“Gravity” works, except when it doesn’t

March 17, 2014

Jim Reeves commentary, geek, Personal , , , , , , 1 Comment

Gravity

They say you have to “suspend disbelief” to enjoy some movies, but when a movie is about something you’re really interested in, it becomes more difficult as the filmmakers take “artistic license” to the extreme.  The new movie “Gravity” is one such example.  Where to begin with all that’s wrong with this film?

First, let me tell you what was good.  The technical aspects were first rate.  The visuals, the micro-gravity, most of the movement were spot on.  It looked almost like it was filmed in space!  The scenes of the astronauts in orbit, the Earth, the space shuttle and space station looked incredibly real.  The story line was mostly good, but some really odd things popped in from time to time, making one wonder “what the hell was that?”  (the chinese guy talking with the barking dog and crying baby? huh?)

Now, for the bad…

[SPOILERS ALERT]

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I Love Living In the Future

March 5, 2014

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Inmarsat-3A few minutes ago, I was sitting in my living room, holding a little piece of plastic and metal to my ear, no wires connecting me to any plugs on the walls, talking to a friend in Virginia as he drove down a highway.  Space Cadet JimmieJoe was jumping up and down in my head again, amazed.

When I was 12, the Space Cadet often daydreamed about the future.  There were spaceships and incredible computers.  Meals would be selected on a screen, and be magically transported to the table by a conveyor. Communication anywhere on the planet would be simple, quick, and complete with video. Super sonic jets would whisk you to anyplace on Earth in a short time, and, of course, flying cars would be everywhere.  Think – “The Jetsons”.

Well, the future is here, but it looks a bit different than Space Cadet JimmieJoe imagined.

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10 Confessions From An Introvert

February 23, 2014

Jim Reeves Personal 1 Comment

Here’s some things that hit close to home. Not a 100% match, and I’m getting better, but still… a lot of truth.

Local paper publishes my comments 3 days in a row

February 12, 2014

Jim Reeves commentary, Personal , , , , , 1 Comment

The local newspaper, The Visalia Times Delta, has, like most papers today, an online site.

There, readers can post comments about articles and letters.  I enjoy reading and commenting, and it’s become a fairly regular thing to see my comments published in the print edition on the “Local” page.  It’s been a rare thing these past several months where I haven’t had at least one comment make the paper each week.  This week I made it three days in a row!

3_in_a_row

I used to open the paper to the editorial page first, to check out political cartoons and letters to the editor.  Now, in a bit of vanity, I open it to 3A first, to see if I’ve made it to the print edition again.  (Actually, I cheat on that a bit.  Since I subscribe to both the electronic and print editions, I can see the paper online several hours before it’s actually delivered to my home. I’ll check out the e-newspaper edition first to see if they published any of my comments, then add the print edition to my “archives” storage bin if they did. I may have to get a second bin!)
I also have a ‘Featured Community Blog’ at the Times Delta’s site (one of only three), called Alternating Currents. Feel free to check it out.

My Facebook “Look Back”

February 5, 2014

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Self Evident Truth Project Visalia Pictures posted

January 15, 2014

Jim Reeves Gay, Personal, Pictures , , , 3 Comments

In October New York photographer iO Tillet Wright brought her photographic project to Visalia.  Simple black and white photographs illustrate the basic humanity in members of the LGBTQ community.  The Self Evident Project’s goal is 10,000 simple photos of people from all walks of life.  Here’s mine.

Jim_SET_Oct_2013
For the complete Visalia set of images, go to Self Evident Truth / Visalia

Demons, Diabolical Lifestyles, and late middle age

December 18, 2013

Jim Reeves commentary, Gay, Humor, Personal , , , , , , 6 Comments

gay_demon

Not my demon, apparently

Demon possessed. That’s what the ex-chaplain says.  Gays have an “un-human demonic spirit” in them.

A local resident of Visalia, Sam Lukes, said we have a “diabolically twisted lifestyle” in a recent letter to the editor*.

Russian actor Ivan Okhlobystin is ready to toss us in the nearest oven.  The government is not far behind, as the Duma (Russia’s Parliament) has passed into law sweeping edicts that seem to make even talking about homosexuality a crime.  The 2014 Olympics are taking a hit over the crackdown.

We’ve made some impressive progress over the past few decades, and things, at least in the USA and some other progressive western nations, are getting better.

But to listen to some of these nutjobs talk, you’d think Satan himself was walking the Earth in a leather harness and spiked heels.  As they describe what it is to be gay, I’m looking at myself and thinking…

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A Day in LGBT America – The Advocate

December 10, 2013

Jim Reeves 9-1-1, Gay, Personal , , , , 1 Comment

Advocate_day_in

The Advocate asked for submissions for a piece on “A Day in LGBT America”, so I sent one in. They chose it as one of those posted on the web.  It brings up the end of the day, since I took it at 10:48 pm.

Advocate_day_in_jim

Jimmiejoe Goes Golfing – circa 1968

November 5, 2013

Jim Reeves commentary, Personal , , , , 1 Comment

linwood_golf_course

There’s a great website by Visalia historian Terry Ommen, Historic Happenings, that chronicles the history of Visalia.  This month’s post had a question about the location of the Linwood Golf Course.

The image above is where I believe the course was located.  South of School Street, between Linwood and Crenshaw.  The course, if I recall, was a small 9 hole affair, and stretched down to the edge of Mill Creek on the south. (I don’t recall if the creek traversed the course, or simply skirted it.)  The area is now condominiums and single family homes.  

I played one “round” there when I was in the 5th or 6th grade (circa 1968).  A buddy who lived in the area invited me to go with him and “play” a round.  We did, but I don’t remember our scores, or if we even bothered to keep track.  We had brought a set of clubs, they were Lenny’s or his father’s I suppose, and we hacked our way around the course.  

It was a fun afternoon, but I would not touch another golf club until the mid-80’s, when the boss invited the “managerial” staff to a round out at the course east of Mooney’s Grove. (the name escapes me, and it is no longer open)  That round was such a spectacular mess, with a long hole (on the back nine? South side of the course. If you’re a local golfer, you probably know it.)  teaching me that I have no business on a golf course, ever.  I haven’t tried the game since.

I understand golf was invented in Scotland.  I think they did it just to torture the rest of the world.  

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