#rob gagnon

[singeratlarge]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my late, great friend + part-time mentor Rick Anderson (The Tubes), the 1971 Bangla Desh concerts, Lionel Bart, incredible guitarist Tommy Bolin, Pam Brenneman (RIP), Geoff Britton, Rob Buck (10,000 Maniacs), the late, great Boz Burrell, Jim Carroll, William Clark, Coolio, Rick Coonce (Grass Roots), Denny Cordell, Robert Cray, Joe Elliott, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Joe Friday, André Gagnon, Jerry Garcia, Dhani Harrison, Geoffrey Holder, Henrietta Lacks, Paddy Maloney (The Chieftains), Herman Melville, Jason Momoa, MTV (1981), Yoshinao Nakada, Taapsee Pannu, Michael Penn, Edith Pretty, Mrunal Thakur, and my friend and musical colleague evinrude a.k.a. Kevin Spyker. Starting around 1997 I worked as a bassist-singer and producer on some recordings and a string of concerts with Kevin a.k.a. evinrude—the name of a famous cartoon dragonfly, which applied to Kevin’s powerhouse abilities as a singer-songwriter, multi-media artist, and DJ. He also sang on a couple of my tracks and I recall a “rooftop concert” at Lycoming College. Kevin’s song “For Angela” is a highlight from the evinrude debut album, which received good notices and drew comparisons to Beck and Blind Melon. At the board is John Bechdel (Killing Joke, Ministry), who enhanced the synth-y groove of this enchanting track. Meanwhile, HB to KS and thank you for taking flight...

#evinrude #kevinspyker #speicher #angela #beck #blindmelon #johnbechdel #killingjoke #ministry #synthesizer #synth #joebergen #johnnyjblair #dragonfly #cartoon #bassist 

[ulkaralakbarova]

An aging thief hopes to retire and live off his ill-gotten wealth when a young kid convinces him into doing one last heist. Credits: TheMovieDb. Film Cast: Nick Wells: Robert De Niro Jack Teller: Edward Norton Max: Marlon Brando Diane: Angela Bassett Burt: Gary Farmer Steven: Jamie Harrold Danny: Paul Soles Jean-Claude: Martin Drainville Laurent: Serge Houde André: Jean-René Ouellet Albert: Claude Despins Sapperstein: Richard Waugh Sapperstein’s Cousin: Mark Camacho Woman in Study: Marie-Josée Colburn Man in Study: Gavin Svensson Tuan: Thinh Truong Nguyen Cop: Carlo Essagian Drunk: Christian Tessier Storekeeper: Lenie Scoffié Tony: Bobby Brown Philippe: Maurice Demers Guard: Christian Jacques Guard: Henry Farmer Guard: Dacky Thermidor Guard: Gerard Blouin Old Engineer: Charles V. Doucet Worker: Pierre Drolet Bureaucrat Official: Norman Mikeal Berketa Ironclad Tech: Eric Hoziel Janitor: John Talbot Thug: Richard Zeman Thug: Nick Carasoulis Special Appearance: Cassandra Wilson Special Appearance: Mose Allison Man at Airport (uncredited): June Järvenpää Film Crew: Original Music Composer: Howard Shore Editor: Richard Pearson Director: Frank Oz Director of Photography: Rob Hahn Story: Kario Salem Screenplay: Lem Dobbs Producer: Lee Rich Screenplay: Scott Marshall Smith Producer: Gary Foster Production Design: Jackson De Govia Costume Design: Aude Bronson-Howard Script Supervisor: Rebecca Robertson Casting: Margery Simkin Key Makeup Artist: Francine Gagnon Key Hair Stylist: Corald Giroux Makeup Effects: Matthew W. Mungle Construction Coordinator: Alain Brochu Supervising ADR Editor: Marissa Littlefield Sound Effects Editor: Paul Urmson Story: Daniel E. Taylor Art Direction: Tom Reta Set Designer: Félix Larivière-Charron Camera Operator: Nathalie Moliavko-Visotzky Dialogue Editor: Nicholas Renbeck Art Department Coordinator: Genevieve Ferderber Set Designer: Lucie Tremblay First Assistant Director: David Sardi Boom Operator: Markus Wade Music Editor: Suzana Peric Property Master: Denis Hamel Art Direction: Claude Paré Rigging Grip: Alain Brouillette Supervising Sound Editor: Ron Bochar Stunt Coordinator: Jean Frenette Set Decoration: K.C. Fox Production Manager: Alain Gagnon Set Designer: Céline Lampron Greensman: Ray Légaré Boom Operator: Nathalie Piche Still Photographer: Phillip V. Caruso Steadicam Operator: Angelo Colavecchia First Assistant Camera: Maarten Kroonenburg Location Manager: Michèle St-Arnaud Prop Maker: Patrice Jacques Set Designer: Charlotte Rouleau Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Lee Dichter Special Effects Supervisor: Louis Craig Chief Lighting Technician: Jean Courteau Production Coordinator: Victorine Tamafo Set Designer: Claude Lafrance Foley Editor: Kam Chan Dialogue Editor: Fred Rosenberg Stunt Coordinator: Bud Davis Armorer: Julie Coulombe Art Department Coordinator: Michelle Drolet First Assistant Camera: Tony Rivetti Sr. Sound Effects Editor: Lewis Goldstein First Assistant Editor: Richard Friedlander Art Department Coordinator: Michel Bouchard Foley Editor: Frank Kern Dolly Grip: Alain Masse Production Controller: George Lakes Armorer: Brent Radford Executive Music Producer: Budd Carr Executive Producer: Adam Platnick Executive Producer: Bernard Williams Stunt Coordinator: David Leitch Movie Reviews: JPV852: A go-to for a solid heist-thriller that features two great performances by De Niro and Norton with honorable mention to Brando who looked a little worse for wear. Not the top notch in the genre but still a breezy but still suspense-filled watch if you don’t want anything thought-provoking. Still makes me chuckle that it was Frank Oz to be the one to direct three generations of great actors… **3.75/5**

[pastorhogg]

Why I Cannot Attend a Same-sex Wedding

Leading US evangelical pastor, Alistair Begg, has spoken into the issue of trans wedding ceremonies (and I include gay weddings) and whether practising Christians can attend in good conscience. In short, he says yes with caveats, and has placed it in a wider relational and evangelistic context. Various heavyweights have written in response, from the brilliant Rob Gagnon to academic Carl…

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“TRIO FOUND GUILTY. SENTENCE DELAYED,” Montreal Star. August 5, 1930. Page 3. ---- Attempt to Rob Drug Store Foiled by Owner ---- Identified as the three men who entered Wilfrid Gagnon's drug store at 7671 St. Hubert street, on the night of July 24, three young men were found guilty of attempted burglary while armed, and sentence was postponed until August 12 by Judge Enright, in the Court of Special Sessions today.

They are Paul Giguere and Roger Lussier, 185 Sherbrooke street east; Ernest Saumure, 1927 Plessis street, and Thomas Jones, 5125 St. Lawrence boulevard. Jones, who turned King's evidence against his three companions, declared that they all went to the pharmacy of Wilfred Gagnon, St. Hubert and Villeray streets, on the night of July 24. Giguere carried a revolver, he said, and Lussier was at the wheel of the automobile.

"Hands up" was the order given to Gagnon, owner of the drug store. The trio failed to recall, however, that Gagnon was once before the victim of a burglary and on that occasion shot and killed the robber.

Instead of obeying the order, Gagnon grabbed a pop bottle and hurled it at the intruders. 

They all fled.

Lussier did not go into the store, Jones said, but remained outside in the automobile.

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have The War with Grandpa 2020

[ettawritesnstudies]

about your new what now? elaborate.

I'm running a DnD campaign for my friends that takes place in a multiverse called the planescape! There are a bunch of different planes of existence with different alignments on the scale of good -> bad and lawful -> chaotic, and my players are exploring them to fulfill the last wishes of their late friend, Annabelle Keay, - a treasure hunt as laid out in her will. I've got 6 players, and so I set up 6 NPCs to compete with them and act as foils, originally intending them to stay as just npcs in this silly little game, but I've grown really attached to some of them so I might turn their backstories into short stories at some point! So far we've got the following:

Lief Linwood: an angel who got stuck in the fey realm for years and learned how to navigate and hunt as a ranger. Annabelle came to the feywild on a mission and hired him as a guide, promising him freedom in exchange for his help. But when he got home, only seconds had passed, and he was expected to return to his normal life. Dissatisfied, he turned to a life of adventure, eventually falling out of touch with Annabelle, until he retrieved one last letter from his old friend, asking him to pick up the rest of the team for her funeral, and he realized it was too late to go back and catch up.

Shula Najm: An upstart from the plane of fire, trained in martial combat, and a member of a group that specializes in causing trouble for the police state in the City of Brass. She eventually got captured and landed in a prison cell with Annabelle. They hatched a jailbreak plan together, and haven't spoken since.

Becky Smith: A high elf paladin who was doing a co-op kind of program through her university as Annabelle's bodyguard in her old age. She fell in with a group that uncovered Annabelle's old crimes and convinced her the best way to deal with the threat was to assassinate her charge.

Isolde Halle: A human bard and a protege that Annabelle chose to sponsor from the university. She has a rather low self esteem, despite her craft, and has no idea why she's been selected for this mission.

Hartwig Vanhanen: A dwarven fighter from a plane where all the warriors who die in a day of battle are revived the next day to continue the fight. All wars here are more like elaborate playground games because there are no consequences, but each warrior is incredibly skilled from a lifetime of unrestrained constant practice. Annabelle went to this plane looking for warriors to draft into a cause of her own, and Hartwig volunteered to go with her after she insulted his bravery saying "he didn't know true pain." Only after going off-plane, to worlds where people *do* die, did he realize the gravity of war, and he realized he couldn't return home after seeing what he's seen, not until he's dead himself. He continues lending out his skill to causes in need.

Shaw Gagnon: A shifter pirate who tried to rob Annabelle one time. She let him keep the magic item in exchange for a favor, to be cashed in at a later time. He never heard from her, assuming he got out of the deal, until many years later he received a summons to adventure in her name.

[whatsnextmovies]

Fun Mom Dinner

[adamwatchesmovies]

The War with Grandpa (2020)

You’ll laugh at The War with Grandpa rather than with it but at least you’ll laugh. This somewhat redeems a movie perfectly suited to the word "dumb".

Recently widowed Ed Marino (Robert De Niro) is asked by his daughter Sally (Uma Thurman) to move in with her family. To make space for grandpa, Peter (Oakes Fegley) must give up his room and moves to the attic. Angry at this injustice, the boy makes it his mission to chase grandpa away, but the old man is prepared to retaliate.

Little kids probably won’t see the many many flaws adults will spot right away. In an attempt to make Peter not seem like a spoiled brat who hates his lonely grandfather, the attic is made unliveable. It's infested with bats and rats. The roof leaks. It’s inexplicably accessible by a door rather than a trap in the floor but you’re not supposed to think about that. Thinking is your enemy when you watch this movie. When Peter glues a glass jar to his grandfather’s dresser, the old man rips the container in half like it's a paper bag. Ed is also tricked into spraying foam sealant - instead of shaving cream - all over his face (impossible). He's woken in the middle of the night by music no one else in the house can hear. He retaliates by rigging Peter’s backpack with explosive spaghetti sauce, which gets him in trouble with the school bully. It’s extra bad because he goes to one of these institutions where big kids do whatever they want and adult supervision is nonexistent. Peter’s younger sister Jenny (Poppy Gagnon) is obsessed with Christmas so her birthday party is the elaborate kind of celebration only a rich family could afford but mom and dad (Rob Riggle) can't afford a home big enough for their family. Peter’s friend (Juliocesar Chavez) lends him a snake for prank purposes. The reptile eventually goes on its own adventure, terrorizing Sally while she’s driving. We never see it afterwards, so who knows where it went. The little details the movie gets wrong come frequently enough to ensure perpetual bamboozlement.

You can tell this movie was shelved until only the barren landscape of the pandemic made it viable as entertainment. The extended scenes set in the now-defunct Fry’s Electronics are a hint. This movie has wall-to-wall big names in major roles. What were they thinking? Someone who loves bad children's movies must have some dirt on Cheech Marin, Christopher Walken, Rob Riggle, Jane Seymour, and De Niro.

I never thought I'd witness two scenes where De Niro exposes himself to his son-in-law for comedy in a single movie. What’s even crazier is that the sequel the final shot hints at… is apparently happening. Down to the music video and bloopers that play during the end credits, The War with Grandpa is a bewildering experience that’s kind of fun but never in the way that’s intended. (February 28, 2021)

[stephenneary]

A few years back I got to make these shorts for Cartoon Network—check ‘em out on youtube! Huge thank you to the shorts team and everyone at CN for letting me make these weird little cartoons about sentient mushrooms (specifically, prototaxites) living on prehistoric earth. Full credits below!

Starring

Jennifer Coolidge as Fancy Nancy

Chris Diamantopoulos as Commander Beefy

Terry Gross as Pam

Stephen P. Neary as Pascal, Sir Tree

Harry Teitelman as Seth

Directed by: Stephen P. Neary

Producers: Scott Malchus, Nate Funaro

Art Director: Nick Cross (!!)

Written & Storyboarded by: Stephen P. Neary

Production Coordinators: Jonathan Hymen, Riley Riggen

Production Assistants: Revati Dhomse, Ashleigh-Lauren Perez

Character Design: Valerio Fabretti, Marceline Gagnon-Tanguay

Prop Design: Nick Cross

Background Design: Chris Tsirgiotis, Briony May Smith

Background Paint: Chie Boyd

Color Key: Jessica Yost

Animation Direction: Lindey Pollard, Sheri Wheeler

Animation Timer: Jill Calhoun

Animation Checking: Sandy Benenati, Julie Benenati

Casting Director: Linda Lamontagne

Voice Director: Kristi Reed

Recording Studio Manager: Stacy Renfroe

Recording Engineer: Devon Bowman

Music By: Simon Panrucker

Picture Editors: Tony Tedford, Rob Getzschman

Dialogue Editor: Eric Freeman

Post Production Audio Services: Sabre Media Studios

Re-recording Mixer: Tony Orozco

Sound Effect Editor: Alex Borquez

Director Production Technology: Antonio Gonella

Post Production Supervisor: Tony Tedford

Post Production Manager: Alicia Parkinson

Track Reading by: Slightly Off Track

Production Estimator: Cecilia Rheins

Production Administration: Linda Barry

Overseas Production Facility: SAEROM ANIMATION, INC!!!

Co-Executive Producers: Katie Krentz, Mike Roth

Executive in Charge of Development: Asalle Tanha

Executive Producers:

Rob Sorcher

Brian A. Miller

Jennifer Pelphrey

Curtis Lelash

[scottyscanlan-archived-blog]

TASK 001 : Character Development

X // BASIC CHARACTER QUESTIONS

First name? Cain.

Surname? Scanlan.

Middle Names? Peter.

Nicknames? “Scotty.”

Date of Birth? April 18th.

Age? 38.

Gender? CisMale.

Pronouns? He/Him/His.

Sexuality? Bisexual.

X // PHYSICAL / APPEARANCE

Height? 6′5″

Weight? 209 lbs / 95 kg.

Build? Stocky, built like a brick shithouse.

Hair Color? Coppery red.

Hair Style? Growing out a prison buzz.

Eye color? Green.

Eye shape? Deep-set, downturned.

Glass or contacts lenses? Nada.

Distinguishing features? Left-leaning nose, thick Irish accent, trademark beard.

Scars? Many, but notable among them is a notch on his left cheekbone, and the prong marks of a fork on his inner left thigh.

Birthmarks? Freckles; most prominent on his shoulders.

Tattoos? None.

Style? Dresses to unimpress, and puts significant effort into appearing like he doesn’t give a shit what people think of him. Worn jeans, plain shirts, boots, emblem rings.

Mannerisms? Lip-licking, squinting, smirking, slouching, often limping, hard eye-contact.

Are they in good health? Nope. He voided the warranty on his lungs & liver decades ago.

Do they have any disabilities? None.

X // PERSONALITY

What words or phrases do they overuse? Aaaalllll the curses.

Do they have a catchphrase? “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.”

Are they more optimistic or pessimistic? Pessimistic.

Are they introverted or extroverted? Extroverted.

What bad habits do they have? Smoking, drinking, picking fights, nail-biting, neglecting hygiene, lack of sleep.

What makes them laugh out loud? Outrageous acts of stupidity.

How do they display affection? Playful banter, physical closeness/displays, protectiveness, admiration. 

How do they want to be seen by others? Capable, fearless, intelligent, worthy of his place.

How do they see themselves? Stunted, drowning, unable to catch up with the life he was exiled from, living as an outsider.

How are they seen by others? Quick-tempered, closed-off, aggressive, loud-mouthed, a hot fuckin’ mess.

Strongest character trait? Loyalty.

Weakest character trait? Patience.

How competitive are they? Slightly. He’s used to being the one cheated out of the largest share of the profit, and has been content to allow his brother the spotlight, but is now beginning to question what he is capable of on his own. 

Do they make snap judgement or take time to consider? Quick to judgment.

How do they react to praise? Deflect it.

How do they react to criticism? Typically with back talk and/or violence in the immediate, but things that hurt him ultimately drive him to find outlets of self-destruction. (i.e. binge drinking, recklessness, fighting, sex.)

What is their greatest fear? Becoming irrelevant, dispensable, or showing vulnerability.

What are their biggest secrets? Why he stays with the Ivory Syndicate.

When was the last time they cried? Five months ago.

What will they stand up for? His reputation & those he cares for.

Are they indoorsy or outdoorsy? Indoorsy.

What is their sinful little habit? Shoplifting.

How do they treat people better than them? Feeling threatened, he usually over-compensates for his confidence with aggression or snark, which comes back to bite him in the ass 4/5 times.

How do they treat people worse than them? A pretty low bar to clear, in his opinion, but anyone he considers an ‘enemy’ needs to be put down quickly and routinely reminded of their place.

What quality do they most value in a friend? Loyalty.

If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be? His tolerance levels.

What is their obsession? Rum & Coke.

What are their pet peeves? Having others’ ideals/world views shoved down his throat, people who are impervious to his torment.

X // FRIENDS & FAMILY

Is their family big or small? Small.

Who does it consist of? Dermot Scanlan (brother), Saoirse Scanlan (mother, deceased), unknown (father), Alanna Gagnon (aunt).

What is their perception of family? Those you are bound to by blood. Whether you like it or not, you are responsible for the protection of one another, and share in the consequences of the collective family’s actions.

Do they have siblings? Older or younger? Dermot, about four years younger.

Do they have any pets? No.

Who are their natural allies? The witty, charismatic & fearless. Other members of the Ivory Syndicate.

Who are their surprising allies? The mooncalves; those soft-hearted and patient enough to see through his shell.

X // PAST AND FUTURE

What was your character like as a baby? As a child? Sensitive, quick-to-anger, curious. Cain both looked up to and envied his younger brother, who he believed was smarter, more fortunate, and more likable than he ever could be.

Did they grow up rich or poor? Lower-middle class.

Did they grow up nurtured or neglected? Nurtured, until his mother passed away. Dermot & Cain’s aunt was less equipped to handle them.

What is their greatest achievement? Successfully robbing one of the largest banks in Quebec - and never being caught for it.

What was their first kiss like? Messy, uncoordinated, and eager, in the front seat of a ‘borrowed’ car with a girl he’d met hours earlier.

What is the worst thing they did to someone they loved? Lied.

What are their ambitions? To learn what he is capable of on his own.

What advice would they give their younger self? Fuck more.

What smells remind them of their childhood? Lavender, sea spray, nutmeg, felt glue, evergreen air-fresheners.

What was their childhood ambition? Initially, he wanted to be a pirate.

What is their best childhood memory? Shucking dried lavender on the porch while his mother sang, filling baskets that she’d later sew into beautiful sachets.

What is their worst childhood memory? The plane ride to Montreal, directly after his mother’s funeral.

Did they have an imaginary childhood friend? No, but he did have a stuffed Snoopy he was very fond of.

When was the last time they were crushed with disappointment? At the Mayor’s gala.

What past act are they most ashamed of? His arrest.

What past act are they most proud of? His relationship with Alex Yuen.

Has anyone ever saved their life? Yes.

[singeratlarge]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my late, great friend + part-time mentor Rick Anderson (The Tubes), the 1971 Bangla Desh concerts, Lionel Bart, incredible guitarist Tommy Bolin, my well-remembered and gone-too-soon cousin-in-law Pam Brenneman (RIP), Geoff Britton, Rob Buck (10,000 Maniacs), the late, great Boz Burrell, Jim Carroll, William Clark, Colorado (the state), Coolio, Rick Coonce (Grass Roots), Denny Cordell, Robert Cray, Joe Elliott, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Joe Friday, André Gagnon, Jerry Garcia, Dhani Harrison, Geoffrey Holder, Henrietta Lacks, Paddy Maloney (The Chieftains), Herman Melville, Jason Momoa, MTV (1981), Yoshinao Nakada, Taapsee Pannu, Michael Penn, Edith Pretty, Mrunal Thakur, and my friend and musical colleague evinrude a.k.a. Kevin Spyker. Starting around 1997 I worked as a bassist-singer and producer on some his recordings + we performed a string of concerts as evinrude—the name of a famous cartoon dragonfly, which applied to Kevin’s powerhouse abilities as a singer-songwriter, multi-media artist, and DJ. He also sang on a couple of my tracks, and I recall a balcony concert we did at Lycoming College. Kevin’s song “For Angela” is a highlight from the evinrude debut album, which received good notices and drew comparisons to Beck and Blind Melon. At the board is John Bechdel (Killing Joke, Ministry), who enhanced the synth-y groove of this enchanting track. Meanwhile, HB to KS and thank you for taking flight...

#evinrude #kevinspyker #speicher #angela #beck #blindmelon #johnbechdel #killingjoke #ministry #synthesizer #synth #joebergen #johnnyjblair #dragonfly #cartoon #bassist 

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Trio Faces Robbery Charges,” Porcupine Advance (Timmins). April 20, 1939. Page 1. ---- Charges Against Fournier, Gauthier and Brunette Heard To-Daay ---- Roval Fournier, Gaston Gauthier and Tony Brunette, all of Timmins, appear in Cochrane today at the sitting of the General Sessions of the Peace, to face charges of robbery with violence. The trio has elected speedy trial, which means that they will be heard before a judge but not a jury.

The three men are alleged to have beaten and robbed several Timmins citizens, and police connect their alleged activities, in part, at least with the wave of ‘sluggings’ which swept over the town for a time.

Chief of Police Gagnon and Inspector Arthur Olson, as well as several officers have gave to Cochrane to testify.

[9oodshots]

‘𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗥 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗣𝗔’: 𝟴💪🏻/𝟭𝟬⁣ 🎬 𝗦𝗬𝗡𝗢𝗣𝗦𝗜𝗦 & 😎 𝗡𝗢𝗡-𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗟𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪⁣ ⁣ 🎬: Ed [Robert De Niro], a fiercely-independent retired builder, is convinced to move in with his daughter, Sally [Uma Thurman], & her family after an incident at a supermarket.⁣ ⁣ Living with other people takes some getting used to for the widower, especially since his grandson, Peter [Oakes Fegley], has moved into the dark & dingy attic after being forced to give up his room for his grandad.⁣ ⁣ Peter declares war on Ed to regain his room. In an all-out old school vs new cool prank war, who will win?⁣ ⁣ 😎: Robert De Niro plays the grumpy old grandad role well, but he advises Peter that there are never any real winners when it comes to war. Ed doesn’t have much in common with his older granddaughter, Mia [Laura Marano], who is interested in boys & social media but his youngest, Jennifer [Poppy Gagnon], is super-sweet & lots of fun.⁣ ⁣ Ed’s friends are hilarious, particularly Jerry [Christopher Walken] who steals every scene, while Diane [Jane Seymour], Ed’s potential love-interest, has no problem berating Ed & his male friends when she thinks they are being too soft.⁣ ⁣ Sally & her husband, Arthur [Rob Riggle], are oblivious to the battle going on between Ed & Peter, especially since Sally is distracted by Mia’s obsession with her new boyfriend.⁣ ⁣ The dodgeball challenge where Peter & his friends take on Ed & his senior posse is the highlight of the film.⁣ ⁣ 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗶𝗺 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀; 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 ‘𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲’-𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀, 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 ‘𝗳𝗼𝗲,’ 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 & 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.⁣ ⁣ Thanks to @universalpicsau; ‘The War with Grandpa,' rated 𝗣𝗚 [mild themes & coarse language], opens in 🇦🇺 on Dec 3rd, 2020. ©️ #warwithgrandpa (at The War with Grandpa 2020 - Dailymotion) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIViNczlKO7/?igshid=1jyvsuegf3hnn

[man-creates-dinosaurs]

SUPER BIG NEWS: LEGEND OF NC DINOSAURS AND MONSTER BIRDS! Apparently my home state of North Carolina has become a hotbed for cryptozoological activity of the prehistoric survivor variety. This week The News & Observer - the second largest regional paper in NC - reported that a 20-year-old woman in the state capital of Raleigh spotted a pterosaur while waiting for the bus. The above drawing is her depiction of what she claims she saw. This story comes hot of the heels of NC being visited last year by the Japanese paranormal reality TV show What’s This? – Mysteries From Around the World which came for three days in September to hunt for an alleged plesiosaur in Lake Norman which is right outside Charlotte. Pterosaurs and plesiosaurs oh my! Though popularly depicted as a plesiosaur-type creature, the Lake Norman Monster - known affectionately as “Normie” - more closely resembles a large fish based on eyewitness sightings with the most popular candidate being an overgrown catfish. Nevertheless some witnesses have reported seeing a “dinosaur-type” creature in the lake as well. The most common rationale cited by cryptozoologists for the belief that Mesozoic marine reptiles inhabit certain lakes around the world is that these lakes are ancient. And indeed some of them are relatively speaking. Both Loch Ness in Scotland and America’s Lake Champlain - the homes of perhaps the two most famous lake monsters in the world - are both about 10,000-years-old and were formed at the end of the last Great Ice Age. Of course this still makes them far too young to be harboring any kind plesiosaur, the last of which died out 65-million-years ago. This problem is even more pronounced when it comes to Lake Norman which is a man-made lake created between 1959 and 1964 as part of the construction of the Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy. Being only 50-years-old there’s no way that Lake Norman could be hiding anything prehistoric! So what accounts for the alleged sightings? If we rule out pranks and hoaxes, the most likely cause seems to be cases of mistaken identity. Deer are common in the Lake Norman and are often seen swimming in the lake. Also large snapping turtles - some big enough that they have occasionally been mistaken for alligators - reside there but despite occasional reports there are no confirmed cases of actual gators in Norman though they do live in NC and can be found in lakes closer to the coast like Lake Waccamaw. Surprisingly freshwater jellyfish do reside in Norman. There’s also the folklore factor. As argued by Michael Meurger in his 1989 book Lake Monster Traditions: A Cross-cultural Analysis (co-authored with Claude Gagnon) there is just something about large bodies of water that inspires people to make-up stories about them whether it be that such lakes are bottomless, hide buried treasure, are the final resting place of victims of unsolved murders or harbor a monster. It doesn’t matter if the lake in question is natural or man-made - in fact as pointed out by Benjamin Radford and Joe Nickell in their 2006 investigative study Lake Monster Mysteries, Lake Norman is far from the only man-made body of water in the US to allegedly contain a cryptid (p. 151). When it comes to Raleigh’s supposed pterosaurs, similar factors seem to be at work there as well in that we are once again dealing with the familiar phenomena of animal illiteracy. As paleontologist Darren Naish writes in his wonderful little book Hunting Monsters: Cryptozoology and the Reality Behind the Myths (2017), one of the side-effects of the widespread popularity of prehistoric animals is that depictions of creatures like pterosaurs are so pervasive that “a great many people… have some concept of what a pterodactyl is, yet are stunningly naive regarding the living animals that live on their own doorstep” (p. 184). This seems to be a perfect summation of the situation we have here. NC is home is a sizable number of large birds including cranes, storks, pelicans, spoonbills, osprey, several types of egrets, herons, hawks, owls, three types of ibis and two types of both vultures and eagles. I live about an hour outside Charlotte and have literally seen most of these birds in my own backyard. They are big and can easily startle people - especially when you open your curtains in the morning and find a crane standing a foot from your window, which is something that actually happened to my mom. But people who aren’t as familiar with the local wildlife or do as much backyard bird watching as I do may not be able identify these birds and think they are seeing a “flying dinosaur.” James Robert Smith, a friend and local author of several fantastic works of paleo-fiction including The Flock (2006) and Withering (2014, under the pen name Robert Mathis Kurtz), related the following story about just such a situation to me when discussing the recent flap of supposed pterosaur sightings…

One of my old friends saw a great blue heron in flight (he’d never seen one) and insisted that he’d seen a pterosaur. I kept trying to convince him that he’d only spotted a heron but he resisted. Finally, one day he saw it again and it landed and he admitted that it was “just a bird.”

Further complicating matters is that in covering this story The News & Observer reached out to creationist Jonathan Whitcomb about the sightings. The issue of creationism isn’t one I’ve addressed on this blog before despite the fact that I regularly deal with the topic seeing how I teach a class on the intersection of dinosaurs and religion. For anyone not familiar with the subject, paleontologist José Luis Sanz offers a sufficient definition of creationism in his book Starring T.Rex describing it as “a political instrument of religious fundamentalists… derived from a literal interpretation of the Bible… which denies any evolutionary dimension to life, the Earth, or the Universe.” (p. 79) Creationism isn’t a very old movement, with its origins in the late 19th-Century, but has nevertheless gained a lot of traction is certain Christian communities in the US. One of the chief claims of creationists like Whitcomb is that dinosaurs and man lived alongside one another (God made them on the same day after all) and that some dinosaurs - and dinosaur contemporaries like pterosaurs and plesiosaurs - are still around today. Whitcomb is particularly infamous for his 2006 book Searching for Ropens in which he argues for the existence of a giant (16 to 23 ft. wingspan) bioluminescent, grave-robbing pterosaur residing in the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Whitcomb actually traveled to Papua New Guinea where he collected alleged eyewitness sightings of the Ropen from locals. Many of these locals were Christian converts who appear to have been impressed by Whitcomb’s status as an “important” white missionary (how he fiancees these trips) from America and were eager to testify to him about their encounters with the Ropen which Whitcomb then reinterpreted as encounters with a pterosaur. I say “reinterpreted” because it’s pretty obvious from even just a cursory overview that the Ropen is actually a kind of demon or vampire from the indigenous folklore - the name literally means “demon flier” - that many of the local people still believe in despite - or more likely because of - their conversion to Christianity. According to The News & Observer, Whitcomb claims to have nine different alleged NC pterosaur sightings on file including this most recent Raleigh encounter. The News & Observer reprinted all of these sightings as part of their story and from reading them I’ll say it’s not entirely clear why anyone would seriously think these people had seen a prehistoric winged reptile. But then it’s not clear how on the level Whitcomb is either. One of his key pieces of evidence for the existence of modern-day pterosaurs is a photo of Civil War soldiers standing with a dead pterodactyl, a photo which is incontrovertibly known to be a film prop (not just the pterosaur the whole photo is a prop) made for and used in an episode of the TV series Freaky Links in the late 90s. Loren Coleman actually has the prop pterosaur hanging in his International Cryptozoology Museum in Main. Nevertheless Whitcomb dogmatically maintains the photo is real! Naturally I’d love it if my home state harbored living non-avian dinosaurs and related creatures but the prospect is more then unlikely. So I guess I’ll just have to be content with the multiple avian dinosaurs I get to see everyday in my own backyard. And for anyone who doesn’t “get” the joke which is this post’s title I explain it here.  

[thesportssoundoff]

“Is this really the kind of card you bring to Norfolk, Virginia all due respect to the fine folks who live there?!” UFC Fight Night Poirier vs Pettis preview

Joey

November 6th

We just passed the UFC's biggest weekend of 2017 and normally after a big weekend, a not so good card follows. This time though after a big card, we've got a really good free TV card to follow it up. Live from Norfolk, Virginia, the UFC rolls into town with a pretty damn solid card that has just a little bit of something for everybody. Like really compelling on paper fights? We gotcha! Like WMMA? Gotcha! Like old veterans with something to prove? Gotcha! Like bantamweights? Word! Heavyweights? I mean we got those too! Ya like Sage Northcutt? WHO DOESN'T?! This UFC card is an Oddlot and I can approve of that, topped by a fantastic main event pitting Dustin Poirier vs Anthony Pettis.

Fights: 13

Debuts: 1 (Karl Roberson)

Fight Changes/Injury Cancellations: 1 (Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs Jared Cannonier)

Headliners (fighters who have either main evented or co-main evented shows in the UFC): 11 (Anthony Pettis, Dustin Poirier, Matt Brown, Diego Sanchez, Andrei Arlovski, Nate Marquardt, Raphael Assuncao, Joe Lauzon, Clay Guida, Jon Dodson, Sage Northcutt)

Fighters On Losing Streaks in the UFC:  3 (Andrei Arlovski, Matt Brown, Nate Marquardt)

Fighters On Winning Streaks in the UFC:  2 (Matthew Lopez and Raphael Assuncao)

Stat Monitor for 2017:

Debuting Fighters (Current number: 33-29)- Karl Roberson

Short Notice Fighters (Current number: 20-31-1)- 0

Second Fight (Current number: 23-33)- Michel Quiñones, Tatiana Suarez and Junior Albini

Cage Corrosion (17-11-1)- Tatiana Suarez

Twelve Precarious Ponderings

1- Is it FINALLY going to be time for Dustin Poirier to get that big career defining win? Poirier has been fantastic at 155 lbs, an action fight fan's dream fighter, a finisher and everything else you can put on a guy. He is must see TV and it's no surprise that since dropping to 155 lbs, he has three bonuses (and was likely robbed of two other ones since the Alvarez fight didn't get 50K and his KO of Bobby Green happened on a card where dudes were getting flattened left and right). Lost in the love for the 28 year old Louisiana native is the fact that he hasn't had that ONE signature win. He's beaten a lot of guys who in theory live in that 15 to 10 range of the LW division but the big win has eluded him. At FW, entertaining losses to guys like the Korean Zombie and Cub Swanson plus a KO to Conor McGregor are probably his trademarkk performances. At 155 lbs, he looked on his way to putting himself in the conversation among the likes of RDA, Pettis, Alvarez, Ferguson and the crew before Michael Johnson removed him from the conversation in a stunning upset. He looked on his way to getting that win vs Alvarez before he got hurt and eventually kneed illegally.

The entire career of Poirier feels like a collection of moments where he's good enough TO win but not great enough to rise above. In main events, Poirier is 0-2. In co-main events, he's 0-1. If we judge fighters by their ability to rise up, so to speak, then Poirier's record is not giving you a ringing endorsement for confidence. Even saying that, we're discussing a 28 year old who is ultra skilled in every capacity. Maybe he's a step slower than the heaviest hitters in the division (he looked to be moving at Tivo slow mo speed vs Michael Johnson) and maybe you have questions about his ability to deal with pressure. Maybe you worry about his composure which could explain his so-so record in big fights. Whatever the case, even at 28 years old, we're reaching the "He is what he is" portion of Poirier's career. A fantastic action fighter who SHOULD be among the elites at 155 lbs. This is a big fight for him.

2- Similarly, Anthony Pettis. Lost in the record is the how and why we got here. Pettis simply got out dogged by an injured RDA in a fight where both guys were impaired. After that? I mean I thought he beat Eddie Alvarez pretty clearly. Edson Barboza is a better version of Anthony Pettis which was just all kinds of wrong for him. Ignore everything at 145 lbs because that was a bad idea. The point I'm trying to illustrate here is that Pettis is far better than he's shown since 2015 or so. We're talking about a fantastic athlete still entering his prime who is still capable of big fight magic. His resume is littered with well known names and those aren't fluke wins. Even if I believe that Pettis has become a big stagnant in recent years, on his good night he's probably better than your favorite lightweight. Poirier is going to be a pretty valuable test for him and what remains of Pettis as a top 155er.

3- I know Matt Brown is retiring but I really hope win or lose Diego Sanchez follows him into whatever MMA Valhalla is.

4- Andrei Arlovski vs Junior Albini is so much of what MMA is and so little of what we wish it to be. Arlovski is 0-4 and while he didn't get sparked in his last fight, he showed so little against Marcin Tybura that I don't even really see the point of this fight other than trying to launch Albini's career. That's great and all but Albiini is ONE fight into his UFC career and we have no idea what he's really all about. The only way we learn anything about him is if he loses and that'd speak volumes in the negatives. This is a very odd peculiar fight.

5- Joe Lauzon vs Clay Guida has one of two ways of ending. The first is Lauzon dropping Guida early and snatching his neck or the other is a hot start for Lauzon followed by two rounds of Clay Guida just smacking him around on the ground if Lauzon doesn’t get an early sub. It’s so weird this fight hasn’t happened earlier than this point but even so, I’m pretty geeked about it.

6- Jon Dodson vs Marlon Moraes is one of those fights with no middle ground. It's either all action or it's the world's smallest fastest staring contest.

7- While I don't like the fight, Tatiana Suarez vs Vivianne Pereira seems like a really great fight between two solid strawweight prospects. Pereira is a little undersized but she's hyperactive and looked worlds better vs Jamie Moyle. Tati Suarez has title contender talent and a fantastic base for the division but she's been out for a good long minute. Excited for this one even if I dislike the fact a prospect's gonna get knocked off.

8- Really excited to see Matthew Lopez get his crack at figuring out Raphael Assuncao. If you beat Assuncao, you should be like champion emeritus at 135 lbs. Lopez had a way too tough debut vs Rani Yahya and even in that fight he was more than competitive in scrambles and on the feet. Since then Lopez has picked up two wins over competent 135ers like Johnny Eduardo and Mitch Gagnon. That said, Assuncao is forever at a level above most of these dudes in the weight class.

9- We're starting to get to that point where the DWTCS signees are getting opportunities to have fights. Boston Salmon lost his chance but Karl Roberson gets a shot now. Dropping from 205 to 185 lbs, Roberson draws Darren Stewart who was really impressive in Cage Warriors prior to getting his UFC call up. He got hit with the Francimar Barroso train after a no contest and now he'll also make the drop to MW. Excited about these two guys.

10- Of the twelve fighters currently posted up on this main card, it almost seems reasonable to half of them could be retired or out of the UFC by next year. You have Arlovski, Diego Sanchez, Joe Lauzon, Clay Guida and Nate Marquardt who could all be on their last legs or considering retirement not including Matt Brown who is genuinely retiring.

11- Everybody's favorite human Ken Doll is back in business, baby! Sage Northcutt has returned!

12- It has the potential to be a bit of a dud but Court McGee vs Sean Strickland could be a fantastic little fight on the prelims. Strickland's kind of lost his way from his more exciting pre-UFC days but I Think he's still got high upside and McGee always shows up to fight.

Must Wins

1- Anthony Pettis

Anthony Pettis looked back vs Jim Miller---but that's really not enough of an indictment on what remains. Miller's a good test for if you still have enough to be considered elite but he's not quite the measuring stick for whether you ARE elite. Pettis has a lot of questions that still need answering even if vs Miller he looked aggressive while being composed, tremendous with his kicking game and more in check with each passing second of the fight. Dustin Poirier has power, variety in his hands and I can't imagine Pettis is going to outwrestle him if it comes to that. The fact that this is five rounds and Pettis has looked AWFUL in his last two fights meant for that distance is worrisome.

2- Dustin Poirier

Dustin Poirier's career will be one of two things; a long career as a best action fighters of his time but never challenged for anything major OR a career where The Diamond is able to get over the hump and contend for titles and more main events.

3- Marlon Moraes

There were a lot of subtle flaws hidden by Moraes when he was competing at the WSOF.  It's not to suggest he's not really talented (he is) but when he would take his foot off of the gas, he wasn't challenged much by inferior competition. Against Raphael Assuncao, I thought he showed some of those flaws and it ultimately cost him in a close fight. Dodson is similar in Assuncao in the sense that a boring fight is a fine fight for him. If he can't blitz you and overwhelm you with his speed, he's fine with just giving you enough offense to take a decision. Moraes going down 0-2 as the 135 lb class is loading up again would be a dire circumstance so he needs this one in the worst way.

Five Fights Not To Miss:

1- Dustin Poirier vs Anthony Pettis

2- Super Sage vs El Chapo in a battle of amazing nicknames

3- Tatiana Suarez vs Vivianne Pereira

4- Joe Lauzon vs Clay Guida

5- Matt Brown vs Diego Sanchez

[criticarter]

Films Watched in 2020 - (42/???)

Scoob! (2020) - Tony Cervone (1/5)

I couldn’t entirely hate this movie, because it gave work to McKenna Grace and Pierce Gagnon, but I found myself sighing a lot more than normal. We’re going to have to talk spoilers, because that’s the biggest problem, but there are some other frustrations to vent first:

Spotify/Pandora having been around long enough to exist 10 years ago (not the movie’s fault, but I felt old as hell)

The most lazy needle drops since Suicide Squad...and then “Bombs Over Baghdad” for some reason

The entire cast being replaced with the exception of the title character

“The dog’s got a middle name, nothing illegal there; them’s the laws”

Someone being a seemingly fictional character in-universe but apparently real

SIMON COWELL AS HIMSELF

Tonal inconsistency (pop culture references that only adults would get, including an almost exact remake of the classic intro sequence, yet also several child-targeted jokes)

The threat of a Hanna-Barbera version of Justice League, which includes Blue Falcon played by Mark Wahlberg impersonating Ryan Reynolds and Captain Caveman played by Tracy Morgan impersonating himself

Spoilers ahead:

THE THIRD ACT SAYS THAT GREEK MYTHS WERE REAL AND NOBODY SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT IT. Not only is this more important than any plot point, but it means the four people it took to write this actually have no idea about Scooby-Doo--it has to be a guy in a mask tricking people for personal gain. There’s also a serious sacrifice that is immediately undercut that robs the prior moment of any dramatic heft it may have had.