Watched the 1980 Shaevers-Cobb bout, then Marriage at  First Sight,  then  #DanceMoms, now watching NBC's #FoodFighters

Guardians of the Galaxy

I took Smiley to see Guardians of the Galaxy tonight. It was sci-fi just the way I like it: epic, fun, and free of any of that "science" stuff. 

Some points: 

1. Way too many previews - perhaps 15 or 20 minutes worth. Blech. Of the trailers we saw I'm eager to see Interstellar and the new Annie. 

2. Grade school classmate Jim Knap was at the movie with his family. Good to see him!

3. I liked the movie, but I think it falls short of the hype I've heard from people here on FB. The top Marvel movie of all time? Nuh-uh. For me, it doesn't even crack the top four. 

4. Total cost for two tickets and two popcorns? Zilch, courtesy of the Marcus Theatres rewards program!

My Thoughts

I like T & A and legs and abs and . . . well, *everything* on a woman just as much as any other man, and I have no general objection to pornography.

What I *do* object to is the inclusion of half-naked women in areas that should have nothing to do with sex. The moronic "rock girl" promotion on 102.9; the "Fox-y" daily bikini model on Fox Sports feed, the Corona girls at every boxing match sponsored by Golden Boy, the House of Harley Davidson's insistence on not only using scantily clad women, but tying their product directly to the strip club next door. 

Do whatever you like in bed to whatever willing partner you find, within the confines on the oaths you've taken. I couldn't care less. Look at all the porn you want, it doesn't bother me in the least. If your product is about sex, or about the human body or its appeal, pimp it out. Fine and dandy. 

But if your product isn't about sex, don't use sex to sell it. It diminishes the value of human sexuality and, frankly, makes me not want to use your product.

Completely off any topic I've brought up here, but this is the single best online comment ever (saw it on CNN.com)

The American Civil War was NOT about slavery. It was about:

States rights ... to keep slaves

Economics ... based on slave labor

Political division ... about slavery

Territorial expansion ... and the expansion of slavery

Northern infringement ... on the South's ability to keep slaves

Government representation ... to have more Southern senators to defend slavery

Railroads ... so the South could export slave-picked cotton easier

Social differences ... about the morality of slavery

Wait, I'm beginning to notice a pattern here...

Ebola

BREAKING: Columbus, Ohio, woman who recently traveled to west Africa is being tested for Ebola as precaution, public health dept. says. (ABC)

We had an old washer sitting around in the basement for the last year, because Socialist had dreams of fixing it and splitting the profits. Since that obviously wasn't going to happen, I decided to get rid of it today. Lacking anyone to help, and with our dolly MIA, yours truly lifted it up the cellar stairs and hauled it to the alley with pure brawn. Lu was suitably impressed. "Remember girl," I said. " Fat I may be, but strength, strength is NOT my weakness." [I'd been waiting to use that line for like six months, since I coined it one night at work LOL]

As a follow up to the assassination of the US General in Afghanistan today - 15 others were wounded, including a German General. Tensions are high (obviously) and an AP photographer has reported being shot at ("warned off") by troops at the base.

Sharknado 2: The Second One

We just finished watching "Sharnado 2: The Second One", a rip-roaring, star studded romp through a NY ravaged by sharks, tornadoes and a corpse-like Tara Reid. Great fun - I smell an Emmy!!!

The Damned

We just finished watching "The Damned", a horror film about a family that releases a little girl from a dungeon in a former inn, only to discover that there was a very good reason for keeping her locked in. An above average horror flick and worth a rental. 

In freaky deeky news, right about the time things got crazy during the climax a loud crashing sound was heard from the pantry/kitchen - this, despite the cats being in sight and the kids asleep. When I investigated nothing was amiss; the doors were locked, the shelves in order, the floor clear of anything that looked like it fell. Good luck falling asleep tonight.

The Single

I've wanted to see "The Signal"since we saw the first preview months ago. It's a "thinking man's" sci-fi film about a group of friends imprisoned by the government after they are exposed to an ET, and falls firmly into the "Oriental [Theater]" genre. Consider me disappointed. It's intelligence is surface deep, it's reveals are childish, and at times it's so confusing I thought my IQ must have fallen off a cliff before sitting down to watch it. Fail. Avoid it if you can.