Brent Nyitray
Fairlington Blade
Let the mutherfuker burn!
jnc4p
Kevin S. Willis
Michigoose
lmsinca
markinaustin
Arcanaut
novahockey
quarterback
ScottC
yellojktI think Tangled belongs in that group of Disney classics. After films that I enjoyed but didn’t feel weren’t classics in the manner of Beauty and the Beast, such as The Frog Princess, and one’s that were good but weren’t really classic Disney, like Bolt, my expectations were tempered. I came out of my first viewing, thinking they had pulled it off, but not really considering it an instant classic.
After having watched it several times now, and seeing both my daughters (one 6 and one 13) watch it several more times, I’m convinced it’s a classic, and one that will build an even bigger following over time. It’s a great re-telling of the Rapunzel tale, has some great set pieces, great performances, and classic Disney musical numbers.
Another indicator for me: Tangled is the first Disney Soundtrack I’ve purchased since The Nightmare Before Christmas. Before that, it was The Little Mermaid.
I had originally planned to discuss my deep love of certain movies, and my ability to watch them over and over again, such as It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s been a crazy day, so some other time.
My favorite scene:
Some days I feel a whole lot like George Bailey at 0:56.
— KW
Filed under: Uncategorized |
All Things in Moderation 
I have never seen "IAWL" all the way through. Or "GWTW".
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@KW:I've been through a challenging rough patch taking care of MrJS. Haven't posted much of anything anywhere in the last few weeks. But things have calmed down to a new version of normal, so I'll probably be around more.
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MrsJ, I hope things are getting better w/ MrJ. If appropriate, you'll be in my prayers.
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Many thanks, Mr. McWingnut. I'm very grateful.
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MsJS, the new normal always takes some getting used to doesn't it? We did miss you and hope you'll find time for us but obviously MrJS comes first. Best wishes and prayers sent your way as well. I know of a couple of other posters between the two sites having serious health issues as well.
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I've always love "It's a Wonderful Life" but still my favorite Christmas classic is "A Christmas Carol". I could watch if every Christmas and even more than once. My favorite is the one with George C. Scott.I don't know if anyone read this or not but it gels pretty well with the way I think our political class has designed legislation and why Obama has lost some support on the left.The austerity class’s reach has expanded in the Obama era, boosted by leaders of both parties and an influx of new funding. After consistently approving massive deficit spending under the Bush administration, Republicans suddenly found true religion under Obama (ironically, at a time when precisely the opposite of austerity was most needed). And within the Democratic Party, what Nobel laureate economist Joe Stiglitz calls “deficit fetishism” is viewed as the gold standard for responsible economics. Democrats revered Bill Clinton’s balancing of the budget as good policy and good politics, not to mention a shrewd way to tap Wall Street’s endless fundraising stream.Obama and his main economic advisers (Tim Geithner, Orszag, Larry Summers) were devotees of former Clinton Treasury Secretary and Goldman Sachs/Citigroup alum Rubin, who co-founded the pro–Wall Street Hamilton Project think tank at the Brookings Institution in 2006. The Hamiltonians had warned of “the adverse consequences of sustained large budget deficits” during the Bush administration and advocated “painful adjustments,” namely cuts to social insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare in exchange for more liberal policies like tax increases and healthcare reform. Obama entered office with the Hamilton plan in his back pocket.At the beginning of Obama’s presidency, Richard Nixon’s famous line “We are all Keynesians now” seemed more relevant than ever. But though Obama initially advanced a Keynesian-lite stimulus plan, which economists on the left and right agreed was imperative, the deficit was never far from the president’s mind.In February 2009, just weeks after the stimulus passed, Obama pivoted to the deficit, holding a Fiscal Responsibility Summit at the White House and assuring Blue Dog Democrats he supported a special deficit-reduction commission. “We feel like we’ve found a partner in the White House,” said Blue Dog co-chair Charlie Melancon. The austerity class swiftly co-opted the new administration. The CRFB, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and Pew Charitable Trusts launched a special commission in 2009 calling for mandatory spending caps and debt limits to put the United States in an “automatic, fiscal straitjacket.” Its recommendations formed the basis for last year’s Bowles-Simpson commission.
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Lms, I'm wondering what you find most troublesome. I tend to agree with Robert Barro that a sizable chunk of the electorate gets queesy about massive deficit spending because they recognize that at some point it will have to be paid back via higher taxation, and tend to adjust their spending in anticipation of that coming increase. It therefore blunts (if one ever really exists, which I have significant doubts about)the multiplyer effect. Is it Obama's apparant support of the above theory, as evidenced by his "Fiscal Responsibility Summit" that is bad? Or is it that he reinforces the idea (correct in my opinion) that government inately wastes huge amounts of money that needs to be aggresively investigated and corrected? That would undermine the argument that government, if run by the "right people" (like Democrats,) can be made efficient and tends towards corruption and inefficiency when run by the "wrong people?"
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Kevin:It's a Wonderful Life is one of the greatest movies ever. Ever.
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Hi guys, sorry McWing I've been out for a bit talking to our daughter. She's getting the job offers in for next year and has some big decisions to make. Looks like I'll be vacationing in Houston from now on, yikes. I'll have to think about your comments a little more McWing. Generally, I think we've had a political culture that has built up deficits that don't seem to benefit most people and while it's true there is corruption and waste in government I don't believe it's unique to government. I also think most politicians didn't realize the depth of the burden this recession placed on average Americans and I don't believe they've done a very good job, and neither has industry btw, of developing the opportunity for us to climb back up. We moved to deficit mania too fast and now we're stuck there. I think we'll have to just work our way through with all the cuts and job losses and crappy housing situation now until the majority of Americans pay down their debt. It's gonna take awhile. The average deleveraging was about 10% last year so we know what we have to do and I think we're on our own. That's fine I guess if that's the way everyone wants it. We've pulled ourselves up by the bootstraps before and we'll do it again. I have faith in the people, not the politicians or the big corporations.
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A classic example of stating the obvious in The Daily News from one Lauren Digioia, 26, who belongs to the "sanitation committee" at the OWS thing a Zucotti Park:"If you're going to come here and get our food, bedding and clothing, have books and medical supplies for no charge, they need to give back," Digioia said. "There's a lot of takers here and they feel entitled."Gee, you think?
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ScottC: ""There's a lot of takers here and they feel entitled."Don't you feel kind of entitled at a party. If I'm at a party or an open house, I'll partake liberally of the snacks and food provided, beverages as well, use the guests restroom, enjoy any provided entertainment, and not think of giving back. Similarly, when I've held parties (it's been a long time) they were expensive and stocked with nice food and folks showed up, sucked down food and beer, and disappeared with nary a glance back. It's not our orientation to "give back" at parties.
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Scott, agreed on It's a Wonderful Life. I look forward to Thanksgiving, as that's when we usually pull it out and watch it and, despite having seen it 50 times, the 6-month to a year gap since having last seen it let's me enjoy it in full again, goose bumps and all. lmsinca: Because of when I grew up, my first exposure to a Christmas Carol was the musical Scrooge with Albert Finney, and it's still my favorite. Albert Finney makes an excellent Scrooge (despite his youth at the time), you really get a sense of the romantic relationship he has with Fezziwig's daughter that he then lets slip away (with some great music), Alec Guiness as Marley and my favorite Ghost of Christmas Present ever. Tunes like "Thank You Very Much" and "Father Christmas" and "I Like Life" Oh, and "I Hate People"–the curmudgeonly libertarian's lament if ever there's been one.
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Kevin:Quite on the contrary, I never go to a party empty handed. I always bring something…wine, beer, a dessert, a gift for the house. And if we get invited to someone's house for a party/dinner, we always try to reciprocate at some point in the future.
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Lyrics it "I Hate People" . . . I love that song.Scavengers and sycophants and flatterersand foolsPharisees and parasites and hypocritesand ghoulsCalculating swindlers, prevaricating fraudsPerpetrating evil as they roam the earthin hordesFeeding on their fellow menReaping rich rewardsContaminating everything they seeCorrupting honest me like meHumbug! Poppycock! Balderdash! Bah!I hate people! I hate people!People are despicable creaturesLoathesome inexplicable creaturesGood-for-nothing kickable creaturesI hate people! I abhor them!When I see the indolent classesSitting on their indolent assesGulping ale from indolent glassesI hate people! I detest them! I deplore them!Fools who have no money spend itGet in debt then try to end itBeg me on their knees befriend themKnowing I have cash to lend themSoft-hearted me! Hard-working me!Clean-living, thrifty and kind as can be!Situations like this are of interest to meI hate people! I loathe people! I despise and abominate people!Life is full of cretinous wretchesEarning what their sweatiness fetchesEmpty minds whose pettiness stretchesFurther than I can seeLittle wonder I hate peopleAnd I don't care if they hate me!
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MsJS,Best wishes on your travails. I am a rightie who appreciates your input when you have the time.Scott, funniest quotation I've seen in a while.KW, as I think you know, I have a mixed, love/hate feelings for most things Disney. That goes for the movies, too. Complex (my love/hate) and hard to explain.
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"I always bring something…wine, beer, a dessert, a gift for the house. And if we get invited to someone's house for a party/dinner, we always try to reciprocate at some point in the future."You're ruining it for the rest of us! Now they'll always be looking at me: "What? You didn't bring anything? Scott brought something. Hmmm. Well, if that's the kind of person you are, I suppose . . . "
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KevinI like the Finney version also and the lyrics to that song are priceless. And my best experiences with Disney were when you could still get in with a General Admission price of $3.95 and just wander around or listen to the bands. I grew up about 15 miles from Disneyland and we used to go there on girls night out and dance our hearts away. We could also get into Knott's Berry Farm for free. I had a boyfriend who used to take me there and we'd get something to eat, go to the Haunted House and the Old Time Theater where we'd catch the latest damsel in distress play.
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"I grew up about 15 miles from Disneyland and we used to go there on girls night out and dance our hearts away."Okay, this brings to mind a special memory for our family. When my daughter, whom we adopted from another country, was about 2 or 3, we took a trip to California and went to Disneyland (we've done DW 4-5 times). Once when we came out of a restaurant there, a band was playing just down the street, and my daughter started giggling and dancing and swirling around in her blue sun dress in the street, and a group of people gathered around to enjoy her show. I managed to snap a couple of great pictures. She used to keep food in her mouth for a long time after eating (a common habit with kids from her country), and when we saw the pics we saw that her radiant smile was bright green — she still had salad or asparagus that she was "saving" for a while in her mouth. Now, that's one reason I love Disney.
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"we saw that her radiant smile was bright green"That's funny qb. I have a poignant memory from Disneyland. Once my niece graduated college here in CA she moved to NM to help take care of her mother but always came back during summers and holidays as we were her family here. A few years before she died she brought her boyfriend and his daughter who was about five for a weeks vacation. We all went to Disneyland the day their flight was leaving (late at night) from LAX so we said our goodbyes by the teacups. She and I always cried through our goodbyes and so we stood there hanging onto each other sobbing and finally my embarrassed husband separated us and we walked away. Unfortunately, we took a wrong turn into one of those inexplicable dead ends that are all over Disneyland and so had to walk back by her (still crying into her boyfriends shoulder) and we started all over again. Sheesh, it's one of those memories I can't shake.
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I'm a big fan of Tangled and I can only imagine how much more I'd like it if I had a few kids who liked it as much or more than me. It doesn't hurt that my wife has long luxurious locks of blonde hair. I bought the movie for her the day it came out.Speaking of my wife, we're t-minus 4 weeks until the due date. Any suggestions for a "push" gift?
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ashot, if the mothers in this group do not chime in, you can take my suggestion and file it fwiw. Gift certificate for a spa day. A place that pampers. And an enclosed card that says you will take full and complete care of the baby that day and that she is not to worry.
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Mark's idea sounds great. One of the most personal issues women have right after delivery is a clothes problem though. Obviously, she won't be able to fit into her old clothes and no one wants to wear the same ole stuff you've worn for the last several months that will be too big, so an intermediate wardrobe is essential.Good luck btw.
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"Speaking of my wife, we're t-minus 4 weeks until the due date. Any suggestions for a "push" gift?"Do whatever she wants you to do without question, and don't talk back. ;)What I do suggest is sometimes in the first year, arrange for a night out or a party somewhere (I did laser tag, but a night out partying or dancing might be good, too). Everyone is different, but sometimes a deep awareness of vanishing youth and having to stay home and take care of the kid becomes a little oppressive. An anniversary or birthday party where you (a) surprise her (unless she's on record as hating surprises) and finds out you've also planned a big night for the baby (new movies, some new toys, got the nanny coming over, planned out dinner and left directions for the nanny or baby sitter) . . . If you have good grand parents who will take the kid for extended periods of time, abuse this privilege. My dad lives in town, and the spend several hours every other weekend with him, but my mom is in Atlanta (and I have trouble trusting her with the kids for an extended period), and my wife's parents have passed away . . . so my wife is always looking with envy at her friend, whose parents are constantly taking their grandchild for vacations and weeks at a time. Of course, her friends parents got pregnant with her when they were 18. Both my wife and I were born when our parents were in their thirties. Ten years is a long time when it comes to having grandparents that can take care of little children for long periods. If you're grandparent situation sucks, you might occasionally run into grandparent jealousy. Almost every time we've gone on vacation, we've run into grandparents taking their grandkids to Disney World or some place, while the actual parents go vacation somewhere by themselves. This always sends my wife into a pout: "I wish we had decent grandparents!" Also, take note of the consumption of time and expense. Some other parents will tell you that now that you've got one, two or three or no big deal, and you benefit from economies of scale. This is not true. Somehow, the next one will end up being just as expensive as the first, and consume just as much time, effectively doubling your cost and time. Which is fine, just so long as you know what you're getting into. Don't believe the economies of scale myth!Finally, kids grow fast. I don't care how much money you make, it's a waste of money to buy them expensive clothes. Second-hand shops, thrift stores, church sales, and ebay. Again: kids grow fast, and you will frequently find never worn or barely worn clothes in thrift shops and on ebay. And you'll feel a lot of better about buying a bunch of second hand stuff that only gets worn a few times as the little sprout sprouts up.Finally, it's nice to spend money on the wee ones, but when they are young they don't remember, and when they're older they won't appreciate it. Shower the wife with as many gifts and attention if not more. Oh, finally: don't drop the baby! Don't get distracted. When she's out doing something and putting you in charge of the baby, don't get distracted and have the little booger tumble down the stairs. The best present you can give the new mother is a certainty that when she needs you to take care of the baby, you will, and she won't come home to find you tapping on your computer or talking to someone from work while Jr. has defeated the child lock in the kitchen cabinets and is pulling out the Dran-O.
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None of this advice is exactly a "push" gift. I'd suggest you find something personal. We had a Charming Tails caketopper for our wedding cake back in 1993, so I got her a Charming Tails™ mother and child sculpture for the 1st bday. Anything that says we're a family, I love you more than ever, and there's no need to rethink your decision in having chosen me as a mate, seriously ,that wasn't a mistake. Which, now that you're kind of stuck with me, is a good thing, right?
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Thanks for all the ideas, advice and thoughts.
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Whatever you do, don't tell her that, now that she's kind of stuck with you, you're really gonna start packing on the pounds. Or, "Finally, now I can start smoking again! And doing meth. Phew. This is the moment I've been waiting for."
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