a group of scientists investigating a mysterious cylinder filled with a pulsating, green liquid discovered in an abandoned church. As they study the liquid, they uncover disturbing revelations about its extraterrestrial origin and its connection to an ancient evil force that transcends time, space and reality as we now it. The liquid is revealed to be a form of concentrated anti-particles, a sentient embodiment of evil that was the inspiration of what the Christian church describes as Satan himself, seeking to escape from its otherworldly dimension of the anti-Universe. As the liquid turns their co-workers into zombies, the remaining members realize they have released the most unspeakable horror of them all. As the scientists delve deeper into the secrets of the malevolent substance, they confront increasingly terrifying phenomena, including disturbing dreams that blur the lines between reality and nightmare. The film explores the psychological and spiritual toll on the characters as they grapple with the horrifying implications of their discoveries. As the boundary between dimensions weakens, the group faces an escalating sense of dread and despair. The film's horror lies not only in the tangible threats posed by possessed individuals but also in the intangible, existential terror of an ancient, incomprehensible evil permeating the fabric of reality.

The concept of the "Anti-God" is explored within this mysterious cylinder filled with green liquid. As the liquid is studied by the group, they uncover ancient texts and prophecies that suggest the existence of an entity referred to as the "Anti-God." The green liquid is revealed to be a physical manifestation of this “Anti-God” in this Universe. This “Anti-God” is portrayed as a malevolent, primordial entity with the potential to bring about apocalyptic consequences with existential fear and terror of facing an ancient, incomprehensible evil. The concept plays on the clash between the divine and the diabolical, introducing a force that stands in direct opposition to conventional notions of goodness and order. That we never know what this energy actually is, but it can only be described in Christian terms of “Satan’s Father” or the “Anti-God.”

The dream sequences involving a shaky cam and white noise broadcasts from the future, featuring a demon-shaped creature emerging from the old Church and then later when Catherine (Lisa Blount) emerges from the old Church, used to give me nightmares for years, every few years all through my youth through college. For the viewer, this dream serves as a premonition, a foreboding glimpse into the impending terror to be bestowed onto the Earth in the fictional year of 1999 being broadcasted to the year 1987. The vagueness and distorted presentation of the demon/Catherine contributed to this lingering anxiety.

Lastly; in an earlier scene, Catherine and Walter (Dennis Dun) engage in a conversation about Schrödinger's cat while walking together on campus. Interestingly, as the plot unfolds, Catherine makes a sacrificial act towards the end of the film, ultimately finding herself trapped in the anti-Universe behind the mirror. One could argue that, within the movie's context, she becomes a tangible manifestation of the Schrödinger's cat thought experiment. In this analogy, her state in Limbo is in parallel to being inside a box or container, and her life or death remains uncertain until someone opens the "box" and observes her. Reopening the pathway between Universes. Existentially, this has always terrified me about this movie and movies like it. I am sure there are more buried in my subconscious but these movies still have things and concepts that still stand out to me after all these years.

Galaxy of Terror (1981) Director: Bruce D. Clark Writers: Marc Siegler, Bruce D. Clark, William Stout Stars: Edward Albert, Erin Moran, Ray Walston, Sid Haig, Robert England, Grace Zabriskie IMDB Rating: 5.0/10 Stars Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score: 28%

1981’s "Galaxy of Terror" could be said to be one of the worse movies ever made. It should be on that list. The effects from the film are either borrowed from other films or were used in other similar movies that deal with the same themes. I can distinctly remember seeing the same exact effects and ship models in other movies over the years. As bad as this movie is it did hold some existential horror through two disturbing scenes I saw when I was about two or three-years-old, that contributed to my psychological and physical fears and night-terrors.

The first scene involves the rape of Dameia (Taaffe O'Connell), by a giant space worm. This disturbing act not only portrays a violation of the character, but also taps into her previously established fear and aversion to maggots and worms. The grotesque encounter serves as a metaphorical manifestation of her deepest anxieties, merging physical and psychological terror. She literally dies from the giant space worm raping her violently to an orgasm that is so intense she has a heart attack. What they couldn't show in the movie due to the extensive graphic nature and sexual violence in this scene, was the worm's orgasm into her. I know this is gross, horrid and disgusting, but supposedly it was filling her up with so much, so quickly, that her body died from shock. Right up till the end of the scene; which is the worm still raping her as she dies. The scene ends with the last thrust of the worm into her. The scene had to be toned down for many reasons. The MPAA had threatened an X rating, which in the 80s was a death sentence to a film making any sort of money whatsoever. Taafee herself did not want to do full nudity, which is one of the reasons she is rolled over on her side when the rest of the crew find her body.

The second scene intensifies the existential horror by exploiting claustrophobia. Alluma (Erin Moran), faces a nightmarish demise as she navigates tight spaces. Her character, previously established as having high anxiety when confined, experiences a gruesome end as cables squeeze her, culminating in the grotesque explosion of her head, that is considered classic in the cosmic horror subgenre. This scene capitalizes on the primal fear of confinement and the dread associated with the frailty of the human body. Both scenes play on the characters' individual fears, transforming them into harrowing physical ordeals. From the context of a child with no frame of reference other than the screams of terror. As I look back at my very young viewing experiences in Film/TV; I laugh at some of these movies for how bad they are and funny they can be, but as a child with no context, yeah, scary as fuck.

Fear becomes a visceral response to the uncertainties of life, serving as a constant reminder of mortality. It is not merely an emotion, but a dynamic force that influences both our conscious and subconscious minds. Our dreams and nightmares distort the perception of time, and challenges conceptions of self. The psychological impact of fear is a storm of strong feelings that create illusions and blur the boundaries of safety. Fear is a mysterious and elusive force. The terror of the unknown and the feeling of a harmful force in one's personal space. Fear emerges as a multifaceted phenomenon, intertwining with existential questions, psychological intricacies, and cinematic experiences. It transcends the boundaries of mere emotion, becoming a force that shapes our understanding of existence. The unsettling nature of fear as both a universal phenomenon and an intimate, personal encounter with the UNKNOWN. The passing of fear leaves us contemplating the profound implications on the philosophical stage of human existence, where the line between reality and imagination becomes blurred, much like the elusive nature of fear itself.

Themes of existential terror, unknown entities, psychological manipulation, and the blurring of reality and imagination are recurrent from the haunting beauty within the deformity of "The Elephant Man," Jason from "Friday the 13th Part 2" to the unsettling uncertainty of extraterrestrial existence in "The Fourth Kind," and "The THING." Just a glimpse of a mask in "Tightrope," each movie becomes a vessel for exploring the depths of fear and the unknown. The thematic threads of existential dread, societal judgment, and the clash between reality and imagination weave through these instances of child-like terror, creating a tapestry of personal fears and cinematic brilliance. The exploration of psychological horror in "Communion" and "The ENTITY." The cosmic terror in "Prince of Darkness," "Altered States," and "Galaxy of Terror" showcases the enduring power of these films to induce genuine unease. These instances of sheer existential terror from my youth remain etched in my memory, lingering in my subconscious long after the credits have rolled and are still rolling.

amplectere palloris Latin for (Dread's Embrace) By David-Angelo Mineo 11/19/2023 5,196 Words

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