Source: Vox, by Alex Abad-Santos

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The hard truth is that there have been 17 Marvel movies (including Spider-Man: Homecoming, Marvel’s joint venture with Sony), and none of them have had a woman or person of color as the titular or central character. That will finally change with Black Panther, the first Marvel movie about a black superhero. (Marvel Studios didn’t own the rights to Blade until 2013.) And judging by the first reactions to film, which had its world premiere Monday night, it’s a milestone many fans are more than ready to see Marvel pass.

One of the most prominent reactions among those who saw the film — aside from how awesome the movie is — was the feeling that they were seeing themselves onscreen for the first time.

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https://twitter.com/NatashaSAlford/status/958157441946054657
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In the comic books, T’Challa, a.k.a. Black Panther, is king of a fictional African country called Wakanda. Within the Marvel universe, Wakanda is one of the most technologically advanced countries on the planet (if not the most), one that has repelled every attempt at invasion — including intergalactic ones — from anyone silly enough to think they could defeat the Wakandan forces.

Pride, power, and grace are synonymous to Wakanda and its king. That’s a big part of what makes Black Panther so powerful, since these kinds of depictions of black identity — superheroes, royalty, geniuses, warriors who have never been colonized — have so rarely been seen in mainstream pop culture up to this point.

When it comes to superhero movie first reactions, Black Panther’s included, they all tend to shout the same chorus: that it’s the best superhero movie ever. But in Black Panther’s case, there’s something deeper happening in how it’s inspired these sorts of reflections on the power of representation. It may be a good movie, but more importantly, it may also be a movie that changes the game.

Black Panther hits theaters on February 16, 2018.

Read it all at: https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/1/30/16950798/black-panther-marvel-first-reactions

Channel Zero: Butcher's Block Syfy, Feb 7, Wednesday, 10-9CT Another creepypasta original story from the internet!





Olympic Winter Games NBC(s), delayed broadcasts and live streaming, begins Feb 9, ends Feb 25


Here and Now HBO, Feb 11, Sunday, 9-8CT Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter? Give it a shot?





Homeland Showtime, Feb 11, Sunday, 9-8CT Season 7 - always watchable!


The Radical Story of Patty Hearst CNN, Feb 11, Sunday, 9-8CT Miniseries starts - an iconic story of the '70's.




Last Week Tonight with John Oliver HBO, Feb 18, Sunday, 11-10CT

Ash vs. Evil Dead Starz, Feb 25, Sunday, 9-8CT Deadites and Lucy Lawless! What more do you want?

The Walking Dead (and Talking Dead) AMC, Feb 25, Sunday, 9-8CT FFS! Kill the bastid already, Rick!!!


Shoot the Messenger WGN, Feb 26, Monday, 10-9CT Interesting original stuff on WGN now!




Designated Survivor ABC, Feb 28, Wednesday, 10-9CT No, I'm not a snob!


Survivor: Ghost Island CBS, Feb 28, Wednesday, 8-7CT




Any other shows of note you want people to watch?

Sorry - Broadcast networks and cable news stations will be televising this "Festival of Lies" which is nothing more than a repeat (ad nauseum) of what we have been hearing for over a year now.


Basic cable selections

WGN: 'The Hulk' and 'Bellevue' - 'Bellevue' premier last week pretty interesting!

NFL Channel: rebroadcast of '2005 Superbowl,' New England v Philadelphia - *trigger warning*

AMC: 'Demolition Man' - *spoiler* - the present-day mysterious "Taco Bell" is featured in our future!

Syfy: 'The Goonies' - Yes, that's for people who NEVER watch the 'SOTU!'

Premium cable selections

Alt-HBO: "The Great Wall" as in China. This is probably what the Dotard imagined!

Alt-HBO: "Why Him?" - If that's still nagging at you.

Alt-Cinemax: "American Psycho" - Yeah, we knew what the deplorables were getting us into!

Alt-Showtime: "Scream" - ALWAYS appropriate.

Alt-Movie Channel: "Hell or High Water" - For those who do not enjoy escapism.

Don't forget 'On Demand' and 'Red Box' for something new!

Any one else find something good to watch?

Source: AL.com, by Kelly Kazek




Many travelers along Interstate 65 have been wondering for more than a year what happened to the iconic sign with the image of a red-tailed Satan and the message "Go To Church or the Devil Will Get You." Whether passing motorists agreed with its sentiment, the sign was a well-known landmark that many will be happy to know is being replaced.

The sign, erected decades ago by W.S. "Bill" Newell, was toppled by a storm in fall of 2016. It was located on Newell's private property near the Verbena exit beside the north-bound lanes. Newell was known as a Christian and a patriot who enjoyed providing the message for motorists to contemplate.

Newell's sons, Sam and Keith, took over maintenance of the sign upon their father's death in 2009. A new signboard has been erected, this time closer to a picturesque mill waterwheel so that it is more visible to those traveling north, according to Althea Newell, wife of Sam Newell. The signboard is currently covered with blank, white paper.

Despite the fact that the original sign was damaged when it fell, the devil image was salvaged and will be used on the new sign, Mrs. Newell said. The message will be the same, likely with the exact wording as the original, she said.

Mrs. Newell didn't know when the message would be added to the new signboard, saying it depends on when crews at her husband's firm, Newell and Sons Construction in Montgomery, will be available to work on it.

http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2018/01/new_go_to_church_or_the_devil.html#incart_river_home

The New England Patriots and Tom Brady - the 'Hillary Clinton' of the NFL!

Source: Sporting News, by Bill Bender






Read it all at: http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nfl/news/new-england-patriots-conspiracy-cheaters-belichick-brady-spygate-deflategate/1umfy02l1pyl51wdzqjfelmt36

https://civilrightstrail.com/

Source: AL.com, by Michael Casagrande


University of Alabama athletics continues to be profitable and football remains the driving force, according to budget documents the school files annually with the NCAA.

The school made $15.6 million more than it spent in 2017, according to the document obtained by AL.com through open records requests.

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In terms of football, the profit was $45.9 million with total revenue of $108.2 million. With expenses rising last year, the profit was down $1.8 million from the 2016 report filed with the NCAA. The revenue, however, was up from $103.9 million in 2016.

For perspective, USA Today reported the University of Texas had revenue of $215 million in 2017 (compared to Alabama's $174.3 million). It was the highest revenue number in the 13 years of the newspaper's survey of athletics money, up from the previous record of $173.2 million Texas set in 2015.

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Contributions accounted for $32.9 million. That could take a big hit in 2018 with the new tax plan passed by Congress and signed by the president. In the past, 80 percent of those contributions could be written off as charity donations.

That deduction is eliminated under the new tax plan, which will make things more difficult for athletics departments to raise money from donors.


Read it all at: http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2018/01/alabama_athletics_brought_in_1.html#incart_river_home_pop

Spoiler: It’s not Chuck Schumer.

Source: Vox, by Matthew Yglesias




Read it all at: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/24/16927834/daca-deal-blame-game

The devil is always in the detail.


Source: AL.com, by Leada Gore


Federal workers will receive pay for the time they were off the job during the short-lived government shutdown.

The continuing resolution passed by Congress includes a measure that will grant back pay for federal workers who were furloughed at the start of the government shutdown at midnight on Saturday. Uniformed military personnel and federal workers deemed critical to ongoing functions were guaranteed back pay once the government opened. Workers who are furloughed, however, have no such guarantee and it takes Congressional action for them to be paid.

The bill also contains a pay guarantee for any other possible shutdowns in 2018, a provision that could be important with the current funding deal set to expire on Feb. 8.

Many federal workers arrived at work on Monday only to be sent home before Congress reached a spending agreement by late afternoon. In 2013, some 800,000 federal workers were furloughed - some as long as 16 days - during a shutdown. Back pay was granted in that case as well.


http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/01/furloughed_feds_will_receive_b.html#incart_river_home

Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots early game, CBS, 3-2CT.

Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles 6:40, Fox, 5:40 CT.

Super Bowl in 2 weeks!

Take a break anyway. You know you need it!