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douxreviews · 6 years ago

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Star Trek: Discovery - ‘If Memory Serves’ Review

Spock: "I am not here to absolve you, Michael Burnham."

By nature I love brevity: Star Trek: Discovery plays to its strengths here, delivering a well-paced, measured episode that hits on the nostalgia factor in just the right ways. 'If Memory Serves' is a noticeable improvement over the rest of this season, which was in turn already an improvement over the previous season.

The first and probably most notable quality of this episode is the nostalgic air it has. From the very retro 'Previously on Star Trek' segment at the beginning, bringing us up to speed on the events of 'The Cage,' to the well-placed sound and music cues from the same episode, 'If Memory Serves' displays a clear and respectful knowledge of what's come before. Yet there is the distinct sense that something new is being accomplished, that we're not just uselessly retreading the past. This can be seen in the technical upgrades given to the Talosians, their singing plants, and the planet itself. Not only this, we're going deeper, if not to new places, with Pike and Vina. Anson Mount and Melissa George effectively recapture the old dynamic that Jeffrey Hunter and Susan Oliver brought, but they also lend new aspects to the relationship. Vina, it seems, is happy with the illusory Pike that she's been provided, as 'The Cage' and 'The Menagerie' implied, yet throughout Melissa George's performance there is a tinge of longing for the real thing. Pike can't seem to get Vina out of his head, and his deep-seated desire to return to her is clear in this episode. This new connection to the characters also makes 'The Menagerie' all the more resonant.

We'll get to Burnham and Spock in a moment, but first I want to explore the stuff with Culber and Stamets. I've said for a while now that Culber's character in Season One existed really only in service of Stamets' character. Culber wasn't really all that much of a character in his own right. But here, since his return, the writers and Wilson Cruz have given Culber a depth and an arc that he never had before. I'm just sorry that poor Stamets has to suffer the consequences of this. I can definitely see where they are both coming from here. The loss of Culber was so devastating for Stamets, and his return so filled with joy and hope, that of course he would be overeager and take things too fast or too far. Another viewer pointed out to me that Stamets is very good at helping other people with their emotional and relational problems, but he doesn't seem to have the same clarity when it comes to his own. This is all too human. Likewise, Culber feels like a stranger in his own skin. The need to be himself, combined with the feeling that he's not himself anymore, would of course compel him to make changes and shifts in his life. Despite the temporary rift, I don't think it's over for Stamets and Culber. The good doctor will have to figure out who he is now that he has returned, but once he does so, I expect he will return to his love.

Poor Ash Tyler is becoming more and more a victim of his circumstances as time goes on. First he had to deal with the fact that he had betrayed his entire crew without his knowledge, and he's still reaping the consequences of that. He must also face the fact that another person is lurking inside his psyche, just waiting to come out. This is visible in his defensive fight with Dr. Culber. If Tyler had been more aggressive, if he'd attacked Culber more directly, it's possible that Voq would have come out, and he has no idea what will happen in that case. Let's just say for now that it's a bad idea to proVoq him, and leave it at that. And now he must deal with the mistrust of the entire crew, for something he didn't do. Though I don't expect it to last long, as evil Airiam's reveal appears to be next episode, this will have to really damage the tentative trust he's built with Captain Pike all this season.

It doesn't help matters that his superiors at Section 31 are becoming less trustworthy by the minute. Leland and Georgiou seem to be headed for a substantial standoff, and I'm honestly not sure whose victory would be worse for the crew. Georgiou is upstaging Leland at every turn, even garnering more respect from the Admiralty, and Leland has to be frustrated. I wonder if the boiling point will be reached this season, or if we'll have to wait for the Section 31 series to see the conclusion of this storyline.

This brings us to the main event - Burnham and Spock. Their relationship has been set up as the focal point of the season since 'Brother,' and so far it has not disappointed. The scene where young Burnham hurt young Spock felt very real, and every word hurt because of how we know it must have damaged Spock. Burnham represented Spock's human side, and when she burned him to get him to stay away from her, he rejected his humanity also and dove deep into his Vulcan, logical half. Now that logic has failed to help him make sense of what the Angel showed him, Spock is a broken man searching for something to ground him. I expect that in the end, Burnham will be right; her relationship with Spock will be the thing that ties him to reality. In time, Spock will realize that his relationships in general are his guiding star, with the help of a certain up-and-coming young starship captain and his crew.

I have to give props to T.J. Scott for his direction here. Unlike many of the recent episodes, Scott's fancy camerawork and effects serve a legitimate artistic purpose, like the tilting, twisting camera during the Section 31 sequences to emphasize the uncertain and shifting world of 31, or the lens flares that accompanied Talosian illusions. The episode also spends an appropriate amount of time on the key emotional moments, something that episodes like 'Saints of Imperfection' have failed to do. The pace here is slow and measured, which is a relief after the frantic and rushed feeling of the last few episodes.

Strange New Worlds:

Talos IV first appeared in the unaired pilot of TOS, 'The Cage.' The rendering of the planet in this episode looked very similar to the painting used for it in the original episode.

New Life and New Civilizations:

The Talosians had a huge war on their planet, which drove them underground. When they developed their remarkable mental powers, they became addicted to the pleasures illusion could provide and forgot how to interact with the real world. The illusions they present to anyone who approaches Talos IV help them to relearn, and they are still searching for someone to learn their technology and save their race.

Pensees:

-According to Melissa George, she recorded some of Vina's original lines from 'The Cage,' which were then dubbed in alongside Susan Oliver's voice in the recap at the beginning.

-I'm pretty sure this is Pike's first Captain's log. Come to think of it, I don't think Lorca ever did it either.

-Dang it, more Vulcan Admirals. Look, guys, if Spock was the first Vulcan in Starfleet, and the only one at the time of TOS, there can't be Vulcan admirals.

-I loved Tilly leaning out of her 'office' on the bridge.

-The sound effects for the singing plants and the Talosians' illusions, as well as some of the music cues, were taken from 'The Cage.'

-Spock has been experiencing time as fluid due to the Red Angel.

-Spock mind-melded with the Angel, revealing to him that whoever is in the suit is human.

-The ships that blew up all those planets in Spock's vision looked an awful lot like the upgraded probe from 'Light and Shadows' last week. Hmmmm...

-Mental hospitals in television shows should really give their patients paper in addition to writing utensils. Just a thought.

-Of course, Spock didn't kill the people he's accused of killing. Did 31 kill them when they got there?

-Were those Reno's drones cleaning up from Culber and Tyler's fight?

-Starbase 11 is two lightyears from Talos IV

-I don't think we've seen two ships get a transporter lock on the same person at the same time before.

-I liked Burnham cocking the eyebrow at Spock's smile.

Quotes:

Georgiou: "Why would I lie?" This was only funny because of who was saying it.

Vina: "In some ways, Captain Pike never left."

Stamets: "I think what you're experiencing is a form of neutralizing shock." Culber: "It's not that simple, Paul!"

Spock: "Is there a valuable question in your arsenal?" Burnham: "Yes. Do you really think the beard is working?"

Pike: "This is real." Vina: "As real as it needs to be."

Culber: "I'm not letting anyone fix what I feel."

Illusion-Burnham: "Say goodbye, Spock." Illusion-Spock: "Goodbye, Spock." Anyone else glad this was an illusion? I saw it in a promo, and it didn't feel right. That's more of a Data line.

Georgiou: "Those Talosians tried this trick with me in the Terran universe once, and I blew them, and their stupid singing plants, off the face of the planet."

Best of the season so far. 5.5 out of 6 stupid singing plants.

CoramDeo is an ugly bag of mostly water, and proud of it.

#Star Trek #Star Trek Discovery #Michael Burnham #Spock #Saru #Christopher Pike #Ash Tyler #Hugh Culber #Disco #Star Trek Reviews #Doux Reviews #TV Reviews

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faean · 6 years ago

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Adamance of a Dragon

Made in collaboration with @i-am-here-with-fanfic.

Rating: T+; This chapter features some vulgar language.

Word Length: 2,038

Chapter 1- New Arrivals

It had taken me most of the morning, but I was finally able to organize all my belongings. Admittedly, it took much longer than it reasonably should have, considering I didn’t bring much from my old home in the states. Then again, I was overly sentimental for a few of the items I had, particularly my favorite jacket.

Speaking of favorites, my dear friend and metaphorical brother, Aaron, should be well on his way exploring the city we moved to. Musutafu, I believed it was called; home to the prestigious hero school- U.A.

The school Aaron and I are planning on attending, assuming we pass the entrance exam. Well, assuming he passes the exam. Thanks to the numerous programs back in the states (notably in California, where we hail from), I was able to get into the school on several recommendations. Nonetheless, I was taking it out of curiosity, and so Aaron wouldn’t have to endure it alone.

Alone… Ah, dammit. I was supposed to join Aaron and keep watch of him while we found our way to the academy. Checking my phone, I realized I wouldn’t be able to make it in time to the… Come to think of it, I don’t know where Aaron is, or how he was planning on making his way to the academy. Which meant that if he got lost, the one person I actually feared, Aria, his mother and my adoptive guardian, would kill me.

Physically shuddering at the thought of her wielding her legendary axe against me, I opted to take a ‘short cut’ and do something I normally wouldn’t do; considering the amount of strain it put on my body.

Concentrating, I envisioned Aaron in my mind, expelling magical energy to warp space-time to allow me to teleport. It wasn’t something I could naturally do with my quirk, evident by how I fell from the ceiling of the… train? onto the floor of it, Aaron sitting in the seat next to where I had landed, and hairline cracks began emanating from the seals on my ankles and wrists.

“Ello, Aaron. How’re you liking the new city?” I spoke, nonchalantly. With his help (once he got over his surprise), I got off the ground and sat on the seat next to him, noting a rather irritated blonde a few seats away.

Puffing out his chest as he answered, Aaron joyfully stated “I was able to figure out the train system and found a path to the school without any help!”

Giving him a reassuring smile, I congratulate him, and tell him that he will be leading the way as I follow close behind. Nodding his head in agreement, we stayed on the train for a few more minutes, chatting about our respective mornings. I also had to sit through him berating me for already damaging myself with my quirk. I could do no more than shrug at my best friend and try to change the subject.

“We have got the entrance exam in a couple weeks. We should probably do some training beforehand.”

With a sigh, Aaron replied. “Yeah, it’d be for the best. But, can we spend the rest of today relaxing after we find the school? I’m tired from unpacking, and you need to rest. You know better than to overuse your quirk when sealed.”

Conceding, as I could not argue with truth, I contented myself with sitting back and relaxing while Aaron brought up a rumor that an entire class at U.A. was once expelled. Telling the story of how the students were expelled, and theories stated it could be due to disobedience or flashy quirks and cocky attitudes. He continued rambling, which would happen often when he went off into his own little world.

Hoping to respond, I leant forward and turned my body to face him, but before I could utter a single syllable, the train’s PA system activated and announced that we had reached a stop. Our stop, as Aaron rose, and I quickly followed.

Although, as we exited the train, he had to catch me when I stumbled, my ankles buckling under the force from when I hopped off the train. Steadying me, we walked over to a map, and my friend traced a route from the station to the school. Unfortunately, we realized we actually got off a stop early, and Aaron understood that, although I could easily make the trip, I would probably complain the entire way (with a hint of sass and sarcasm).

With a single look, Aaron spoke in a southern accent, switching from Japanese to English. “Don’t drop me like a baby bird!” was the only warning I got before he launched himself into my arms.

Fortunately, he does this regularly, and I caught him with ease, steadying myself while holding him bridal style. I turned towards the exit of the station, and unfurled my (red draconic) wings, taking flight and speeding through the air, following the path he showed me.

Arriving at the school, Aaron leapt out of my arms as we examined the impressive architecture of the academy.

“So, this is the esteemed academy. Certainly, it appears more organized than the one’s back home.” I mention as my eyes continued to scan the wall surrounding it.

Aaron agreed, and brought up the excellent query of “Do you think the students know about vines and memes?”

A mischievous grin spread across my face as I answered. “They will know soon enough. At the very least…” I paused for only a brief second as I switched to an accent, finishing with “we know de wae.”

Playfully punching my arm, Aaron chuckled at the reference. However, it was short lived as we realized we didn’t actually have anything planned after finding the school. Fortunately, our confusion lasted only for a moment before Aaron suggested we continue exploring. Looking up places nearby on his phone, Aaron began listing off different activities. My interest was piqued when he mentioned the reclaimed beach; partly because it offered a chance for me to fully recover, but also because I was curious about the ‘reclaimed’ portion of its description.

Flying us to the beach, I set down on the soft sand, the damage to my body already beginning to heal. Dropping Aaron (gently, mind you), I turned my attention to the cause of the beach’s title of ‘reclaimed’. Apparently, the entire shoreline was used as a dump, but was gradually cleaned up over the course of the past year. Now, only a small section of it remained a dump, the rest free of trash.

Although, considering it was once a dump, and that it was technically still winter, no one else was in the area. Using my magic, I ensured a swath of the land around us was indeed clean, and I warmed up the sand and a portion of the sea so Aaron could enjoy it as well. After, I bounded towards the water, my jacket folded neatly on a sand dune along with my moccasins, the rest of my clothing shifting into a proper swimsuit.

With a grand leap, I splashed into the ocean, happily swimming about and experiencing the rolling waves. Aaron, however, was hesitant, and actually approached me from a different direction than from where we landed. It wasn’t difficult to ascertain what had gotten him wound up.

The #1 Pro Hero: All Might, was training a young, green haired… child? I couldn’t tell from the distance, and it didn’t help that All Might towered over a majority of people.

Whatever the case, I needed to help Aaron relax. It was simple enough, creating a water whip to snatch my friend and toss him into the ocean near me. When he rose to the surface, his red hair clung to the front of his face, obscuring has vision as he playfully questioned my motives.

“You are in my domain now, asshole!” I exclaim before diving into the depths of the sea, hoping to entice him to join in the fun.

And he did, albeit he was reluctant. He stayed close to shore and refused to venture out too far. Upset that he wasn’t enjoying his time to relax, I decided to use some magic.

Creating orbs of light to illuminate the sea bed and my surroundings, I turned my attention back to Aaron. This time, I made a bubble of breathable air, launching it at him so he could breathe underwater for the time being. He began to swim further into the water, occasionally looking over his shoulder, probably wondering about heading back. From my view point, I could see him grow more confident, a wide grin on his face as child-like wonder filled his eyes.

It didn’t last, however. I had started messing with the water current, weaving underwater slides with loops and random shapes. I used them to zip around, and I was enjoying myself immensely. Sadly, Aaron lost his confidence and swam back to shore. I felt bad knowing I was likely the reason for his panic, and I quickly swam towards him, popping out of the water to come to the same sight he had.

All Might and the boy he was training, who was likely about our age, were standing near where our spare articles of clothing were placed, staring at us. Uncertain about the situation, I receded into the water, concerned I may worsen things. From what I could gather underneath the waves, Aaron had a fairly short conversation with the hero, his booming voice still discernable from where I was submerged. After the confrontation, Aaron swam down to me, and we were able to relax and swim about, peacefully this time.

Until Aaron had to drag me out of the ocean when I started to experience sensory overload. Plopping me on the ground, out of reach from the pull of the ocean’s waves, Aaron reprimanded me for losing track of time, knowing full well what happens when I spend too long near a natural nexus for elemental magic. I could only manage a weak chuckle in reply as I examined my body. Parts of it began to meld into the water and it wasn’t until now that my body began to return to normal.

I stood up when I had the ability to do so again and was able to use my magic to dry off and change my clothing. Donning my jacket and footwear, I casually announce “Well, I can still use distinct types of magic, so I didn’t fuck up that badly. On the bright side, I’m fully recovered.” Wearing a toothy grin, I asked Aaron if he knew anything about the pair we encountered.

He assumed the green haired lad was likely training with All Might in preparation for U.A. It could be why he was training in what remained of the dump; in fact, part of his training could have been to clean up the beach. Either way, I didn’t press Aaron or keep up the conversation, as I could tell something about the meeting with All Might had an effect on him.

We opted to walk to the train, indulging in the colors the setting sun cast on the structures in the city. It wasn’t a relatively long walk, but as I had found a house closer to the school I would be attending, I did not need to take the train. I was going to have to say my goodbyes to my friend when we arrive there, but until then, I was happy to spend more time with him before we had to deal with the exa-.

“Mmph…”

Deep in thought, I ended up bumping into someone while walking. Embarrassed, I began to apologize profusely. “Oh dear! I am so terribly sorry…” I trailed off in my apology as I locked eyes with the stranger in front of me.

The shorter male had two-toned hair, and lovely heterochromatic eyes, although, he had a large burn mark over the left one. He looked fairly attractive, and from his loose attire, I could see a hint of toned muscle. Still examining his features, I did not snap back into reality until he spoke; his voice was so strangely… Alluring.

First chapter done. Wondrous! I hope you heathens enjoy; I’ll likely try to update with a new chapter every Tuesday and Saturday.

Beta Reader, Collaborator, Owner of Aria and Aaron Granchester, and Creator of the Illegitimate Son storyline- @i-am-here-with-fanfic.

PS- Spam her with puns while you enjoy her blog(s).

#bnha #mha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #Male oc #own character #continuous collaboration #enjoy you heathens

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earwaxinggibbous · 6 years ago

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Eminem - Worst to Best

So I was watching theneedledrop and thinking I could do this too. That’s all the prefacing you’re gonna get.

I know it’s hard to believe I can judge Eminem from an objective standpoint considering I’m such a big fan that I ranked Kamikaze as my favorite hit song of 2018 (my actual favorite song was probably When You Die by MGMT or Stop Smoking by Car Seat Headrest for the record) but I am able, physically, to have negative opinions even about the rap god himself.

My only rule is that this only includes his full-length studio albums. Infinite won’t be here due to my lack of knowledge regarding it, but everything else is fair game. This will be heavily opinion-based.

Let’s go and start from the worst!

9. Revival (2017)

Initially I was gonna put Encore below this one. After all, in my opinion, there’s nothing egregiously awful about Revival in my mind. It just sort of existed to me, like that dead roach that stayed in my high school’s gym for over a month before disappearing without a word about it.

It wasn’t until I gave a few of the tracks a re-listen that I realized Revival has nothing going for it. This is Em’s sellout album, the one where he collabs with Beyonce, Ed Sheeran and goddamn X Ambassadors in the vague hopes that it’d get him a hit. Songs that don’t bother having clever writing because all they need to do is slap a semi-important pop singer on the hook.

It’s easily Em’s most ballsless album. In a universe where Kill You and Same Song & Dance exist, there is no need for Framed, Em’s almost saddening attempt to return to his Slim Shady roots even though, let’s be honest, the years of Shady are long behind us.

I’m not saying I need Em yelling slurs and talking about murder every five seconds, I just want him to be, for lack of a better word, the most authentic version of himself he can be. And this really isn’t it to me. No amount of politics or wordplay can hide that this is a sham of what an Eminem album should sound like. I don’t need diss tracks, or songs about serial killing, I just want him to say what he wants and not hold back.

Everything about the album is weak and tired. Every song melds into one another, without thought or purpose, only broken up by the celebrity hooks that define them. It’s the blackest mark on Em’s discography, and easily his worst album to date. Not even worth sneezing at.

8. Encore (2004)

I guess we shouldn’t let Em do whatever he wants...

Encore has the opposite problem that Revival does, and it’s a problem I empathize with. Encore is essentially word vomit in album form. It’s the musical equivalent of Jack Kerouac’s spontaneous prose, loud and incoherent and kind of gross. It’s what happens when ambition goes unchecked, and Em just leans a little too far into what the media says about him.

This was also deep in the throes of Em’s drug abuse problem, and it shows. This album feels like a bad drug trip, sludgy and gross and heavy, in a way that makes it hard to move your arms and legs. With these absolutely god-awful sung choruses on songs like My First Single, Eminem dares you to make less sense than him as he rambles like a crazy person through song after song, only taking breaks from his half-attempts at comedy on tracks like Mosh, Like Toy Soldiers and Mockingbird, which try to be serious. But it’s hard to be serious when you’re essentially getting choked in a soup of valium and regret.

I don’t hate Encore like I do Revival, because in some ways I can understand where it comes from. It’s trying to do the same sort of thing its predecessors did, with silly songs and serious ones. But the funny songs are so weird and frankly gross that it quashes any attempt of seriousness. It’s like Eminem thought the only way to make his songs better were to take what his detractors hated about him and turn it up to 11. Songs like My First Single are complete nonsense complete with gut-churning sound effects and a shitty beat, whereas Just Lose It, a song I’m ashamed to admit I enjoy, fills itself with baseless offensiveness and weird reference humor to function. And that was the big hit single off of this album.

Really I think Just Lose It was the best way to sell this album. What says Encore more than a song insisting that Eminem diddles little boys? FACK would’ve been in place on this album, which is not a compliment.

7. Recovery (2010)

Recovery shares a lot of problems with Revival, a lot of radio-bait songs featuring pop artists that have no business being within ten feet of Eminem. But I’ll admit its singles were far superior to that of Revival. No Love was far superior to anything Revival spat out.

I just kinda don’t care about this album. Other than how Love The Way You Lie was permanently ingrained in the cultural consciousness around 2010, I have very few thoughts about it. I remember hearing most of the singles when I was in elementary school, and they were all just kinda fine. Space Bound was okay (other than that coked up line about love being ‘evil’ spelt backwards) and Not Afraid was sincerely underwhelming considering what it was going for.

It’d been diminishing returns for Em for years, so I’m not shocked he needed some time to get back on his feet. But there’s just not much to say about Recovery. I feel like Em was a lot prouder of it than anyone else.

6. Kamikaze (2018)

At some level, I feel like Kamikaze set itself up to fail. And it did pretty well in spite of that.

The album’s main selling point was that it was dissing everyone. Shady’s gonna name names, I remember hearing, as this album dropped right the fuck out of nowhere in the late summer of 2018. Diss track drama has never really been for me, since oftentimes it pits artists I like against one another over petty bullshit. And hearing that Em slammed people simply for disliking Revival only made me more nervous about what Kamikaze’s outcome would look like.

I’m glad to say it was not nearly as bad as I was expecting.

I’m sort of on the fence about this album. While I think it is punchy, and pretty fun lyrics-wise, it definitely doesn’t hold a candle to any of his older stuff. It doesn’t even really hold up against MMLP2. It’s less that I enjoy this album, and more that I enjoy the possibility of Eminem managing to pick himself up after Revival and move into the new age while still being himself.

Easily the worst moment on this album is Eminem calling Tyler the Creator the f-slur and even implying he’s pretending to be gay, which he has since apologized for. However, the scariest thing to me that the line represents is the possibility that Eminem’s personality is too anachronistic. That in an era of young-adult trap rappers with very experimental homemade beats, there’s no longer room for a famous, albeit angry man in his 40′s being backed by a studio. It’s the years of Soundcloud, where anyone can be a rapper, and someone as old and frankly polarizing as Eminem may never truly have the limelight again.

Em’s style has simply fallen behind the times and he will never be content with updating himself, because that isn’t who he is. And while I love that about him, I think it might speak disaster for his career.

I like the songs though.

5. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013)

Now we’re getting into the good shit. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 starts off with a bang, the first song being Bad Guy, a direct sequel to Stan and an incredibly powerful sequel at that. Eminem asks questions about his fame, his identity, and most notably, he fucking gets murdered at the beginning of this album.

MMLP2 strips off all but one skit. No Paul Rosenberg cameo on this one. This was him getting serious after the relative failure of Encore and Relapse. This was, frankly, what Recovery should’ve sound like. With Berzerk being a fun sort of party hit, Rap God is what really got him back on the map. The song asserts his lyrical dominance. It is a brag track, and it earns that right.

Despite it being of incredibly high quality, this is nowhere near Em’s best work, which speaks highly for his track record. The fact that something this well-made is comparatively mediocre when put next to the top four is incredible to me. This album is more of a revival than Revival was. It’s Eminem reaching out of the dirt after being buried and yelling “Hey, I’m not dead yet!” It’s the hearbeat running through a comatose body as they return to consciousness.

But when it comes down to it, I love what this album represents to me more than its content. Aside from Berzerk, Bad Guy and Rap God, none of the songs really stand out either way. It’s all good, of course, but none of it can match up to his older work. Regardless, this album means a lot to me on a spiritual level. Whenever I listen to this I feel like a proud parent, and Em is my son who just completely crushed his elementary school talent show.

It’s a good feeling.

4. Relapse (2009)

At this point it was sort of like picking my favorite child. My number one is obvious, but deciding how to order these three was trouble.

People will probably argue with me saying that Relapse is one of Em’s best, but fuck that. This album is severely underrated among the fanbase, and is an incredibly powerful listen. This album is an auditory representation of rock bottom, in the best way possible.

This is one of the only albums to really define a split between Marshall and Slim Shady, with Slim being a deep-voiced demon and Marshall being a fucked-up middle-aged man who just came staggering out of a rehab center. The way the characters play off of one another is beautiful, Slim trying to manipulate Marshall into his ways and wiles. This also easily has the most horrorcore-type sound and content out of any Eminem album, with Slim occasionally playing the role of a serial killer, such as on 3 am or one of the standout tracks, Same Song & Dance. Insane tells a story possibly regarding Slim’s father, or maybe representative of something else entirely.

One of my few issues with this album, aside from We Made You of all things being one of the singles, is that one of the best tracks is only on the deluxe edition. My Darling ties off the Slim and Marshall story in a nice little bow, plus Careful What You Wish For sweeping up all the themes and putting them in one place.

This album is beautiful, it’s cinematic in a way. It’s deep and powerful and incredibly, incredibly scary, with Em at his lowest point in his life and career. Sadly, it was not well-received critically, which I think is a shame. Clearly they weren’t seeing what I see.

3. The Eminem Show (2002)

Screw Revival, this is easily Em’s most politically powerful album yet. I listened to this whole thing on a boombox I got at Best Buy for 20 dollars and I felt like I had fucking transcended.

This album pulls out all the stops, immediately starting out on White America, a song so goddamn strong that every time little me heard it on the radio I immediately got down and lost my shit. I didn’t even understand what it was about, all I knew was that it was big and important. And it is.

While his first two big albums tried to be weird and threatening, The Eminem Show just wanted to be big, and talk about big things. Eminem fearlessly tears into heavily-charged concepts in White America, Say Goodbye Hollywood and Square Dance. Then on the flipside he aims the gun at himself on tracks like My Dad’s Gone Crazy, Cleanin’ Out My Closet and even Hailie’s Song. It’s a gut-punch of an album, this is where Eminem is truly fearless.

I’ll also say I feel this album is a little bit more accessible, weirdly enough, than Em’s earlier stuff. It’s much less crude and aggressive, but still carries his trademark style. It’s got the skits, he yells a lot still, but the topics are easier to swallow than his earlier albums. I’d say it’s a good entry-level Eminem album if you’re threatened by rape jokes and Em yelling the f-slur constantly. And unlike what Teens of Denial was for Car Seat Headrest, I feel like The Eminem Show manages to be that entry-level album without completely castrating Eminem’s lyrical content.

But even longtime fans can gain enjoyment from this album and how loud and proud it is, how fearless Eminem really is on this album. This one, more than anything, is the unfiltered Marshall Mathers experience. No filters, no jokes, just him and his daughter and Dr. Dre.

But easily the best part of this album is the DVD extras thing where you get a free episode of the Slim Shady Show. Fuck yeah.

2. The Slim Shady LP (1999)

The Slim Shady LP was Eminem’s first really successful work. It was also the first thing he ever put on a CD. Yeah, Infinite was on cassette only. And this album is fucking great. It’s a perfect debut for Eminem. It’s got his first big hit, My Name Is, and a myriad of other great tracks. It’s just good late 90′s rap, with fun beats and interesting lyrics. As much as I love SSLP, I don’t really like talking about it because... yeah, it’s good, I’m just never sure what else to say.

And that might make it sound like I like it less than The Eminem Show, but no, that’s not it. As much as I think political Em is great, I’ll forever prefer nasty rat boy Em any day. This is the Em that inspires me the most, the grody, crude one that reminds me of myself. Best tracks include 97 Bonnie and Clyde, Bad Meets Evil and of course My Name Is. This is also the only album where Ken Kaniff is played by Aristotle. There’s your fun fact for the day.

1. The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)

FUCK everyone else, I respect YOU!

The Marshall Mathers LP is a defining rap album. It’s lyrical perfection, the hooks are god-tier, and it is without contest the best Eminem album of all time. I doubt he’ll ever top this, and if he does it’ll probably break space-time.

MMLP ticks all the boxes an Eminem album usually should. It’s quirky, it’s comedic, it’s dark, it’s angry, it’s violent, it’s everything I could want and more. But beyond that, it’s the thing that really proved what Eminem can do. He can tell stories, he can do lyrics, he can flow, he has good beats, he can murder his ex-girlfriend, he can get his own songs censored on the uncensored version of his album, he can do it all.

The songs on this just put me in a good mood. Even though they’re horrible, and I don’t mean they’re bad songs. The content is absolutely fucked, this album is not for the faint of heart. But it makes me feel represented, not for being gay, trans, mentally ill or short, but for being a fucked-up weirdo who lived a fucked-up life and just wants to scream and lose his shit. More than anything, this feels like an album that’s there for me, for better or for worse.

The standouts on this album in my opinion are the two “named” tracks, Kim and Stan. These tracks are incredibly disturbing, but they both mean a lot to me and are incredibly written and acted. The Real Slim Shady is still an amazing single with an awesome, hopping beat. I’m Back is incredibly solid, Criminal is cleverly contradictory, every track on this album is great without any misses. If there were enough words in the English language to describe how much I love this album, I’d probably use all of them.

This album couldn’t exist today. If this came out today, it’d probably be thrown to the wayside for a myriad of reasons. It’s too late 90′s, it’s too dark, it’s “problematic”, we have like 500 white rappers now, but for the record: Anyone who writes this kind of music today owes it to Eminem, ESPECIALLY all of the white rappers who insist they’re better than him. (Looking at you, MGK.) Even if he’s not doing that great now, even if you don’t like him, it’d be foolish to not acknowledge what MMLP did for rap. And not only was it influential, but it still holds up to this very day.

So there you have it. All of Eminem’s full albums (besides Infinite oopsies) listed from worst to best. Have any differing opinions? Leave a reply. Just be polite, you filthy animal.

#worst to best #eminem #music review #music criticism #panda posts

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onceuponamirror · 7 years ago

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things that are sus part 2

honestly i don’t know why i bother making metas i should just make posts titled things that are sus in riverdale. so here we go.

blame the apple or blame the snake?

tonight’s mvp of being fucking sus goes to dilton doiley, gun enthusiast, likely red piller, genuine weirdo-weirdo.

obviously, this episode emphasized heavily on north vs south, but unlike last episode, which introduced the struggle for power and turf within the southside, it became focused on serpents vs north.

snakes were everywhere in this episode, particularly in iconography, and given the story riverdale is telling with jughead in particular, it’s expected that they’re so utilized in themes about end of innocence.

as in, the snake is the one who offers the apple that expels humanity out of paradise---but in this episode, it was not a “snake” who offered the apple.

it was dilton.

[x]

not to get all rosy-eyed about the serpents, because they are an active, aggressive gang, and not little dandelions needing protecting---but i think it’s obvious the whole season will be spent exploring who the true snakes in the grass actually are.

and---dilton continually has been the person has led archie further and further down the rabbit hole, while toni does the same for jughead. so it was interesting to see dilton’s “help” no longer be a coincidence so overtly this episode.

that it’s always hard to say how much actors or directors know about things and thus how much foreshadowing is present episode-to-episode is always up for debate, but at this point, it’s been a very continuous game of help that dilton appears to be offering up.

edit: i went back and i watched the whole fight scene just to be sure, but we did not see dilton get stabbed, just the aftermath, which obviously will play into the escalation of the tension between sides of the town.

in fact, what i saw was what looked like him opening up the knife himself before archie shouted his name. next thing we know, he’s got it in his leg. to me, that screams of an obviously self-inflicted wound.

he was slinking around all episode, and while the profile of the hood laid out obviously doesn’t fit dilton (white male in his 40s, though i’m not convinced about that description so freely given up), the boy is sus and he’s up to something. he’s got an agenda, but for what real purpose? what skin would he have in the game, other than a desire to see people take cross fit very seriously?

or is it something baser, like...money?

which leads me to---

diversionary tactics by the lodges

we got a lot of topical political nods with toni throwing out “fake news” and all kinds of familiar language that was also kinda sus---like invoking “fake news” as an argument while also calling out positions of privilege felt...well, it was either an odd use of the nomenclature by the writers or by toni, but could categorize as mildly sus but probably just weird---anyway. tangent.

my point being---the familiar language also spoke to something that’s really prevalent in american politics right now: smoke and mirrors and sleight of hand.

look this way, i’ll do my business that way.

given the betty-specific information that the hood seems to have, i’m not currently speculating that the lodges orchestrated the attacks, but certainly seem to be thriving underneath them and are definitely melding in the chaos, to the point of escalation.

like, in my last post about things that are sus, i brought up the fact that the lodges suddenly seem to have a comfortable cash flow in a way that is a bit jarring given the amount of times their near-poverty was hammered in.

this could be the fact that hiram got out of jail and got some of his funds back, or it could point to the game they’re playing, which i personally speculate has to do with (i lose soul points when i have to type this) jingle jangle, the other structural plot thread begun to unwind.

the blossoms and the lodges had a payment system going back three generations, and the end twist of the finale was the blossom’s role played in the drug trade---one we haven’t really heard much about since. but i think that’s deliberate.

hiram is obviously deliberately stirring up chaos, something that remains the antagonist of successful minds of business---so what purpose do his whisperings suit, if not to distract both the audience and the characters on the screen from the aforementioned drug ring?

hm hm hm

notable mentions

as i said above, both dilton and toni are archie and jughead’s respective white rabbits, and i’m curious to see if both motivations are deliberately malicious or unintentionally.

i’m still eagerly awaiting what i hope will be a pun-filled blossoming relationship between toni and cheryl, so i’m not looking for reasons to distrust toni, but based on things i’ve seen bts and in this episode, it’s obvious that toni does have an agenda, and what it is remains to be seen.

but for now i’m just keeping an eye on it. thoughts?

#riverdale #riverdale meta #dilton doiley #hiram lodge #riverdale spoilers #character analysis #2.04 #riverdale theories #episode analysis

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amplesalty · 4 years ago

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Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on!

In honour of the fact that yesterday was July the 4th, it felt appropriate to finally check out the sequel to the 1996 classic Independence Day. Not that I should really be honouring it considering my side lost in that particular exchange. Plus, as K-Pop stans on Twitter taught us: #allcountriesmatter

I remember thinking it was a bit strange that it took 20 years to get a sequel. I mean, the original was one of the highest grossing movies of the 1990’s (and still within the top 100 of all time) and featured the iconic image of the White House being blown to smithereens. There was a massive marketing push at the time with that scene featuring heavily and the nickname ‘ID4’ seemed to be everywhere. And whilst not exactly in line with the contents of those movies, its scenes of mass destruction helped continue the ongoing disaster movie trends and helped it kick on into the late 90’s and early 00’s with the likes of Twister, Dante’s Peak, Armageddon, Deep Impact and The Day After Tomorrow.

Of course the most notable part of that first movie is President Whitmore’s stirring speech that is rivalled perhaps only by the words of Colonel William F. Guile in Street Fighter as the most inspirational speeches in cinematic history. Even Gilbert Gottfried felt compelled to give his own reading to this glorious battle-cry.

The sequel leans quite heavily into this speech, with Whitmore’s words echoing out across the galaxy and being picked up by what seem to be brethren of the original attack force from 96, giving rise to the new invaders.

But Earth isn’t going to be a pushover this time around, we’ve been able to meld the alien technology from that first wave with our own, developing plasma weapons and even establishing a moon base with a giant frickin’ laser beam. It’s cool to see that technological leap and how humanity was able to learn from that event in a materialistic way. Plus, it provides a nice contrast later on in the film when the aliens wipe out all satellite communication and people are forced to go back to the old ways of radar and radio waves. There’s something amusing about people literally dusting off an old piece of equipment they found in a cupboard and it helps save the day.

If revisiting the speech wasn’t fan service enough, the movie really starts to wallow in it as it starts trotting out all the old faces, even if that’s only a painting in Will Smith’s case. Apparently he wanted too much money to sign on so his character was killed offscreen in a test flight back in the year 2007. Still, it’s high praise to have his picture hanging on the walls of the White House alongside Washington, Jefferson etc. We still get an ace pilot named Hiller though in the form of his son, whose old friend Patricia Whitmore, the former president’s daughter, is working in the White House. Her fiancé is out in space and has a bit of a rivalry with Hiller. I spent the whole movie thinking the actress who plays Patricia looked really familiar and it turns out she’s the girl from It Follows. These characters are a bit underdeveloped and it feels like they just drafted them up last minute as a replacement when they realised they couldn’t get Smith to come back, only apparently they knew for years that he wasn’t going to be involved so chalk it up to incompetency I guess.

As happily coincidental as it seems to have them just happen to have grown up and filled these crucial roles, it does save us from further movie padding from having to break off the story to go find out what happened to them. Like, there’s a good portion of the movie dedicated to Julius Levinson (Jeff Goldblum’s dad in the original) miraciously surviving the initial wave of this 2016 attack before meeting up with a bunch of kids that just spring up out of nowhere and their grand adventure to get to the safety of Area 51. Only, they still end up in danger when they get there and we have this whole scene of David trying to save them whilst also trying to co-ordinate the big fightback at the end of the movie. It just feels like these kids were inserted as a means of providing some sort of connection with the adults in the audience, as if they can’t sympathise with the fate of the entire planet so they have to give them a bunch of primary school kids to worry about instead.

Even Dr. Okun is back, seemingly from the dead! And he seems to have been Dumbledore’d because apparently he was gay this entire time? I don’t remember that from the first movie. I can only imagine the proverbial angry fist waving going on at the time of the release when the internet found out about this; ‘They’re ruining my childhood with this SJW bullshit!’. Being in a coma for 20 years doesn’t seem to be the hinderance you might think it would be because he’s up and about within minutes, running around marvelling at how the world has progressed and barking orders at people. Kinda lose a bit of your dignity in that when you’re still in your hospital gown with your arse hanging out mind you.

He does have a bit of a lasting effect from his close encounter from the first movie, remnants of the psychic connection to the aliens that is also lingering in President Whitmore and a new character, Dikembe Umbutu who is a African warlord who has been leading a groundfight with his troops against an outlier set of aliens who were able to land and survive the 96 invasion. There seems to be a bit of a wider ID4 canon through various novel releases so I wonder if any of those cover this African war, that might be interesting. I thought this whole psychic connection story might be going somewhere, like maybe the aliens might be able to control those individuals when they do invade and they might use it to sabotage some of Earth’s defences but no. Even President Whitmore starts out portrayed like he’s gone a bit crazy and that he’s barely able to function at times but he heals up pretty quick.

Either that or maybe the US General is in cahoots with the aliens somehow? I mean, he does end up being sworn in as acting President when the current President is killed along with her line of succession so he has benefited from it personally. I probably wouldn’t have had any thoughts like that though if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s William Fichtner playing him and he’s just a perennial bad guy.

That Umbutu guy is pretty badass though, runs around with a pair of big knives that he goes into close quarter combat with, cutting the aliens out of their suits and then chopping their heads off. Which ties in to an aspect of the movie that I liked, there’s much more hands on combat between the humans and the aliens in this movie. The first one obviously had a big focus on aerial combat, which is largely present here as well, but there’s a lot of ground combat as well which freshen things up a bit. There’s a section where the air troops are sent to attack the mothership and end up inside it, only for it’s defense mechanisms to ground them. It has this jungle/marshland vibe to it, like they have this whole habitable land with crops and stuff within the ship, and it leads to this section where a couple of the pilots are hiding beneath the water, sneaking around to avoid detection.

On the other hand though, I didn’t feel anywhere near the impeding level of threat of the first movie. The story is that the aliens are drilling into the Earth in order to harvest it’s molten core in order to fuel their systems before moving on to the next world, kinda like Galactus I think? Whilst this would lead to the destruction of the entire planet, it just felt more threatening when they had their ships stationed over all the major cities of the world. Plus, it feels like they’re more content on their drilling operation than actually engaging in any fights with humanity which leads to a lot of scenes where people are just standing around not really doing anything. It seems at odds with the introduction to the movie as well where the initial attackers distress beacon is sent out, that would imply they’re calling for reinforcements but now it just seems like they were just going to come and steal our shit anyway? Or maybe they just consider us vastly inferior that it’s not even worth the effort. Pretty dismissive considering we wrecked you last time out.

That’s not to discount some of the special effects on show, the movie is bookended by big action scenes that are a particular highlight. The invading mothership is said to be so big that it has it’s own gravitation field leads to a really cool visual of our heroes trying to navigate their ship through a skyline littered with buildings, cargo ships and jumbo jets.

The finale with the alien Queen attacking Area 51 is really cool as well. You’ve got this massive alien rampaging through the desert, controlling all the alien fighters around her like a swarm. I think all the sheer size and all the tentacles lend it a bit of a Cthulu vibe.

Absolutely massive amount of sequel baiting at the very end though which doesn’t look like it will ever be fulfilled. It did take us 20 years to get this one but they seem to have had ideas to make a trilogy of sequels in fairly quick succession but the critical and financial failures of this one means it’s looking kinda dead in the water at this point. It still grossed some $390m against a production budget of $165m but you’ve probably gotta factor in a fairly sizable marketing budget that will really eat into that margin.

It’s a bit of a shame, I would have been interested in the series continuing as I personally found this enjoyable in spite of some the issues I have with it’s run time, bloated cast list and inadequate replacements for the charm and energy that Will Smith brought to the original. Trim off some of the fat and it would have made things a lot smoother. Did we really need to know what Mrs Hiller was up to 20 years on? I think just about the only character we didn’t revisit from that movie was their dog. I guess Boomer will not live.

#Independence Day #Independence Day: Resurgance

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cryptocoingrowth · 5 years ago

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Chainlink Price Prediction 2020: From $3 to $1k – What Do the Experts Think?

The decentralized oracle project Chainlink was one of the big winners in the 2019 cryptoeconomy, particularly on the fronts of adoption, partnerships, and price action. The rise is not necessarily surprising: Oracles are tough to build and highly in demand, and Chainlink is one of the earliest efforts to make interesting headway in the arena. One of the largest milestones yet in the project’s young history came last year when Chainlink went live with its mainnet activation. With that rollout, attention around the middleware oracle system and its associated crypto, LINK, have surged around the space. Chainlink Partnerships Indeed, the newfound scrutiny led to the Chainlink team locking down a slew of new partnerships in 2019, including with the likes of Celer, Harmony, Hedera Hashgraph, Matic, Ocean Protocol, Synthetix, Zilliqa, and more. The year also saw LINK listed on influential exchanges like Coinbase and Binance.US. Major enterprises took note of the project last year as well. The Google Cloud team devised a way to create “hybrid blockchain/cloud apps” using the Ethereum + Chainlink stack. The startup arm of software giant Oracle partnered up with Chainlink to help startups sell their data. And Thomson Reuters began work on a proof of concept (PoC) that would meld the firm’s Contract Express service with smart contract tech using Chainlink. Some of Chainlink’s Partners, Image from Exploring.link If such embraces weren’t interesting enough, key Chainlink researchers advanced a new privacy technique in 2019 dubbed “Mixicles,” which uses oracles to bring privacy to smart contracts. Amazing Year for LINK With no shortage of Chainlink action then, the LINK price went for an upward run on the year, having risen 500 percent from $0.29 USD to $1.80 between January 1st, 2019, and January 1st, 2020. The buzz around the crypto also helped to push LINK to a new all-time high of $4.36, which was achieved briefly last summer. But that was last year, and a new year is upon us. Will 2020 be another ripper of a year for Chainlink and its crypto, or will the next 12 months prove steady for the project on the heels of it advancing so far so fast? These questions are on the minds of many Chainlink stakeholders, and opinions are abounding accordingly. Let’s survey some notable predictions on where the project could be heading in the short-term to get a better feel for what its horizon might look like. Other Price Predictions Bitcoin Price Prediction 2020 Ethereum Price Prediction 2020 Litecoin Price Prediction 2020

Ryan Selkis: Be Mindful of “Dumpenings,” Competition

Ryan Selkis is a crypto commentator and a co-founder of the Messari crypto research hub. Following up on a tradition started in 2019, Selkis recently published his second new year ecosystem write-up, “Crypto Theses for 2020.” In one section, Selkis predicted that treasury “dumpenings” — or major project-backed selling pressure — was in store for token projects that had big 2017 ICOs but still hadn’t gone public.

Ryan Selkis, Image from YouTube In making that estimation, Selkis brought up the already public Chainlink as among examples of token projects that had large treasury war chests that could be sold off relatively fast. His suggestion? At least live projects with live users would be more resistant to such selloffs compared to their still-unlaunched token counterparts. As Selkis put it: “I said we’d see most tokens grind down 99%+ from their all time highs, mostly due to the incredible amount of selling pressure that would hit most token markets once teams and inside investors began liquidating positions. By this metric, XRP has a could-be-market-dumped liquid treasury of $2-3 billion, XLM has a could-be-market-dumped liquid treasury of $800 million, and Chainlink has a could-be-market-dumped liquid treasury of $600 million. Those are some of the publicly traded assets. For token projects that raised gobs of money at nosebleed valuations in 2017, things could get very ugly, very quickly once they start trading.” Of course, Selkis didn’t make a hard Chainlink prediction in that passage. Yet as a related aside, the reference does bring to mind rumblings that the Chainlink team reportedly sold off 14 lots of 700,000 LINK last summer. That is to say, its builders have seemingly dipped into the treasury before and will do so in the future as they see fit. As Selkis hinted at, at least the Chainlink project is positioned to reasonably weather that kind of acute sell pressure. In the very least then, it’s worth keeping in mind that if the LINK price performs well in 2020 like it did last year, the project’s treasury may be dipped into anew. Selkis did have more specific comments for Chainlink in his “Theses,” too. He later noted that he could envision oracle competition heating up and Chainlink accordingly losing ground to others, suggesting it’s in the realm of possibility the project gets steadily edged out going forward: “I’m baffled by Chainlink. Is it the solution to the evasive Oracle Problem? Or is it an overhyped project … Tech giants Oracle and Google recently announced plans to use Chainlink’s network for data sharing purposes … But I still don’t understand the economics of the token itself? And I definitely don’t understand them at $1.3 billion in network value. Outside of Chainlink, various DeFi protocols – MakerDAO, Compound, and UMA among them – also introduced new oracle designs in 2019 to remove the layer of trust associated with their price feeds.”

Tanya Abrosimova: $2.5 to $3

Tanya Abrosimova is a crypto analyst at forex trade publication FXStreet. On January 8th, 2020, the chartist estimated that a sustained move over a LINK price of $2.3 could pave the way for an eventual run up to $3. At press time one week later, LINK was in fact trading just above that $2.3 mark. Could that run really be lining up, then? As Abrosimova had explained days prior: “verall bullish sentiments on the cryptocurrency market helped the coin to smash an important resistance at $2.0 reinforced by SMA50 (Simple Moving Average) daily. Once this breakthrough was confirmed, the upside momentum started gaining traction. At the time of writing, LINK/USD is testing SMA100 daily at $2.3. We will need to see a sustainable move above this handle for the upside to gain traction with the next focus on psychological $2.5 and $3.0.”

Timo Harings: ~$4 + Barclays Speculation

Timo Harings is a Chainlink community pundit who’s decidedly bullish on LINK. In early December 2019, Harings tweeted out a chart projection that put LINK as heading into the new year between the $3 and $4, saying at the time that “Here is where smart money accumulates.�� The despair is bad within the #Chainlink community rn. It's shaking off a lot of the dumb money that got on board since Google and Coinbase news. RSI is at a hard low right now, price is still extremely high since the start of the run. Here is where smart money accumulates more. pic.twitter.com/tAv1vPQiYE — Timo Harings (@DLTPandu) December 2, 2019 That price range didn’t pan out by January 1st, but only a few days after later a new wave of acute buy pressure throughout the cryptoeconomy and around LINK has put $3 in the direct sights of traders. With that said, Harings is presumably just as bullish as he was in December and would accordingly think $4 absolutely remains in play in the near future. Beyond price, Harings published a January 15th op-ed wherein he speculated that signs were pointing toward a collaboration between banking giant Barclays and Chainlink. That may never pan out, but if it does, an acute boon for LINK would be far from surprising.

WalletInvestor: $4.35 in 1 Year, $12.9 in 5 Years

The machines are bullish on LINK. Well, WalletInvestor’s machines are. The crypto prediction site, which uses Machine Learning (ML) techniques to forecast crypto prices, is hot on Chainlink at the moment. At the time of this article’s writing, WalletInvestor projected that LINK would rise to $4.35 in one year’s time and to just shy of $13 in five years’ time. Of course, WalletInvestor can’t account for all sorts of developments that will occur in the months ahead, so take these predictions with a grain of salt.

Top 10 Coin to Top 5: $5.7–$10

One thing commonly discussed in the Chainlink community is LINK potentially becoming a top 10 crypto per market cap. There’s no indication it’ll happen in 2020, but might things look if it did? At the time of this article’s writing, the market cap of LINK was right at $850 million, a position which makes the crypto the 19th largest in the cryptoeconomy presently. For LINK to crack decisively into the top 10 biggest coins at the moment, its market cap would need to double to near $2 billion. If that happened, the LINK price would appreciate around 135 percent. Alas, with LINK’s current price at $2.43, that means such a climb could put the token’s price just short of the $6 mark. Alternatively, for LINK to become a top 5 coin right now, its market cap would have to climb to near the $6 billion mark. That hypothetical rise could put LINK above $10 a pop. That’s all speculative napkin math, of course, but both scenarios are in the ballpark of what some bullish LINK investors are eyeing. Much more would have to happen for LINK to mount such ascensions, but if the project becomes increasingly reputable, such rising is in the realm of possibility.

CryptoSponge: It’s Really About 2021

Pseudonymous Chainlink analyst CryptoSponge put together one of the best and most comprehensive 2019 review posts on the oracle project that we’ve come across. At the end of that review, the author concluded with an eye to the long-term that they were excited for 2020 but thought the real prize for Chainlink would be in positioning itself for 2021 and beyond: “As a Chainlink supporter, it’s hard to not be excited about 2020. The team is firing on all cylinders, and it’s become increasingly obvious that they are planning many quarters ahead – seemingly always timing their moves to dovetail with the development of the wider market. As promising as 2020 appears, I’ll be striving to mirror Chainlink’s mindset of thinking beyond twelve months. Reaching the next milestone is exciting, but positioning yourself ideally for 2021 and beyond will be the ultimate reward.”

No, Not $1,000!

LINK $1,000 incoming? The meme is strong with this one. For most, it’s a bullish joke made in good fun. For those very few out there who think $1,000 LINK isn’t out of the question in the foreseeable future, don’t get your hopes up. Hitting 1/100th of that mark is considerably more realistic in the near future and would still be quite impressive and bullish. Sure, let’s circle back on the joke if Chainlink starts revving up toward helping to secure trillions of dollars daily like the SWIFT payments system currently does now, but that would-be bar is astronomically far away at present. And that’s fine, too. Rome wasn’t built in a day. For Chainlink to achieve mainstream adoption, its builders and community must be diligent in the here in now.

Conclusion: All Eyes on Staking, DeFi, and More Mainstream Partnerships

As Chainlink continues to mature, the biggest thing on many of its stakeholders’ minds is the imminent launch of staking, which will allow LINK holders to stake their tokens to earn more LINK in exchange for helping the network. While the details of when staking will be activated are still fuzzy, staking pools like LinkPool are already cropping up to service the community. Look for more pool efforts to proliferate going forward. Another point of interest that Chainlink watchers are looking out for is more DeFi embraces, like the Synthetix partnership in 2019. For example, in early January 2020 the DeFi oncomers and “flash loan” innovators behind the Aave protocol announced they had partnered with Chainlink for powering the Aave oracle network. Like other Ethereum-based efforts that have taken similar leaps, the Aave team said it would have been difficult and out of the way from their project vision to build an in-house oracle solution; thus after deliberation, Chainlink was chosen as an ideal fit. Look for more DeFi projects to follow the same kind of logic going forward, i.e. wanting to rely on Chainlink rather than building out their own oracle tech. Another wrinkle of interest on the minds of many Chainlink proponents is the prospects of further major adoption developments. To be sure, the Google Cloud, Oracle, and Thomson Reuters news was extremely legitimizing for Chainlink for 2019 and could portend similar mainstream embraces to come. Maybe Barclays, maybe not. But it wouldn’t be surprising to see another big name jump on the Chainlink train after the developments we saw in last year. Perhaps Microsoft is a low-hanging fruit in that regard, but we’ll all just have to wait and see.

References

https://messari.io/pdf/crypto-theses-for-2020.pdf https://www.fxstreet.com/cryptocurrencies/news/chainlink-is-about-to-smash-sma100-daily-for-the-first-time-since-november-2019-202001080810 https://messari.io https://medium.com/@timo.harings/why-i-think-barclays-is-working-with-chainlink-c840393adf29 https://walletinvestor.com/forecast/chainlink-prediction https://medium.com/aave/the-aave-oracle-network-powered-by-chainlink-is-now-live-45bb8a5a8c4e https://staking.linkpool.io/help https://defipulse.com/ The post Chainlink Price Prediction 2020: From $3 to $1k – What Do the Experts Think? appeared first on Blockonomi.Original Article - Blockonomi.com Read the full article

#Chainlink #ChainLinkPrice #LINK #Oracles #price #SmartContracts

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justanothercinemaniac · 8 years ago

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Epic Movie (Re)Watch #156 - Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: No.

Format: Blu-ray

1) So there is this longstanding opinion that of the first nine Star Trek films, the odd numbered ones are weaker than the even numbered ones. And of the trilogy made up by Star Trek II, III, and IV, this is definitely the weakest. BUT it is also the strongest of the odd numbered ones with the original cast and not a bad movie at all.

2) Leonardo Nimoy made his theatrical directing debut with this film, making him the first Star Trek actor to direct anything Star Trek. This would be a pattern later seen in feature film directors William Shatner and Jonathan Frakes, while a number of other cast members would direct TV episode of their respective series. According to IMDb:

Paramount studio chief Michael Eisner resisted the idea of Leonard Nimoy directing, because he mistakenly thought that the reason for Spock's death stemmed from a hatred that Nimoy had about Star Trek. (He believed that it was written in Nimoy's contract that Spock had to die in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)). Nimoy told him that the contract is "in a file in the basement of the building you're sitting in" and suggested that he "get someone to pull it" for him.

Nimoy does a fine job as director and went on to do an even finer job in the sequel Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. But more on that later.

3) There is a gap in the opening credits of the cast where Leonardo Nimoy’s name would go. Although he is in this film, it is largely at the very end while other actors play younger versions of Spock until then. I like that they left that gap. It signifies the hole left in the crew by Spock’s death.

4) One thing I think this film does better than Wrath of Khan (and which The Voyage Home will do better than this film even) is flesh out the original crew members who are not Kirk, Bones, or Spock. An early example of this can be found in this exchange:

Kirk: “Mr. Scott, have you always multiplied your repair estimates by a factor of four?”

Scotty: “Certainly sir. How else would I maintain my reputation as a miracle worker?”

5) Christopher Lloyd as Kruge.

I love Christopher Lloyd, okay? Back to the Future is my favorite film of all time and Christopher Lloyd is freaking amazing in it. So the Back to the Future fanboy in me is more than happy to watch him in this film. And while he is no Khan, Kurge is a very admirable villain. Nimoy casted Lloyd because of his ability to be operatic, something which can be seen very well. Lloyd plays Kurge’s unhinged nature very well and even makes him a physically intimidating bad guy. Again, while he’s no Khan, that does not make him a bad villain. In fact I think he’s the best part of this film. He injects every scene he’s in with such life and energy that you can’t help but be drawn to him. Lloyd even said in an interview that this was one of his favorite roles to have played.

6) Bones’ having Spock’s mind in him is a perfect example of both this film’s greatest strength and flaw: great characters, not as great plot.

Bones having Spock’s mind in him creates for some great internal conflict and characterization. DeForrest Kelley gets to have a lot of fun in the part and it is a treat seeing Bones outside of his comfort zone and finding the middle ground between him and Spock. Unfortunately outside of one brief bar scene it doesn’t lead to much action in the plot. And by action I don’t mean blowing stuff up as much as doing something. What if Bones did something he thought was logical because he had Spock’s brain, but screwed up immensely because he’s not thinking like himself or like Spock but like the someone who wants to be one or the other. I’m a sucker for character development and studies, which this film provides in mass so I’m grateful for that. But unfortunately some of the fun and energy of other Star Trek films is lost in the process. It’s not a fatal flaw, the film is still good, but I do think it is its biggest weakness.

7) It bothers me so much that they just dropped Carol Marcus (Kirk’s ex and David’s mother, as well as lead scientist on the Genesis project) in this film and its sequels. Like seriously? There was no room in the script for even a namedrop? Why isn’t she studying the Genesis planet? Why are you dropping this awesome new female character? Why!?!?!?

8) Oh Bones...

Bones [after learning about the mind meld]: “It’s his revenge for all those arguments he lost!”

(GIF originally posted by @marshmallow-the-vampire-slayer)

9) Nichelle Nichols was originally upset at her minimal amount of screen time in the film, but was pleased when she saw what she got to do with that screen time.

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10) The fact that this captain is so casual and relaxed when he’s dealing with the theft of a ship concerns me.

11) While this film does do great with it’s characters, I feel like David and Saavik sort of suffer in this film. I think Robin Curtis does a good job in the part, but (in part of the writing and direction I imagine) she loses some of the energy and rashness Kirstie Alley brought to the part. She is a bit more of a stereotypical Vulcan, which is a shame because Alley’s strong headed nature was in part what made the part so interesting in the first place. David meanwhile is seen mostly as a scientist who made brash decisions in the past but (except for one notable FINAL decision on his part) largely does what is expected of him in the situation he finds himself in during the film. I would’ve been interested in seeing them push these characters and challenge them a bit more, but maybe that’s just me.

12) Remember how I said Kurge was the best part of this film?

Kurge [after his Klingon crew member blows up a federation ship]: “I wanted prisoners!”

Klingon: “A lucky shot!”

[Kurge murders Klingon]

Kurge: “Animal.”

13) I will say that the potential relationship (platonic or otherwise) between David and Saavik is interesting, but I would have personally preferred a focus on the relationship between David and Kirk as father and son respectively. That’s not to say the film is bad because it doesn’t feature it (you should only ever judge a film based on what it is, not what it isn’t), it is just a personal preference I have.

14) So Spock - while regenerating from a boy into a man - has to go through pon farr. Pon farr is the process where every seven years Vulcans (male and female I believe) become aroused. They get blood fever, become violent, and eventually die I think (my knowledge of deeper Trek lore is defined largely by Wikipedia) unless they mate. So Saavik helps Spock but all we see is...well...

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Was that sex? Did they have hand sex or something? Or did we just cut away before they had sex? I know there’s a deleted scene in Star Trek IV where Saavik is pregnant with Spock’s baby, but since it’s deleted I don’t know if it’s canon. I just don’t really know what happened.

15) Hey, that’s John Larroquette!

You probably wouldn’t see that if you weren’t looking for him, but still.

16) The death of David unfortunately doesn’t have much of an impact on me. I like the decision to kill him off in theory and I like that it is done in defense of Saavik and Spock (therefore making his character more active in the plot), but I am not invested in him enough as a character for it to effect me. The worst part of it is how it effects Kirk, which I will admit is greatly effective seeing the famous captain break down (even if only for a brief moment) because of the death of his son who he barely knew.

17) I think the decision to destroy the Enterprise is the best plot point in this film. It is the last thing you would expect and a great portrayal of just what the stakes are. This ship was as much a character in the 18 years since the original series as Kirk or Spock and we witness it’s destruction.

Kirk: “My god Bones, what have I done?”

Bones: “What you had to do What you’ve always done. Turned death into a fighting chance.”

18) Have I mentioned I really like Skurge as a villain?

Skurge [after being told the planet is killing itself]: “Yes. Exhilirating isn’t it?”

I don’t find his final fight with Kirk to be very effective though. Like David’s death, it just sort of happens and then is over for me. This might just be my own take on the scene though.

19) Yes. This. A developing relationship between Bones and Spock.

Bones [to a comatose Spock]: “But it seems I’ve missed you. I don’t know if I can stand to lose you again.”

More of this please.

20) I LOVE the entire ending scene on Vulcan.

It is interesting, compelling, and very well done. The entire Enterprise crew sacrificing their careers and futures to save their friend moves me. Bones literally risking his life for an ancient procedure all at the chance that Spock can live again is great and speak not only to his character but to their relationship. But the best part is the very final scene, where an absent minded and slightly amnesiac Spock speaks with Kirk and we see just how great their friendship is.

Spock: “Why would you do this?”

Kirk: “Because the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many.”

[Beat.]

Spock: “I have been and always shall be your friend.”

While weaker than the film which precedes and follows it, Star Trek III is still a worthy inclusion to the Star Trek canon. Its plot may be a bit weaker, but the analysis of the characters and their loyalty to each other (specifically to Spock) is the beating heart. There is some nice humor, great acting, and solid directing from Nimoy. All in all if you’re a fan of Star Trek or you liked Wrath of Khan, you should definitely give The Search for Spock a watch.

#Star Trek #Leonard Nimoy #The Search for Spock #William Shatner #Christopher Lloyd #Nichelle Nichols #DeForrest Kelly #John Larroquette #Take it Easy Joan #Epic Movie (Re)Watch #Robin Curtis #Movie #Film #GIF

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daresplaining · 8 years ago

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Iron Fist Countdown: 3 Days (#2)

Colleen Wing, Samurai for Hire

The second Daughter of the Dragon is finally entering the MCU! Let’s talk about Colleen Wing.

Colleen was born and raised in Japan. Her mother’s side of the family was deeply embedded in the country’s warrior traditions, and her maternal grandfather trained her from a young age to be a samurai and to carry on that legacy.

Kenji Ozawa: “Like this, with pride and dignity.”

Colleen: “Yes, Grandfather.”

[Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 #70 by Mary Jo Duffy, Kerry Gammill, and Ben Sean]

Her mother died when Colleen was still very young, but much later, she learns that her mother had received similar training, and went on to lead a group called the Nail. This was an ancient team of elite fighters who worked as assassins for the Hand.

Matt: “Five women chosen for their fighting prowess, each of an old bloodline that afforded them that place. The Nail, you see, had been killing for the Hand for thousands of years. Your mother revived and led them in the modern era.”

[Shadowland: Daughters of the Shadow #1 by Jason Henderson, Ivan Rodriguez, and Jorge Maese]

But it’s a very long time before Colleen finds out about this. After completing her training, she moves to the United States with her father Lee Wing, who is a professor and archeologist focusing on Asian history and myth. Colleen’s life in Manhattan is very different from her childhood in the mountains of Japan, but she finds friends and slowly adapts. Notably, she has a run-in with a young NYC cop named Misty Knight, who becomes her best friend. When Misty loses her right arm in the line of duty not long afterward, Colleen provides her with the emotional support and motivation she needs to get through the experience.

Misty: “Damn you, Colleen-- I’m half-a-woman now, a freak!”

Colleen: “Bull! Half of you is still better than any five other people I know. You’re only a freak, pal, if you throw away the life that’s left you.”

[Deadly Hands of Kung Fu vol. 1 #33 by Dog Moench and Rudy Nebres]

Misty acquires a bionic arm and quits her job on the police force, and she and Colleen start up Nightwing Restorations-- an investigative firm specializing in dangerous cases. Colleen falls in love with the work, which allows her to have fun with her skills as a fighter, and adds a level of excitement to her life that she can’t get enough of. Her modern characterization as the more cheerful and outgoing of the two partners has its origins in this emotional awakening.

Colleen: “In that fight, I felt... alive, as if I was doing something I’d been born to do. Lord in heaven, part of me actually craves the excitement, the... danger! Nightwing Restorations isn’t just a profession anymore, it’s a way of life!”

[Deadly Hands of Kung Fu vol. 1 #32 by Chris Claremont and Marshall Rogers]

Caption: “Colleen Wing lacks her partner’s professional experience. However, she was rigorously trained in the art of the samurai by her Japanese relatives. Now, her movements with the sword are so fluid and natural-- that even when the blade is sheathed, it is a weapon to be reckoned with!”

[Power Man and Iron Fist #66 by Mary Jo Duffy, Kerry Gammill, and Glynis Wein]

Colleen’s fighting code represents an attempt to meld her samurai training with her life as a superhero for hire. She generally keeps her sword sheathed, using it as a bludgeoning weapon instead. After all, Nightwing Restorations’s public image probably wouldn’t last if they started casually murdering people. However, when provoked, Colleen will kill. When her grandfather is murdered, she returns to Japan to avenge his death. When she is brainwashed and kidnapped, and her father’s mind is destroyed by Angar the Screamer, she retaliates accordingly.

Colleen: “You had it backwards, Screamer. Because once I had this sword in my hand-- this part of my soul returned to me-- it was you who were no match for me. You see, Angar, part of me is samurai... and that part kills.”

[Iron Fist vol. 1 #7 by Chris Claremont, John Byrne, and Bonnie W.]

Colleen and Misty, the self-styled “Daughters of the Dragon”, quickly make a reputation for themselves and acquire a number of high-paying regular clients-- including Jeryn Hogarth, who we’ll be talking more about tomorrow!

It’s around this time that Colleen runs into Danny Rand. Her father’s studies have included deep exploration of the myths of the mystical city of K’un-Lun, so when the Iron Fist himself arrives on the scene, Lee Wing sends his daughter to pick him up.

Colleen: “Pssst-- Iron Fist! Well, come on-- I can’t hold this umbrella all night--!

Danny: “Who--?!”

Colleen: “Never mind the who and concentrate on the where! ‘Cause once we get there, at least it’ll be dry. [...] Now put these clothes on-- you look like a harlequin.”

[Marvel Premiere #19 by Doug Moench, Larry Hama, and Jan Brunner]

Colleen’s father keeps Danny around as a bodyguard, and Colleen becomes the first best friend he makes in New York. (She, Misty, and Luke will later compete for that title.) She provides him with friendship and support at a time when he is suffering with feelings of loss and loneliness, and she helps him get used to living in a world he has all but forgotten. She and Misty also both throw him off-guard. Having grown up in a society with strict rules about such things, Danny isn’t used to women being able or allowed to fight. But Colleen, eager to spar with another accomplished martial artist, helps him adjust.

Colleen: “Hey, hey, hotshot. You can do better than that. Quit futzing around, Iron Fist, this duel is supposed to be for real, remember? Combat conditions.”

[Marvel Premiere #21 by Tony Isabella, Arvell Jones, and Stan G.]

Caption: “From the corner of your eye, you see Colleen Wing dispatch three of the cult’s killers-- speedily and efficiently. You are beginning to accept the fact that women here are not the frail, carefully-tended flowers of K’un-Lun. The idea does not displease you. Perhaps K’un-Lun was not completely perfect.”

[Marvel Premiere #21 by Tony Isabella, Arvell Jones, and Stan G.]

When Colleen is kidnapped and mind controlled, Danny hunts her down and rescues her. In a desperate attempt to free her from the brainwashing, he resorts to trying to merge his chi with hers. It’s an extremely unpleasant experience for both of them, but it has the result of bonding them on a spiritual level-- essentially creating an empathy link between them. This doesn’t come up much in their modern interactions, but it was a significant moment early in their friendship.

Colleen: “I never thought I’d be so glad to see you, old mind-mate!”

[Power Man and Iron Fist vol. 1 #57 by Mary Jo Duffy, Trevor Von Eedon, and Frank Springer]

Colleen and Danny maintain their close friendship and continue to hang out on a regular basis, expanding their friend group to include Luke Cage and the martial arts team the Sons of the Tiger-- one of whom Colleen dates for a while.

Colleen: “What’s on the agenda after practice?”

Bob: “It depends. If Danny’s too hard on me, I won’t be fit for much but a long, hot bath... preferably with a talented masseuse standing by to help me take the... er, kinks out.”

Colleen: “I hope he beats the pants off you.”

[Power Man and Iron Fist #74 by Mary Jo Duffy, Kerry Gammill, et al.]

And of course, Colleen has stuck with Misty throughout the majority of her career-- thorough a series of incarnations of Nightwing Restorations/Heroes for Hire, and through team-ups with a wide variety of superheroes. Though her circle of friends and influence has expanded immensely since she was first introduced in the 70s, she has always been about the same things: kicking butt and taking names.

Colleen: “10th floor-- accounting, lingerie and death by sword.”

[Immortal Iron Fist #6 by Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja]

We know quite a bit already about MCU Colleen, and it’s clear that she’s going to be kicking maximum amounts of butt in this universe as well. We know that she trained in Japan, just like in the comics-- but that she was not born there, and so will be dealing with culture shock in both directions. We also know that, like in the comics, her mother is dead.

We also have reasons to suspect that she may have hidden connections to that Hand that-- like in the comics-- she may not be aware of. Given her interactions with a key Hand-related character in the trailers, and the Hand’s presence in 616 Colleen’s backstory, this is a route they could potentially take with her in the show. Like Danny, she may have to negotiate her own identity and heritage. And of course, if the Hand is involved in her past in this way, who knows if her mother’s death was permanent...?

We also know that she runs a dojo, while apparently living and working on her own-- and that she is in serious financial trouble.

This leads her to start fighting in illegal cage matches, which leads in turn to what seems to be an adrenaline addiction. This need for adventure has been implied to be part of why she ends up involved in Danny’s story.

It’ll be very interesting to see how Colleen’s relationship with Danny will be handled in the show. It seems as though they will be very close, like in the comics, but we also know that there will be an added romantic element. We’re not sold on this choice, but are eager to see how it manifests.

In addition, without her conveniently knowledgeable father from the comics around, Colleen will seemingly know nothing about who Danny is, where he is from, or what his powers mean. This will add some extra dissonance to their relationship that will need to be negotiated-- which we are very excited about. It will be amazing to see these two team up in live action, and we can't wait!

#Iron Fist #Colleen Wing #Commentary #IF Countdown #Comics #Resources

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othersportsnews-blog · 7 years ago

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Golfing -- The Open -- Jordan Spieth dissects Royal Birkdale to get share of Open direct

New Post has been published on https://othersportsnews.com/golfing-the-open-jordan-spieth-dissects-royal-birkdale-to-get-share-of-open-direct/

Golfing -- The Open -- Jordan Spieth dissects Royal Birkdale to get share of Open direct

SOUTHPORT, England — Any person who has watched Jordan Spieth carefully the previous 5 decades probably understands how obsessive he is about retaining routines. He attempts to strike the very same amount of balls in warm-ups just before just about every spherical. He’s employed the very same putter given that he was 15 decades aged. His meticulous pre-shot regime pretty much under no circumstances differs, even when he’s criticized for slowing down perform. He is a man who thrives most when he can vanish into the familiarity of the mundane.

It was rather surprising, then, to see Spieth chomping hard on a piece of gum as he worked his way around Royal Birkdale on Thursday in the first spherical of The Open. Even the most seasoned Spiethologists could not bear in mind a spherical when they’d seen him perform golfing with gum in his mouth. For pretty much any other player, it would really feel like an irrelevant observation — gee, what a surprise, one of the world’s finest athletes can golfing and chew gum at the very same time — but for an individual so dogged about retaining the position quo, it felt worthy of further inquiry.

Jordan Spieth’s 65 on Thursday at The Open tied his second-least expensive score in his main championship career. His least expensive spherical was the opening 64 he posted in Round 1 of the 2015 Masters — which he went on to earn for his first main title. AP Picture/Dave Thompson

“No,” Spieth said with a chuckle when requested no matter whether it was a conscious conclusion. His swing mentor, Cameron McCormick, simply presented him a piece just before he teed off. He absent-mindedly popped it in his mouth and aggressively gnawed at it without giving it a great deal assumed. Twenty minutes afterwards, he decided it could possibly actually be helping. “I was 1-beneath via two and I assumed I improved maintain it in,” he said. “Payne Stewart employed to do it and it served him perfectly. I assume mint has some sort of influence on nerves, but I was however emotion them a bit out there.”

No matter if it was a placebo or serves as an genuine calming mechanism continues to be a mystery, but who can argue with the benefits? All Spieth did was shoot a bogey-no cost 65 in Round 1, a effectiveness he described as one of the 5 finest rounds he’d ever performed in a main championship. (It was Spieth’s least expensive score ever at an Open.) His driving was considerably from ideal — he strike only 5 of 14 fairways — but his misses weren’t disastrous and his iron perform was nothing limited of sublime. His length management and means to choose just how a great deal the wind was likely to impact the ball, even out of the tough, was borderline surreal.

“Almost everything was potent,” Spieth said. “I give it a 9 throughout the board for almost everything — tee balls, ballstriking, limited match and putting. I could not have completed a great deal improved right now.”

There is however lots of golfing remaining to be performed, of program. And it’s probably that poor weather conditions is on its way, a progress that makes predictions a fool’s errand. But there are also lots of real signals (none of them sweet-linked) that this could possibly be a exclusive 7 days for Spieth, the type of main that thrusts him back again into the argument for the finest player in the world.

The thought that Spieth has struggled given that his breakout period in 2015 — when he won the year’s first two majors and concluded in the top rated 5 in the future two — is mainly crafted on a misunderstanding. Given that the finish of the 2014 period, Spieth has under no circumstances absent much more than 12 begins on the PGA Tour without a victory. But he was so good early in his career that it’s no wonder our expectations rose to unrealistic ranges.

Thursday did, even so, snap a streak of 5 straight majors for Spieth in which he failed to split par in the opening spherical. He’s used lots of time and power seeking to claw back again from gradual begins not long ago. It was invigorating to see Spieth perform tactical, intense golfing and surge to the top rated of the leaderboard on a Thursday.

“I’ve been putting in a whole lot of get the job done with the putting and seeking to get it back again to the assurance that I’ve experienced the past few of decades,” Spieth said. “It can be just been the one thing that’s been off this 12 months. My ballstriking has been improved than in any decades that I’ve ever performed golfing.”

Whilst he’s only 23 decades aged, Jordan Spieth’s bogey-no cost 65 was the fourth time in his main championship career that he concluded a spherical with nothing worse than a par on his scorecard. Ian Rutherford/United states of america Currently Athletics

Defending Open winner Henrik Stenson, who performed in the very same grouping as Spieth, said Thursday reminded him of a former spherical the two guys performed jointly at a main.

“He was putting superbly. I performed with him in ’15 when he won his green jacket [at the Masters], and he was rolling it fantastically that 7 days, and I really don’t assume it was that considerably driving right now,” Stenson said. A significant element of what makes looking at Spieth so compelling, notably when his swing is in a groove, is just how perfectly he melds the science of golfing with the art of scoring. Compared with Dustin Johnson or Brooks Koepka, Spieth hardly ever makes golfing glance easy. He makes it glance like a puzzle he and caddie Michael Greller are seeking to resolve by committee, chatting via the physics of just about every possibility just before settling on the highest likelihood.

Even when Spieth strike it offline, he managed to assume his way back again into holes. On the second gap, he drove it into long wispy grass off the tee, experienced an awkward lie on top rated of a mound and however built birdie soon after he strike a towering 6-iron 12 toes previous the flag. On No. 16, he acquired up and down from a horrendous lie in the bunker for momentum-preserving par, then built an quick birdie on the 17th, reaching the par-five with two ideal pictures.

As remarkable as Spieth’s 5 birdies have been, though, it was the calculations he and Greller did for his second shot on the sixth gap — a 499-garden monster par-four where by 75 gamers in the area built bogey or worse Thursday — that presented the finest window into Spieth’s analytical thoughts.

Get dates, Television timetable, news coverage, stay scores and benefits on ESPN for The Open at Royal Birkdale.

He would not know he does it, but you can notify when Ian Poulter is in the mood simply by the way he walks. Nevertheless, his opening spherical of sixty seven at Royal Birkdale on Thursday belied the hard highway he experienced to choose to even be there.

Brooks Koepka won the U.S. Open then all but took a month off, such as a journey to Las Vegas. He marked his return to aggressive golfing with a wonderful 65, which put him straight back again into rivalry at a main.

two Connected

Standing in the fairway two hundred yards from the green, Spieth surmised that the wind against him a great deal in the way it was on the driving array. During warm-ups, McCormick fired up his TrackMan — the $25,000 launch keep an eye on that works by using radar to calculate spin charge, launch angle and length — and began cataloguing how a great deal shorter Spieth’s irons have been flying in the 55-degree weather conditions and with the wind. Some of his pictures have been ending up 35 yards shorter than they have been all through apply in the ninety-degree weather conditions in Dallas. That helped Spieth develop a baseline that he simply experienced to belief. Crew Spieth experienced under no circumstances brought a TrackMan to a match just before, but McCormick experienced a hunch it could possibly be helpful this time.

“I was equipped to know how considerably that ball would carry, and then I can belief that,” Spieth said. “And that’s the most crucial thing. For the reason that you really feel like you’re hitting so a great deal club. You really feel like you’re likely to fly the world.” The 23-12 months-aged Spieth belted a four-iron into a strong wind, then enable the breeze pull it back again toward the middle of the green. Ordinarily a four-iron flies 225 yards for Spieth, but he understood 190 yards would be just ample to get the ball there. His Titleist landed on the entrance edge, then trickled forward just ample, main to a relatively anxiety-no cost two-putt par that picked up fifty percent a shot on the area. It was not the sexiest swing of the day, but it was arguably one of the most useful contemplating the problems.

In addition to applying technological innovation, Spieth conceded he’s built one other modify not long ago that’s helped him get back his edge. He’s been much more regular having to the health and fitness center, and comprehending his diet regime. He’ll however indulge in a burger and beer on celebration, but he states he now has a improved comprehending of what he requirements to consume to keep personal injury-no cost and sustain his stamina. His breakfast on Thursday? Eggs, avocado and toast together with orange juice and a protein shake.

“It issues, I assume, what you put in your body and then how you choose treatment of it, and then how that translates into benefits that I’ve seen in my swing on the program this 12 months,” Spieth said. “I delight in hitting the ball improved. It makes me happier.”

Someone on Crew Spieth could possibly want to operate to the shop tonight and inventory up on sugar-no cost mint gum. May well mean nothing, but when you’re chasing the Claret Jug, it’s truly worth considering just about every likelihood, ever likelihood, even so unusual it could possibly feel.

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