Tesla Model 3 - Review from the passenger seat

So, my uncle Howard "Biff" Tucker recently purchased a 2017 Tesla Model 3, which is, in a word, amazing.

PROS:
Unbelievable acceleration
Electric powertrain with good range
Attractive, but not mind-blowing, styling
Good materials in the interior
Enough electronic goodies to satisfy any car enthusiast and/or gamer.

CONS:
Deliberately mimimalist interior - Center screen is the only interior feature. Hard to see speed, turn signals, other vital vehicle information
Could use a heads-up display or second, smaller screen placed in front of the driver (like in the Ford Mustang Mach-E).
Rear seat could be bigger (The Model S resolves this).

My Uncle Biff knows I am a car guy, so he was busting to show off his new toy! The first thing I noticed was the crazy acceleration. He pulled out on to the main road and floored it. I was slammed against the seat. Tesla conservatively claims a 0-60 time of 5.1 seconds, but it felt a good second quicker. It reminded me of the launch of the Storm Runner roller coaster at Hersheypark, and could outrun a C5 Corvette off the line. In a YouTube video, it beat a Hellcat off the line, but had a quicker lap time, because Hellcats can't handle for crap. The Model 3's handling is decent, but since this is a sedan, it is not sports-car precise.

The other thing he wanted to show off was the "Toy Box." If you click on the Whoopee Cushion in the Toy Box, the car goes into "Fart Mode," in which you can make a Bronx Cheer emanate from any of the seats, or go off whenever a turn signal is activated (don't worry... It's just the sound and nmot the smell. Needless to say, my two boys, ages 10 and 9, got a huge kick out of this. Also, if you click on the reindeer in the Toy Box, it starts to "snow" in the car, and the radio plays Christmas music. Uncle Biff claims the range is a good 350 miles (keep in mind he lives in Florida, where there are no hills), and can recharge in about 30 minutes with a supercharger, but it can also recharge with a standard wall outlet, which takes several hours.

The next thing he showed off was the Autopilot, which is not only Adaptive Cruise Control, but uses the lines on the road to navigate the car around curves while keeping a reasonable distance from other cars. For safety's sake (and to avoid lawsuits "CYA") the car instructs you to keep your hands on the wheel. If you are near an obstacle, you don't hear a beep, but the wheel vibrates.Unfortunately, We didn't get to test this out on the highway. The backup camera, in addition to being a high-resolution camera with a very clear image, also shows how far away you are from the cars in front of you and to the sides, down to the inch. Parking this car is fascinating.

Overall, this was a real learning experience (this erased any stigma I once had about electric cars), and a fascinating car. And yes, if I had the opportunity, I would definitely buy one.

Oscars postmortem

First of all, I am glad I didn't enter an office pool this year, because all of my picks were dead wrong.

Surprises:

Olivia Colman, Best Actress: This winner for The Favourite was an underdog in this category. It was her first win. She gave a heartfelt speech, and was even kind enough to apologize to Glenn Close for winning. Colman gave a great performance in an outstanding movie and deserved the trophy.

Green Book, Best Picture: This was a controversial winner, because it supposedly is an old-fashioned look at racism and discrimination that received several mediocre reviews from critics, not to mention the family of Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali's character) accused the filmmakers of misrepresenting the character. Some people have said this could join "Crash" among the worst Best Picture winners in history. I don't agree. I thought the movie was pretty good, and Mahershala Ali was outstanding.

Spike Lee, Best Adapted Screenplay: This made me happy because this was, in my opinion, the best movie of the year. Spike Lee was exuberant, and threw some shade at the President, asking Americans to mobilize for the 2020 election and vote for unity and not hate. Noted movie critic D.J. Trump wrote one of his scathing 140-character reviews, "Be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts,etc.) than almost any other Pres!" 

I am sure, like most of his other claims, the accuracy of these "facts" is questionable at best.

Black Panther: This movie won several "below the line" awards like costume design and production design. These were both won by African-American women, the first to win in both of these categories.

What went well:

Hostless with the mostest: Many of the viewers were hate-watching the Oscars, expecting a train wreck like the last hostless show in 1989. It was anything but. It opened with a high-energy performance by Queen, with Adam Lambert doing a fairly decent job fronting the band. Then, SNL alums Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Maya Rudolph cracking a few jokes and presenting the Best Supporting Actress award. I think this streamlined the show, because you are avoiding the bloat of a monologue, scripted bits and jokey introductions for the presenters. The show clocked in at a reasonable 3 hours and 17 minutes. I vote for not having a host in the future, unless they find a way to shorten the show (Easier said than done, because the idea of presenting some awards during the commercials went over like a lead balloon).

Shallow: Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's heartfelt performance, which was staged and executed masterfully, wowed the crowd and the dozens of people watching from home. In the least surprising award of the evening, Shallow went on to win the Best Original Song Award.

What didn't work: 

Best Picture: See above. Some cranky critics are calling "Green Book" the worst Best Picture winner since "Crash." I thought it was pretty good, and Mahershala Ali, whose character stood up to racism with courage and dignity, deserved the award for Supporting Actor. Still, I would have given it to BlacKKKlansman.

Dead folks: Yes, the Academy president came out and said this is only a partial list. Still, that's no excuse for leaving off Carol Channing (she was nominated for an Oscar!), and Dick Miller, a longtime character actor best known for showing up in several Joe Dante movies, including the invincible Murray Futterman in the "Gremlins" movies, not to mention Gary Kurtz, who produced the original "Star Wars" trilogy.

Best social media reaction: You have to love Anne Hathaway and her self-effacing sense of humor... 

Overall, not a bad show. We will see what happens next year.

The 10 most overrated movies of all time

Okay, now for the fun part. Keep in mind, this is not a list of movies I hate, it is just a list of movies that won too many awards, acclaimed by too many critics, or seen by too many people given their quality (or lack thereof). Here goes.

To head off any complaints, Titanic is not on this list. I don't think it should have won a dozen Oscars, but I enjoyed the pacing, story and effects of this movie.

10. The Godfather, Part III: Viewed on its own, this is a decent movie. However, it pales in comparison to its two prequels, arguably two of the greatest movies of all time. This third installment, which was nominated for seven Oscars, including picture and director, has a muddled story, and some truly laughable moments, like Andy Garcia's ear-biting scene, Sofia Coppola's entire performance, and the end of the movie, which looks an awful lot like Arte Johnson's Tyrone F. Horneigh on Laugh-In. I will admit that Gordon Willis' cinematography deserved the nomination.

9. Avatar: This is the top-grossing movie of all time. The plot was a clone of Dances With Wolves (see below), and the high-tech effects made this movie look like a long cartoon. I heard it's better in 3-D.

8. Inception: This was a visually stunning movie. That having been said, I didn't understand a damn minute of it.

7. Dances With Wolves: I actually enjoyed this movie. However, it somehow beat Goodfellas, another one of the greatest movies ever made. Joe Pesci deservedly won his supporting actor award, but it's unbelievable that Scorsese lost out to Costner for what I think is the best directed movie ever.

6. Napoleon Dynamite: So many people thought this was hilarious. I didn't laugh out loud a single time at this dull movie. The only information I took from this is how much the title character looks like former Eagles QB Nick Foles.

5. Gladiator: This umpteenth take on the sword and sandal epic was just mediocre and had lousy digital effects, especially considering it beat out Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Erin Brockovich, and Traffic for Best Picture.

4. Shakespeare in Love: Meh. Although Steven Spielberg finally won, deservedly, for directing Saving Private Ryan, this blatant piece of Harvey Weinstein Oscar bait won the big prize.

3. Gandhi: This is a typical epic biopic, and it could just have easily been made in the 1950s. Not to diminish the importance of this important Indian revolutionary, but its epic style has been done dozens of times before, and it beat out E.T.!

2. The English Patient: Another undeserving Best Picture winner. A surefire cure for insomnia, this flick is overlong, glacially paced Oscar bait. This beat out Jerry Maguire and Fargo, both much better movies.

1. Forrest Gump: I do not hate this movie. This is on the top of the list because it beat not one or two, but three far better movies for Best Picture. This was in 1994, and this decent movie about a mentally challenged individual who experienced a whole bunch of historic events. Yes, it was cool how they digitally inserted Tom Hanks into shots with several presidents, but beat far superior movies like Quiz Show, The Shawshank Redemption, and Pulp Fiction, which is one of the best movies ever made, revolutionized the movie industry as we know it, and instantly turned my brother into a movie buff.

The 10 most underrated movies of all time

So, a lot of movies are really underrated. Sometimes it's because they were unfairly savaged by critics, sometimes it's because they are flops at the box office, or sometimes the movie's budget is so big, and expectations are so high. Here we go.

10. Pump Up The Volume: Christian Slater stars as an introverted high school student, who becomes an underground disc jockey. He eventually is pursued by the FCC as they try to pull the proverbial plug. This 1990 film was way ahead of its time, tackling issues like teen suicide and the potential problems with standardized testing.

9. Bubba Ho-Tep: Bruce Campbell is Elvis, who woke up after a 20-year coma. Ossie Davis is a man who claims to be JFK. This unlikely pair discovers a mummy who feeds on the souls of the elderly. Enough said. This has become a cult classic.

8. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: A lot of you may not have heard of this movie. This is not long before Robert Downey Jr. hit pay dirt as Iron Man, and quite a while after Val Kilmer was "Iceman." It was written and directed by Shane Black, who wrote the first two "Lethal Weapon" movies, creating the iconic characters of Murtaugh and Riggs, and director of "Iron Man 3," which was a big leap over the mediocre second entry in the series. The movie has Downey's character accidentally ducking into a movie audition after his friend was killed and acing the audition. He is paired up with a Kilmer's character, an openly gay private eye. The two characters end up in the middle of a murder investigation, and all sorts of chaos ensue. The action and dialogue are both great, and this is a fine addition to the buddy-cop genre.

7. The Dark Knight: This was a wonderful movie that redefined and revolutionized both the comic book and action genres. Although Heath Ledger deservedly won posthumously for Best Supporting Actor, the film was not nominated for Best Picture. Because viewership was low for the Oscars, this prompted the Academy to change the rules and nominate up to 10 films for Best Picture in a very confusing process which I won't even attempt to explain.

6. Won't You Be My Neighbor: One of the best documentaries I have ever seen, and one of the best movies of 2018, this biography of Fred (Mister) Rogers was somehow not nominated for Best Documentary Feature. This is a travesty!

5. Life Itself: See above. Another great documentary, a no-holds-barred look at the life of film critic Roger Ebert, was also denied a documentary feature nomination.

4. Solo: A Star Wars Story: Everyone likes to throw shade at this movie because it grossed "only" $84 million on its opening weekend. People are blaming this movie for the death of the Star Wars saga. In reality, although not a masterpiece, it was a decent action movie with stunning visuals, and a surprising amount of character development. For the record, the plan is to put all Star Wars movies on hold after Episode IX later this year. Supposedly, director J.J. Abrams and the crew are sweating every detail to end the Skywalker saga with a bang, as opposed to the semi-mess that was Episode VIII (The Last Jedi).

3. The Cabin in the Woods: This is, hands down, one of the greatest horror movies ever made. It's not just a horror movie, it is a deconstruction of every horror movie, and provides an explanation for horror movie tropes. It is unpredictable, creatively written and pays homage to several horror and slasher movies (the great Joss Whedon was a co-writer). By the way, make sure you watch the last 20 minutes, when, frankly, all hell breaks loose.

2. The Cable Guy: So, I guess people at the time weren't used to seeing Jim Carrey in a more serious role, and I guess a lot of people, and critics, just don't like black comedy. This is about a man (Matthew Broderick), who is mentally disturbed, and gives him "the works" in exchange for his friendship. The results are bizarre, to say the least. The funniest scene in the movie takes place at Medieval Times where this exchange between Broderick and Janeane Garofolo as the "serving wench" takes place: 

"Can I get a knife and fork?"

"There were no utensils in medieval times, hence there are no utensils at Medieval Times. Would you like a refill on that Pepsi?"

"There were no utensils, but there was Pepsi?"

"Dude, I've got lots of tables."

Then, the two main characters battle in a great parody of the Star Trek episode "Amok Time," with Carrey providing the music.

Oddly enough, at the movie's climax, Carrey's character says about "Waterworld" (see below):

"I don't know what the big fuss is about. I saw that movie nine times. It rules!"

1. Waterworld: This Kevin Costner film was doomed from the start. At one point, the entire atoll set sank into the ocean, and the final price tag exceeded $200 million, the most expensive movie ever made at the time. However, what we have here is a very good action movie. It's derivative of Mad Max, (this time on a dystopian world almost entirely covered with water) and the acting is just okay, but the set decoration and action scenes are very well staged. There is also plenty of witty dialogue, thanks in part to Joss Whedon, who worked on the script, and Dennis Hopper, as the film's villain, The Deacon, who delivers most of these lines... 

When trying to stop their own gunner from blowing them out of the water: "Maybe he doesn't answer to Chuck. Call him Charles."

On the main character, a human who has "adapted" to the new world, with webbed feet and gills: "It's the gentleman guppy. You know, he's like a turd that won't flush."

The annual Oscar nomination rant!

Well, the Oscar nominations are out, and for a change, I don't have too much to complain about, so let's start with the good stuff:

Praises:

Black Panther: Finally, Marvel has done it! An MCU movie has been nominated for Best Picture! This is deserving of the nomination, because great characters, a compelling story, and a good message about multiculturalism make this truly one of the best movies of the year (for me, at least). I have some complaints below, however.

Roma: From a directing and visual perspective, this is a beautiful film, filmed in black and white. Film students will be analyzing this for years. However, the characters and story break no new ground. Director/co-writer/cinematographer Alfonso Cuaron said it was his most personal story, but regardless, it should be more compelling. Good, but not great, and not worthy of a Best Picture nomination. Will probably take cinematography, and could take directing, and is a shoo-in for best foreign language film.

BlacKkKlansman: This movie, based on a true story, is about an African-American undercover detective who is investigating the KKK. Adam Driver received a nomination for Supporting Actor, which he deserved, and Spike Lee was nominated for this "joint." A great film with great performances and a great story that has a lot of relevance today.

Acting/directing nominations: Once again, we have a diverse field of actors up for the Acting categories. Also, Spike Lee was nominated for "BlacKkKlansman," which, in his usually angry tone said never would have happened if not for the #OscarsSoWhite movement.

Bohemian Rhapsody: This movie tends to play a little fast and loose with actual events, often falling back on bio-pic tropes. However, it is Queen's awesome music and Rami Malek's portrayal of Freddie Mercury that drive this film.

A Star is Born: My wife wasn't too keen on this movie, because she wasn't sure what the point was. I perceived the movie as a look at the true power of music, and how the main point of making music is having something to say that other people want to hear. Also, the acting was great all around, and the soundtrack was nothing short of awesome.

Amy Adams watch: Adams is becoming the next Leo DiCaprio, now with 6 nominations and 0 wins. This year, she picked up a supporting nod for "Vice" as Dick Cheney's wife. Her competition is stiff this year.

Greatest Achievement by an Old Fart: Surprisingly, The acting nominees are mostly on the young side, but 71-year-old Glenn Close earned a seventh nod for her role in "The Wife." Surprisingly, Close has yet to win a trophy.

Best Original Song: We have a couple of strong entries this year, like Kendrick Lamar and SZA's "All The Stars" from Black Panther, but nothing will beat "Shallow" from "A Star is Born." When this is on the radio, my wife and I love to ask the kids "Do you hear Rocket Raccoon singing?"

Can you say snub?

Okay, now the fun part.

Won't You Be My Neighbor: This documentary about one of the world's kindest people, Fred (Mister) Rogers, was not nominated for documentary feature! This doc gave a comprehensive look at Rogers' life and his reason for doing what he did. I will admit that it had me choked up at times. This is simply unacceptable.

Black Panther: As happy as I was to see this film nominated for Best Picture, I was equally as angry to see this film shut out for any directing, writing, or acting nominations (Michael B. Jordan!). The rest of the nominations are for below-the-line stuff like sound, costumes, etc.

Bradley Cooper, the director: "A Star is Born,"which was nominated for Picture, Actor (Cooper), Actress (Lady Gaga), and Supporting  Actor (Sam Elliott). However, Cooper was snubbed for director. Some critics say it was because the film did not have a social agenda like many of the others.

John David Washington: This actor, Denzel's son, gave a great lead performance in "BlacKkKlansman" and received no recognition for it. Fight the Power!

Emily Blunt: After two supposedly great performances in "Mary Poppins Returns" and "A Quiet Place," She is also left out of the nominee pool. As most people know, Julie Andrews won Best Actress for the original "Poppins" many years ago.

Artsy-Fartsy Stuff: Even though Harvey Weinstein is gone, there are still the usual Oscar Baiters out there like "Roma" and "The Favourite." My favorite is, no pun intended, "The Favourite."

Crazy Rich Asians: I don't think this is worthy of a Best Picture nomination, but nothing? I would at least have looked into acting and screenplay nods for this one.

First Man: Damien Chazelle's film about Neil Armstrong was only nominated for Visual Effects. Not quite worthy of Best Picture, but how about directing, acting, and Justin Hurwitz for scoring the movie?

Mary Poppins Returns: (See Emily Blunt above) I agree with my brother that this was a great movie. I do believe this was worthy of a Best Picture nomination, and Emily Blunt as the title character should have been nominated. It probably would have won for Original Song, if it wasn't for a familiar little tune called "Shallow."

What/Who will win and who should win:

Best Picture

What will win: A Star is Born- This has all the ingredients- great acting, great music, a very good (albeit depressing) story, and moviegoers loved it. This will be a year a popular film wins Best Picture because of the award show's ratings, and that film will not be Black Panther.

What should win: BlacKkKlansman- Spike Lee is making a really good point about racism in America, how little has changed since the 1970s and what a long way we have to go. The ending, which brought up the riots in Charlottesville last year, was very poignant and effective.

Best Director

Who will win: Alfonso Cuaron, Roma- Like I said, this movie is kind of an Oscar baiter, and this was a visually stunning movie, even though it was kind of boring. 

Who should win: Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman- He has always been a good director, and this film is no exception. Hopefully, his first nomination will be a win.

Best Actor

Who will win/who should win: Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born- Cooper provides a great character arc for this performance, demonstrating a full range of emotions. He also has a good voice.

Best Actress

Who will win: Glenn Close, The Wife- I am going with my brother here that they will award this veteran actor for her body of work, like they did with Pacino and "Scent of a Woman," although he had many better performances.

Who should win: Lady Gaga, A Star is Born- Her performance of the movie's final song is what sealed this for me. If Oscar decides to award popular movies this year, she could win this one.

Best Supporting Actor

Who will win/who should win: Sam Elliott, A Star is Born- Yet another emotional performance from this movie as the brother of Bradley Cooper's character. He is basically the sane anchor of this film.

Best Supporting Actress

No pick: The only performance I saw here was Yaritza Apricio in "Roma," so I don't think I can make a qualified pick here.

Best Animated Feature

Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse- Awesome. The best Spider-Man movie to date, which was brilliantly written and animated, and was very loyal to its comic-book roots. The two other movies I have seen here were The Incredibles 2 and Ralph Breaks the Internet, both of which were good, but not great.

Best Original Song

What will win/what should win: "Shallow," from A Star is Born- No explanation needed. Just listen to the song.

That's it for now. I will update this as I see more movies.

The Best of Aretha Franklin

Sadly, the reign of the Queen of Soul has ended. Aretha Franklin died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76. This is the biggest loss for music since Prince died a couple of years ago. To me, her raw ability, operatic range and showmanship made her the best female vocalist of the pop era. Period, end of sentence. Need proof? She had 17 top-ten singles, and won 18 Grammys (Including eight wins in a row for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance). She was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and was an inspiration for multiple generations of vocalists, including Chaka Khan, (who gave an incredible performance at Aretha's memorial service), Whitney Houston, Adele, and even Freddie Mercury. No one else even came close. She was a pop diva before people even knew what a pop diva was. She was not only the greatest vocalist of all time, she was also a beacon for women and minorities, She was active in the Civil Rights Movement, the Me Too Movement, and supported the rights of Native Americans. Also, she helped to raise money for the "Save the Music" campaign to keep music education in public schools.

Aretha wasn't classically trained. She learned the piano by ear, and the rest of her training was from the church. So many of her songs, as well as her voice, have a strong gospel influence, which allows for a lot of vocal improvisation, as well as some unforgettable high notes. What made her truly great is that she used no gimmicks. All of her vocal runs and high notes came from her natural ability. She wasn't trying to show off or hit high notes on purpose (like Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Christina Aguliera, or nearly every performer on "American Idol" or "The Voice." Nor would she even think of using an Autotune.

According to accounts, she was generous and polite, but straightforward. For example, when she was asked about Taylor Swift, her response was "Nice gowns, nice gowns."

Here is what I think are her 10 best songs. Keep in mind, Aretha sang many covers, so some of the songs on this list are covers as well (even though some of the covers by Aretha were more successful than the originals.) Finally, As we all know, especially when it comes to music, opinions are like assholes... Everbody has one.

10. I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me), 1987, duet with George Michael. What do you get when you put two of the world's top vocalists together? A slick synth-heavy 1980s production, but still a damn good song that deservedly hit No. 1. As for me, there was no contest as to who outsang whom in this duet.

9. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, This song was written specifically for Aretha by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. This was one of her anthems for womanhood, complete with soaring vocals and a memorable hook. In this clip from the Kennedy Center Honors, she brings the house down at 73, has writer Carole King beside herself, and even brings President Obama to tears!

8. The Weight (1972): This song, originally recorded by The Band, was covered by 41 different musicians and groups (including Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem). Aretha's was one of the best, giving the song a bluesy, gospel take, with Duane Allman accompanying on slide guitar.

7. Spirit in the Dark (1970): This song, written by Aretha, is probably the best demonstration of her gospel roots through her popular music. At about the halfway point the song speeds up and goes into full revival mode. Some of the (best) versions feature some guy named Ray Charles on the organ.

6. Respect (1967): This was the song that made Aretha a superstar. even though it was a Top 40 hit by Otis Redding two years before. However, Redding's version was a desperate plea from a man who wants to keep his woman, while Aretha's version is a statement from a confident woman who knows she is respected. Aretha's version, which adds the "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" chorus and the backup singers repeating "sock it to me." I would rank it higher, but I attribute its popularity to its status as a feminist anthem, and the fact is that she has written and performed better songs.

5. (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone (1968): Great tune, great vocals, great horn arrangement, and great backup singing (from Aretha's sisters, Carolyn and Emma).

4. Think (1968): Most people from my generation and younger know this from "The Blues Brothers." I think the original was better, mostly because Aretha was in her vocal prime, hitting all kinds of crazy notes. Fun fact: Take a look at how bad the lip-sync is in "The Blues Brothers." that's because she, for all intents and purposes, never sang the same song twice, using different notes and flourishes on each take, showing how much interpretation many of her songs (as well as songs by many soul singers) are open to. James Brown's performances for the same movie were all over the map, so his performance eventually had to be recorded live.

3. I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) (1967): This was the first big hit of Aretha's career. This is a great blues ballad, with accompaniment from some Stax Records personnel along with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section.

2. You're All I Need (To Get By) (1971): This was originally a duet between Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and was written by another famous duet, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Even though Aretha tackles this song by herself, it is twice as good as Gaye and Terrell together. First of all, she uses a cool sixteenth note rhythm that drives the song (As long as I got you then baby you know you got me ohh!), as well as her unique vocal stylings, and a goose-bump-inducing note during at about the 2 1/2 minute mark. I can't get sick of listening to this song.

1. Don't Play That Song (You Lied) (1970): This Ben E. King cover isn't one of her best known songs, but it is my favorite. First of all, in addition to being the greatest vocalist of all time, she is also a damn good piano player. This is great for all the usual reasons: great horns, great backing vocals (Aretha allows her backup to pick up some of the melody), great skill on the piano, and incredible vocals that truly make this song her own. This was covered by several other artists, including first American Idol champion Kelly Clarkson, who is herself a very good vocalist. However, none came close to the Queen.

Other performances worth checking out are at the 1998 Grammy Awards, when she pinch-hit for Luciano Pavarotti who had a sore throat, and brought down the house with "Nessun Dorma." Finally, the 1991 film "The Commitments," about a soul band in Dublin, Ireland, has a few good covers of Aretha songs, particularly Maria Doyle's great rendition of "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)"

On a personal note, this has been a tough month for celebrity deaths. Two people who I greatly admire and respect (no pun intended), Aretha Franklin and Sen. John McCain, have died within days of each other. McCain died from a glioblastoma, the same type of cancer I am currently fighting.

One more matter to address. Some people may think this is crass, but I published my fantasy rock band made up of the best musicians alive today and the best of all time, alive or dead. Aretha was my lead female vocalist in both bands. Obviously, she is still the vocalist in my greatest band of all time, but I have to make a change in my band made up of people currently alive. This wasn't easy, because no one is even close to Aretha as a vocalist. I am choosing another living legend, Tina Turner, to take her spot. Tina has an interesting life story, and a strong voice with a distinctive raspy quality to it. Sing on, Tina!

Oscar changes...

On Wednesday, the Academy announced a few major changes to the awards ceremony to turn around the show's plummeting ratings. I am not sure about one of the changes.

Best Achievement in Popular Film Award: This is the most controversial change, and the one that concerns me the most. It is already being referred to as the "popcorn Oscar." Apparently the Academy (and ABC, see below) want to honor movies that people have actually seen. Even though the Academy expanded the Best Picture category so it can have up to 10 nominees, most nominees are artsy-fartsy and /or depressing movies that the general public has zero interest in seeing. I have a number of questions about this one, some of which may get answered in the future:

1. What defines a "popular film?" How much it grosses? The budget? The movie's net profit after production costs and marketing? The subject matter? The studio that releases it?

2. Who chooses the nominees? This would be a great opportunity for the Academy to leave this one up to moviegoers to goose the ratings. However, relying on the Internet to decide things may result in a disaster, like people deliberately nominating a turd like "Show Dogs" or "The Week Of," which is Adam Sandler's latest "masterpiece." Also, you have the possibility of fraud, such as hackers stuffing the virtual ballot box.

3. Can a film be nominated for Best Picture and Best Popular Film? This would have affected movies like "Titanic," "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" and even "Get Out."

4. What concerns me the most is that these changes were supposedly mandated, I mean "suggested," by ABC, the network that airs the Oscars. I agree there is a valid concern that not enough people are watching the Oscars, but also keep in mind that ABC is owned by Disney. The Mouse House is responsible for all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, and the Star Wars movies, which could make up a substantial number of the nominees in this category. Is this a ploy to provide Disney with another avenue to promote its films and brag about awards?

The good thing is movies like "Black Panther" will be recognized. "Black Panther" was a damn good movie, and based on what I have seen so far this year, is worthy of a Best Picture nomination, as well as supporting nods for Letitia Wright and Michael B. Jordan.

In short, if the Academy is going to pander to the masses, they sure as hell better do it right.

Update: Apparently they aren't doing it at.all. The Academy postponed plans for this award, Hopefully indefinitely.

Running time: Last year's Oscars clocked in at a bloated 3 hours, 53 minutes. Not only did it end on a Sunday night when most people were in bed on the East Coast, but also shorted DVR owners who set it to record for 3 or even 3 1/2 hours. The Academy pledged to keep the show to 3 hours. One of the ways they propose to do this is by presenting some of the awards during commercial breaks. I don't have a problem with this, because the Tonys and the Grammys don't present all their awards on the televised show. Besides, the only people who give a crap about the Best Short Film category are the filmmakers and their families. This also will curtail the useless montages (which usually include the clop of Brando yelling "Stella!" in "A Streetcar Named Desire) and long musical numbers. My one request is not to chop the "In Memoriam" segment, because there are usually a few deaths that I didn't hear about over the course of the year, and it is always fun to complain after the fact about who they forgot to mention (RIP Abe Vigoda, Joan Rivers, Corey Haim, and many more).

Air date: In 2020, the ceremony will air on February 9, a couple of weeks earlier. I am OK with this because it will take attention away from the Golden Globe Awards, which is a farcical publicity stunt in which a bunch of hack foreign "journalists" award movies based on which studio gives them the biggest gift basket and award the actors who give them the most interviews.

Do you agree? Do you have any other suggestions to make the Oscars better? I would like to hear your thoughts on Facebook.

Fantasy rock bands!

Inspired by my post on the best songs ever and fantasy football, I decided to put together the ultimate fantasy rock band. I am sticking to pop, rock and soul, so there will be no jazz musicians on this list, no crooners (sorry to Sinatra, Manilow and Harry Connick Jr.) and no country musicians. I would like to see your "fantasy bands" if you have any good ideas. This is one person's opinion, so keep the criticism to a minimum, unless you want me to make fun of you guys for choosing Michael Stipe or Chris Martin. Also, let's assume that the musicians in these bands are in the prime of their careers.

Fantasy band - made up of people who are currently alive
Lead vocal (male) - Daryl Hall
Lead vocal (female) - Tina Turner
Lead guitar - Eddie Van Halen
Bass Guitar - Flea
Piano - Elton John
Keyboard - Steve Winwood
Drums - Carter Beauford

All-time fantasy band (alive or dead)
Lead vocal (male) - Ray Charles
Lead vocal (female) - Aretha Franklin
Lead guitar - Jimi Hendrix
Bass Guitar - James Jamerson
Piano - Elton John
Keyboard - Earl Van Dyke
Drums - John Bonham

As you can see, I am a fan of the Funk Brothers (Motown's house band during the '60s) and I am omitting most prog-rock musicians, because style means more than substance to me. Again, please post your lineups below (if you are reading this on Facebook).

E-A-G-L-E-S... CHAMPIONS!

Finally, the Eagles have won a Super Bowl. It is the team's first Lombardi Trophy, and the first championship since 1960, before the AFL-NFL merger. That was almost 60 years ago!

The reason the Eagles won is the exact reason I like watching football so much: If you want to win games, you have to play as a team. In baseball, you can win with a couple of sluggers and ace pitchers, but in football, although the quarterback is the most important position, all 11 men on the field have to get the job done. This became obvious to Washington owner and colossal douchebag Daniel Snyder when he tried to play real-life fantasy football and signed a bunch of high-priced players. The team tanked because everyone in the locker room thought they were better than everyone else, and many members of the team hated each other. In 2005, the last time the Eagles got to the Super Bowl, talented but cocky wideout Terrell Owens had a very public beef with then-QB Donovan McNabb and the locker room was fragmented. One of the analysts on the Eagles postgame show (I forget who) even said they should send T.O. to Al-Qaeda so he could tear that organization apart from the inside.

The Eagles were able to play as a team because there were no clashing egos, and most of the players seemed to like each other. That was evident in their sometimes hilarious TD celebrations, and the fact that they worshipped together every week, as evidenced in this video. I still believe that God doesn't care about the outcome of a sporting event, but the fact is that the players are men of faith, and this faith unifies the team.

Finally, they were bitten by the injury bug, losing Darren Sproles, Jason Peters, and, most significantly, starting QB Carson Wentz. Fans were going crazy, but the Eagles didn't panic, and simply asked, "Who's the next man up?" Granted, Nick Foles is one of the better backup QBs in the NFL, and is better than the starters on several teams.

The coaching was great as well. Give credit to head coach Doug Pederson, a former QB himself, because he had the guts to run so many run-pass option plays, and the "Philly Special," which will go down in Eagles history along with the Miracle at the Meadowlands and the fans booing Santa Claus.

Also, many Super Bowls are boring blowouts, or 7-3 defensive duels. This was actually one of the best and most entertaining games I have ever watched. It was the shootout to end all shootouts - There were a total of 1,151 offensive yards, the most in any NFL game, regular season or postseason.  There was one punt in the entire game. Zach Ertz' second TD reception was a bit questionable, but God knows the Patriots got enough breaks from the refs this season.

Foles, who was named Super Bowl MVP, was brilliant. He passed for 373 yards and 3 TDs, and even caught a TD reception on the Philly Special play, something Tom Brady was unable to do during a similar play.

So, a lot of people are wondering if this team will stay together. The Eagles will face salary cap issues next season. I think Foles will either start somewhere (many teams like Arizona and Cleveland need starting QBs), or may retire. Why not? He was the Super Bowl MVP, and according to my pastor, wants to become a clergyman after retiring from football. Sproles is old and injury-prone, so he can go, and Jason Peters, as good as he is, costs the team a lot of money and isn't getting any younger.

People are saying this is the start of a dynasty. I won't go that far yet, but Wentz will be back next year, and hopefully many more years, and he is damn good.

For now, let the celebration continue, because the team and the city deserve it. More than 2 million people turned up for the victory parade, because Eagles fans are the greatest fans in the world!

Taking a look at Pixar's latest

I don't try to use spoilers in my reviews, but I will post a spoiler alert just in case...

I had the pleasure of seeing "Cars 3" and "Coco" in the span of a couple of days, and I am glad to see Pixar return to what I hope is a consistent stream of good, original stories.

Let's start with "Cars 3." Most, not all, of us thought "Cars 2" was mediocre trash. I agree with that assessment, and I still believe it was Pixar's worst movie (although I still haven't seen "Brave").

"Cars 3" is what "Cars 2" should have been. "Cars 3" works as a true sequel to the first movie, and continues the story and character arcs, as opposed to the loud, obnoxious mess that was "Cars 2."

In this movie, Lightning McQueen finds himself outrun and outclassed by newer, more advanced race cars. McQueen is at a proverbial crossroads, having to put his massive ego in check and decide where he needs to go with his career.

Paul Newman's Hudson Hornet character gets a larger role here, bringing back some of the heart that made the franchise's first movie good. Also, Larry the Cable Guy's Tow Mater, who was nearly as annoying as Jar Jar Binks in "Cars 2," thankfully only gets a few lines in this outing, Unfortunately, that means a lot of the Radiator Springs gang, like Sally, Luigi and Flo get pushed to the sidelines as well.

Overall, this was an entertaining movie with a great premise that proves that this franchise has some gas left in the tank after all. (Sorry, couldn't resist).

This brings us to "Coco," Pixar's latest film, and the last original film from the animation studio for a while, because most of the upcoming movies are sequels, starting with "The Incredibles 2" in a few months.

"Coco" was, in a word, brilliant. I still have quite a few movies to see, but this was the best movie of 2017 that I have seen so far. It follows Miguel, who finds himself in the Land of the Dead.

I have nothing but good things to say about this movie. The message about the importance of family is spot-on, it shows the power and importance of music, and the animation is dazzling (as it should be for a $200 million production).

Also, I strongly recommend taking your kids (5 and up) to see it. First of all, for the messages above. Secondly, it exposes them to customs of other ethnic groups, particularly Dia Los Muertos. Finally, it may make death less scary to children, because it shows the dead happy, celebrating and having fun.

I am hoping that the Academy sees fit to make this a best picture nominee, but I am guessing it will be nominated for, and likely win in the best animated film category.

Either way, this is a great movie for viewers of all ages. 

A painful setback...

I was going to write about some great Pixar movies I was finally able to catch up on, but something more urgent came up. First of all, I have been rolling along for a while. I enjoyed Grange Fair, Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, and a lengthy vacation down south with little fatigue. This all recently came to a screeching halt.

I normally tag along with my wife when she works in Sayre, PA on the New York border because it's a break from the kids and the normal routine, not to mention her company puts us up in a nice hotel where everyone knows us. We arrived there on Tuesday and planned to leave Wednesday. I woke up Wednesday morning and noticed that my right eye was nearly swollen shut. We paid a visit to the ER at Guthrie Hospital in Sayre. They determined it was a superficial infection, gave me an oral antibiotic and sent me on my way. We returned home Wednesday evening.

The next morning, I felt a constant pain on the right side of my forehead. It began to swell and was warm to the touch, sure signs of infection. We then decided to go to Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College, hoping it was an abscess they could drain. After a head CT, an MRI and a consult with a plastic surgeon, who determined in about 2 minutes she wasn't going to touch it, we needed a neurosurgeon to look at it, because the infection was outside and inside my skull. Mount Nittany's neurosurgeon "left" a few months ago. I am not sure about the circumstances, so that is all I am going to say about that. Meanwhile, my entire face swelled up, and both of my eyes were swollen shut. I was in a good deal of pain.

Since there were no beds available at Hershey, I was transported to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. The neurosurgeon determined, obviously, that all the infection needed to be removed. In order to do that, an infected bone flap on the right side of my head would need to be removed as well. Since they weren't touching my actual brain and I was in a lot of pain, we decided to have the surgery done at Geisinger instead of traveling to Duke. Despite lots of post-surgical pain and a real push for us to choose Geisinger's neuro team over Duke (like that will ever happen), everything went as planned, and the diagnosis was a severe staph infection. We think the surgery and infection a month after the initial surgery was also staph, and may have been misdiagnosed as MRSA.

A few days later, I was discharged. I have to wear a helmet while in motion because part of my skull is missing and my brain is vulnerable. Also, I need to be on IV antibiotics for several weeks, so I have a home pump that administers the medicine. In about 6 months when the infection is completely eradicated, they will put in a prosthetic bone flap. Hopefully, this will be it for infections for quite a while.

I returned home, and all I can seem to do is sleep. I even get winded walking up the stairs of our house. Hopefully I will be rested up enough so I can enjoy the holidays with my family.

This was a whirlwind tour of three hospitals, and I was pleased with the care and nursing at all of them, especially Geisinger. They made sure I wasn't in pain overnight, and I was getting enough sleep. Thanks also to friends and our church family for praying and sending lots of food. Also, thanks as always to my lovely wife, whose life was sent into upheaval once again, as she had to make sure the kids were taken care of, and juggle my care around her work. To add insult to injury, my mother-in-law, Sandy, was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, so Jaci had to drive back and forth between Danville and State College. (Sandy has returned home and is recovering well.) I feel so bad, but so appreciative for everyone who has to alter their schedule when I am stuck in the hospital. Hopefully it will be a long time until my next unplanned visit.

Another trip to Duke... and a detour!

We loaded up the car, and, along with the kids, we traveled to my bi-monthly scan and consultation at Duke. As most of you saw, judging by the number of likes and comments on Facebook (By the way, thank you!) I had another clear scan.

We then traveled down to Florida to visit Aunt Val and Uncle Biff, and take in a couple of theme parks while we were in the neighborhood. Based on my brother's tips, and other reviews from sites like the DIS, helped to determine what rides we would take in.

We only had the time/money to visit two parks, so we decided on the Magic Kingdom, the first and still the best park in Disney World (although I have never been to Animal Kingdom). The other one was a no-brainer. As a family of Potterheads, we visited both Universal parks.

Our first park was the Magic Kingdom. This is the most visited theme park in the entire world, and it certainly seemed that way when we were there. Waits ranged from 30 minutes (even for the "smaller rides") to 150 minutes. Here are the rides we rode in order.

The Haunted Mansion: 45 minute wait. Still amazing. I still can't figure out how they pull off the effects in here today, let alone in 1971 when they built the attraction. The kids loved it too. Although the ghosts are friendly, some of the darker and/or noisy portions of this ride may scare little ones. This ride is a must-see and is worth waiting in line for.

It's a Small World: 45 minute wait. The costumes, images, music and message make this a timeless classic. No one should leave the Magic Kingdom without riding this.

Peter Pan's Flight had a 90 minute wait, so we skipped it. I remember it being good but not great.

We ate at the Columbia Harbour House for lunch. I had a decent tuna salad sandwich, but like any restaurant in any theme park (with the exception of Knoebels), it was very overpriced.

Splash Mountain was closed for repairs, which sucks, because it's an awesome ride. Also, the Hall of Presidents was closed for refurbishment, which is a bummer because it's fun, and I wanted to boo Trump.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: The sign said the wait was 65 minutes, but the actual wait time was about half that. For my money, this is still the best ride in the park. I should begin by saying that my doctor at Duke and I agreed that I could ride thrill rides as long as there were no inversions. Anyway, this is a smooth, impeccably themed roller coaster. It is thrilling, but not too intense, so the younger set as well as coaster freaks like me can all enjoy it.

Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor: 30 minute wait. Like my brother, We were pleasantly surprised by this ride.  You can text jokes prior to the ride and some are included in the show. Sadly (and unsurprisingly), none of mine were. They use a person behind the stage and motion-capture technology (used for Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movies) to bring this ride to life. The best gag is "that guy." You will have to experience it to see what I mean. Well worth waiting for.

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin: 30 minute wait. This is a combination of a ride and shooting gallery, similar to "Men In Black" in Universal. Although this ride is newer and is a decent experience, MiB is better.

Space Mountain: I've been on it, meh. Nowhere near worth the 70 minute wait.

Speedway: This didn't work out because you could only fit two people in a cart, my wife had no interest in the ride and I didn't want to send our 8-year-old on the ride alone. Besides, they are supposedly going to wreck this ride for a "Tron" themed ride.

Tomorrowland People Mover: A 60 minute wait to ride a monorail where the track moves instead of the cars? I don't think so.

Just FYI, Stitch's Great Escape, supposedly a lousy attraction, is closed for renovation.

The relatively new Seven Dwarves Mine Train looked interesting, but no ride is worth waiting 2 1/2 hours for, especially a ride I hear is short and underwhelming.

Mad Tea Party: A great ride, but not worth waiting 50 minutes for.

Dumbo: A 30-minute wait for a ride you can go on at just about any smaller park.

The Barnstormer: 45 minute wait. A Goofy-themed kid's roller coaster. A bit short, but our 8-year old loved it, especially the theming, which included "flying" through a billboard.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Still awesome, and made even better with the addition of characters from the movies. The Jack Sparrow animatronic character used facial mapping technology, and nearly looked real.

Sadly, the Jungle Cruise, one of my favorite rides, had a 70-minute wait, the rugrats were getting tired and we wanted to beat the post-fireworks rush, so we called it a night.

Two days later, we found ourselves in the massive parking garage at Universal Orlando, with my cousin Brian along for the ride. The package we got included Fast Passes which are accepted on almost every ride, but even the standby waits were short, ranging from 5 to 30 minutes.

We proceeded into the park and made our way to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Escape From Gringotts: This ride tries to replicate the opening scene from the eighth Harry Potter movie, in which Harry, Hermione and Ron break into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault. They eventually ride a dragon out of the bank. This is a fun, exciting ride that uses a combination of 3D and animatronic technology. I would wait up to 60 minutes for this ride.

We looked in some shops, including Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Hopefully the candy sold in the store, such as Puking Pastilles, doesn't have the same effect it did in the books and movies.

We didn't have time to ride all rides at both parks, mainly because they closed at 7:00. We had to pick and choose the rides.

The Simpsons Ride: I don't like this ride on principle because it replaced the fabulous Back to the Future ride, based on my favorite movie. At least the DeLorean and the time traveling steam engine were still there. That out of the way, The ride is a motion simulator using an IMAX-sized screen. This was a funny, crazy ride that is more rough and intense than its predecessor, especially the part where Maggie uses your ride vehicle as a pacifier. Really. I would like to ride this again sometime because I am sure there are a lot of jokes I missed. I would wait up to 45 minutes for this ride.

We ate at Fast Food Blvd. for a healthy lunch. Some of us got the Krusty Burger, which was supposedly good, others got the aptly named Heat Lamp Hot Dog, and I got a Sideshow Bob Footlong, which was loaded with chili, onions and kraut. Yummy. Did I mention how expensive theme park food is?

Men in Black Alien Attack: Like I mentioned before, this is a shooting gallery ride similar to the Buzz Lightyear ride in the Magic Kingdom. This is executed better because of more elaborate theming, targets that are easier to hit, and the fact that the front and back rows compete for the high score, and a high enough score qualifies you to join the MiB. Needless to say, we did not qualify. Lots of spinning, so steer clear if you have a weak stomach. This WAS my favorite ride at Universal (keep reading), but I would still wait a good 60 minutes to get on this ride.

We decided it was time to get to the other park, so we high-tailed it to Platform 9 3/4 and boarded the Hogwarts Express. If you look out the windows, you see projections of London, the British countryside, and the Dementors stop by to try and steal your soul. Also, the Weasley twins make an appearance to promote their joke shop in Diagon Alley.

At Hogsmeade (the village outside of Hogwarts Castle) there was snow on the roofs of the buildings. There was a presentation inside the wand shop called "The Wand Chooses the Wizard" in which a lucky kid is plucked out of the audience and gets to try out wands. Like in the movie, the first two wands break light bulbs and knock things over, and the third wand glows, and is a match for the wizard. To answer a question Adam had, yes, the person chosen to test the wand has to buy it for the exorbitant $40-50 they charge in order to keep it. Our 8-year old and I bought the wand of our favorite character, Sirius Black, and our 7-year old bought Harry Potter's wand.

Also, if you buy an "active" wand, you can wave it at certain spots in the park to cause actions like a fountain spitting water at you, a frog croaking, etc. This was a lot of fun.

Flight of the Hippogriff: This is another good kids' coaster, similar to Goofy's Barnstormer ride. Not as much theming as its counterpart, and it is a short ride, but the important thing is the 8-year old loved it.

By the way, Dueling Dragons is history, and will be replaced by another roller coaster, which could be any number of themes. I won't even try to guess.

We then went to The Lost Continent, where we were greeted by the Enchanted Fountain. Obviously the voice of the fountain was nearby, because it interacted with us. The highlight was when our 8-year old waved his wand at the fountain, and the fountain responded by spitting water at him.

Jaci and the kids went on to Seuss Landing, while Brian and I rode Poseidon's Fury, which is essentially a special effects show with lots of fire, water and lasers. This may be a little dark and loud for smaller kids, and you have to stand for the entire ride. I would wait no longer than 20-25 minutes for this.

We then met up in Seuss Landing. Very good theming. I wonder if the designers of this park were on something...

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish: Another small spinning ride like Dumbo. What sets this apart is the fact that water is getting squirted at you from all directions. I was riding with our 8-year old, and, of course, he deliberately moved the fish up and down into the water jets. Guess who was sitting on the outside and got drenched?

Cat in the Hat: A fun family-friendly ride, and a good adaptation of the book into this format, sometimes quoting the book line-for-line. It almost got rid of my memories of the awful Mike Myers live-action movie. Almost. Well worth a 30-minute wait.

We then hopped the train back to the other park, and caught a couple of good rides on the way out.

Revenge of the Mummy: This was my first time on this ride, and is my new favorite ride at Universal. It combines a dark ride with a coaster, and has some crazy coaster elements like drops that seem taller than they are (The longest drop is only 39 feet), launches, helixes, and some genuine moments of airtime. Very impressive for an indoor coaster. I don't want to give anything away, but the last 45 seconds or so are crazy! I would easily wait up to 90 minutes to get on to this ride.

Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon: This entertaining ride, the newest in the park, has the entire theater (72 people) as a motion simulator vehicle. You race the Tonight Show host through the Big Apple as he throws pizza at you, and even uses a T-shirt cannon, reminiscent of Fozzie the Bear's "cheap 3D tricks" in the incomparable "Muppetvision 4D" ride at Disney. This ride may be a bit bumpy for the smallest children, but is not dark or scary. This ride uses a "virtual line," meaning you must have an express pass or reservation for the ride, and there are no "lines" per se. You can freely roam around in the lobby and second floor. In the lobby, which is decorated with memorabilia from former "Tonight Show" hosts (even Conan O'Brien), an "NBC Page" will give you a color-coded studio pass, and you proceed to the second floor to board the ride. Meanwhile, you will be entertained by Hashtag the Panda and/or the Ragtime Gals. Overall, a fun and entertaining experience.

Finally, as I mentioned earlier, I wasn't permitted to ride anything that turns me upside down, so that ruled out The Hulk and the Rip, Ride, Rockit Coaster. Also, I heard the Forbidden Journey was a very intense ride, so I skipped that as well. Brian said the Forbidden Journey was less intense than the Escape From Hogwarts, which I did go on. He also said he hated the over-the-shoulder harnesses on the Rip, Ride, Rockit coaster because he kept banging his head on them.

Overall impressions: I liked Universal better because it was much less crowded and the lines were significantly shorter than the Magic Kingdom. I may have thought the opposite if the lines were long in Universal.

The theming in both areas of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was impeccable. The King's Cross station seemed dirty, and Hogwarts (we went through the line but didn't get on the ride) was replicated perfectly, down to the moving paintings, including the Fat Lady. The areas in Diagon Alley had signs for "pram parking," a Britishism for stroller. I only wish they also had "Way Out" (exit) signs and "WC" (restroom) signs. Finally, they needed a "Mind the Gap" sign in the train station.

I have been to the Magic Kingdom a few times, but this time was different because I got to see it through my children's eyes for the first time. They got tired and cranky, but they had a great time. We all saw Harry Potter for the first time, and we were overwhelmed. I wanted a hat and a robe, but the wand was so expensive, we had to stop there. Maybe next time.

Now it's time to thank people who helped us on the trip.

Aunt Val and Uncle Biff: My aunt and uncle graciously let us crash at their place north of Orlando. We basically invaded their house for a week and ate their food. They gave us nothing but hospitality and kindness. Also, there were two pools in their community, one of them heated. I haven't taken a swim for a while, and the dips in the pool felt great.

Jaci: Sadly, my lovely wife was stuck doing all of the driving. I can't drive because of a seizure risk. Some of it was stressful, including the stretch on I-95, America's Main Street.

Fred and Sandy: They visited our house daily to feed the cat, and clean the litterbox. Amelia was considerably more chunky when we got home. Hmmm......

Universal Studios Orlando: Because of my illness, they offered my family 30 percent off two-park tickets and complimentary Fast Passes. Considering the cost of theme park admission these days, that is a good discount. It should be noted that Disney World did not offer anything. In both cases, I won't forget this.

Jill: Jaci's coworker generously donated her vacation time so we could extend ours.

One of Jaci's Facebook friends, who is a travel agent, gave us a gift card for Disney.

Finally, thanks to all family and friends who were excited for us to go, and gave us tips and suggestions on how to navigate the parks.

Starship shows are back!

--------SPOILER ALERT--------

This season, the oft-delayed "Star Trek Discovery" finally premiered. Also, Seth MacFarlane introduced a show called "The Orville." Comparing these shows would be like comparing apples and oranges, but both shows are entertaining and successful, and well worth watching. Both shows have also been picked up for a second season.

First, "Star Trek Discovery." There had been a lot of chaos prior to the premiere date, with showrunner Bryan Fuller leaving, and the numerous delays. It was originally supposed to premiere in January 2017, but was pushed back multiple times to September 2017. This is different from any other Star Trek show. As the creators said, they needed a "Star Trek show for the post-Sopranos era of television."

The show is serialized and not as episodic, which works well here. Also, I like the opening credits, which uses images and blueprints as opposed to the ship flying through space through nebulas and asteroid belts. Also, there is no cheesy pop song during the credits, like the Show Which Will Not Be Named.

First of all, because this is on a pay-per-view platform (CBS charges $6 per month to subscribe to All Access with commercials, $10 without), the budget is huge, about $8 to $9 million per episode. That's more than a lot of movies. You can see it on screen, because the effects are movie-quality stunning. The ship uses an experimental "spore drive," which transports the ship to other parts of the universe instantaneously. The hull is made up of three concentric circles. When the drive is activated, the circles spin in opposite directions, the ship rotates fully, and then vanishes. Trust me, this looks cooler than it sounds.

Also, thanks to the pay-per-view format, there are no standards-and-practices requirements. The producers promise to keep things at a PG-13 level, and promise that there won't be any explicit sex scenes (save that for the fan fiction), but the violence is a little more bloody, and they went where no Star Trek movie or show has gone before by using the f-bomb. The word "shit" was used a few times in Star Trek IV, Generations (by Data with his newly activated emotion chip, and he said it for a good reason), and twice by Lily in First Contact (but she was from the late 21st century). Even though I never use the f-word (snicker), I am not offended by it. However, I don't buy its use in this show, because, based on what Spock said about the use of "colorful metaphors" in the 20th century in Star Trek IV, I thought cursing was no longer a "thing" by the 23rd century.

Okay, you are probably wondering what this show is about. It takes place 10 years before the timeline of the original series with Kirk and Spock. Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) is a human raised by Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, on Vulcan. She is the first Starfleet officer to be charged with mutiny. She ends up on the Discovery while she is being transported between prisons, which is not coincidental.

Starfleet is at war with the Klingons, who are trying to unify and conquer the galaxy, because that is what Klingons like to do. However, the Klingons are given some depth and not portrayed as purely evil. They have clear motivations and goals, and it seems like they are at war with the Federation because they are simply in the way of their goal.

Other characters are first officer Saru, who is able to sense the coming of death, bright-eyed cadet Sylvia Tilly, and captain Gabriel Lorca, played by Jason Isaacs, who most of us know as Lucius Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies. He is a brilliant tactician, but he cares about his crew, like any good captain. However, they make it rather obvious that he has been out in space and in the heat of battle too long. (watch the last two episodes to learn more about this character's motivations).

Overall, this is a very good show, and I will continue to watch it. My only complaints are that the show tries too hard to be gritty sometimes, and is visually too similar to the new Star Trek reboot movies. Also, even though this show takes place 10 years before the original series, the technology is advanced, using touch screens and holographic communication. If they were going for continuity, the bridge would be painted in bright colors and have lots of beeping noises and blinking lights. However, I don't think they are going for continuity, and as Nicholas Meyer (who is on the writing staff for this show) said, every show or movie, regardless of when it takes place, is a product of the date it was released.

Finally, the show understandably gave the Klingons a makeover. It may have been a bit too drastic, because they are now bald-headed and look almost reptilian. For those of you who remember the 1980s, they look a lot like Grig from "The Last Starfighter." At least they are not a bunch of guys with tan makeup and mustaches.

Now, on to "The Orville." I had no idea this show even existed until this past summer (2017), and I thought it was going to be an all-out spoof of Star Trek, which I thought (and still think) is a terrible idea. It's not even a straight-ahead comedy like the great movie "Galaxy Quest." It still has plenty of laughs. MacFarlane's motivation to create this show was that he thought too much of today's sci-fi is dark and dystopian, and he wanted a bright, fun and optimistic view of the future, especially after he found out that "Discovery" was going to be dark and gritty.

The show takes place on a mid-size vessel (The Chevy Malibu of starships?) MacFarlane also stars in the show as captain Ed Mercer, who caught his then wife, Kelly, in bed with a blue-skinned alien a year before the show takes place. As luck would have it, Kelly ends up being Ed's second-in-command, but they develop a friendship and good working relationship. Other characters include a woman, who looks like she is 90 pounds soaking wet, with enough strength to knock down a metal door with her bare hands, and Isaac, an artificial lifeform who believes most species are inferior to his.

This is similar in tone and structure to the original Star Trek series, because the show introduces characters, and brings up issues like sexual mutilation, and how a true democracy functions where every single citizen has a say. There are just enough changes to this show to keep Fox from getting sued - the governing body is called the Union instead of the Federation, plasma torpedoes instead of photon torpedoes, etc. The effects aren't as detailed as "Discovery," but are still very good. They put a lot of money and effort into the show. A lot of writers and directors from Star Trek shows were poached for this show like Brannon Braga, and Jonathan Frakes (as a director). Jon Favreau, who directed "Iron Man," helmed the first episode of the series.

Although "Star Trek Discovery" is sprinkled with a fair bit of humor (especially the recent episodes with Rainn Wilson as intergalactic con man Harcourt Fenton "Harry" Mudd), "The Orville" tries for laughs much more often. The problem is, you have to like MacFarlane's sense of humor. Remember, this was the guy who sang "We Saw Your Boobs" (NSFW) at the Oscars. However, his jokes are greatly toned down compared to his animated shows, and, in my opinion, most of the jokes are downright funny. My favorite so far is when the crew is trying to teach Isaac how practical jokes work. They put "Mr. Potato" pieces on his head (He doesn't use his "eyes" to see, they are just there for aesthetic reasons). He got his revenge on the crew member by amputating his leg while he was sleeping. Don't worry, everyone was fine in the end.

So what is the verdict? Again, these shows are very different in tone and intent, so it's like comparing
apples and oranges. This is close, because both shows have great effects, good characters, and good acting. I will keep watching both shows. "Discovery" is better written and thought out as a single coherent story, while "The Orville" is episodic. However, "The Orville" benefits from its storylines that bring up moral debates, and its sense of humor. I will give "The Orville" the edge, because you have to pay $6-$10 per month for CBS All Access in order to watch "Discovery." However, in you don't like "Family Guy" or "American Dad," you probably won't like "The Orville."

"Wonder Woman" review: The DCEU is finally getting it together!

I was excited to see this after the rave reviews it received from critics and moviegoers alike. This was also a pleasant surprise after the mediocrity, like "Man of Steel" and "Dawn of Justice" that DC was churning out. Part of that was due to director Zack Snyder, who is up there with Michael Bay and Joel Schumacher on my list of hack directors, although I have to admit the "Dawn of the Dead" remake was good fun. I think the DC higher-ups are trying to get rid of Snyder, but more on that later.

The movie starts on an island full of Amazons, a bunch of women who can kick pretty much anyone's ass. A wayward World War I pilot crash lands near the island and is rescued by the Amazons. Diana, princess of the Amazons, wishes to go with the pilot and end the war, who she thinks was caused by her evil half-brother Ares.

The movie plays out as a good period piece, and makes a statement about the treatment and strength of women without shoving the point down viewers' throats. Also, it's about time a female superhero gets to lead a movie, instead of getting shoved into the background, like Black Widow.

Also, the movie is well-paced, with a good balance of character development and action. The action scenes are very entertaining and have great effects and fight choreography. The Lasso of Truth is especially cool. Director Patty Jenkins, who also helmed "Monster," is a very competent director, considering her lack of experience in this genre.

If it wasn't for a certain movie sequel featuring a CGI raccoon, a baby tree and Stallone, this would have been the best comic book/superhero adaptation of the year.

Also, Gal Gadot, even though she was Miss Israel 2004, has limited acting experience. However, she is cast well for this iconic role. Her statuesque looks and decent acting make her a good choice for Wonder Woman.

A sequel, which will once again feature Gadot in the starring role and Jenkins as the director, is slated for summer 2019.

This flick was unsurprisingly one of the top hits of the year, making more than $410 million in the U.S. (second only to the Beauty and the Beast live-action remake) and more than $800 million worldwide. Also, its quality puts it on par with the Marvel movies. However, the DCEU has a long way to go before it can go head to head with the Marvel Cinematic universe, which is essentially a machine that turns out nothing but good, entertaining popcorn movies. There hasn't been a bad Marvel movie yet. Most of them are good, some of them are great.

My only gripe is I wish that they would havc explained when and where Diana picked up the name Wonder Woman. Maybe that will be addressed in the sequel.

As always, the DCEU is trying to play catch-up. In a couple of weeks (November 2017) the Justice League movie hits theaters. This movie features Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash. I also think there is a pretty good chance that a certain Man of Steel will return to fight with the League. Zack Snyder was directing the movie and will be credited as the director. Earlier this year, Snyder "left" the project after his daughter committed suicide, and the overworked Joss Whedon was hired to direct the reshoots and wrap up the film.

Personally, I think Snyder leaving was no accident. With "Dawn of Justice" being a critical and box office disappointment, I think it might have been the studio's intention to get rid of Snyder, since this is the most important film by far in the DCEU. You can already see Whedon's influence in the trailers for the film. The newest trailers, presumably overseen by Whedon, actually make sense and give you some idea of the story, as opposed to the first trailers, which resembled a music video, complete with loud music and slice-and-dice editing.

Anyway, pardon my digression. The bottom line is Wonder Woman is a damn good movie that fans and non-fans will like. (My wife also enjoyed this movie).

Have the Eagles found their perfect QB?

Last season, the Eagles were able to trade up in the draft to take QB Carson Wentz, a 6'5" passer from North Dakota State. Although his first season was a little shaky, the Birds finished with a mediocre, but not horrible, 7-9 season. This year, they are 6-1 out of the gate, and much of that is due to Wentz's incredible play. Although he didn't have crazy high numbers last week, this is one of the best games I've ever seen from any Eagles quarterback (and he is in good company with Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb). Here are some of the reasons Wentz is the perfect player for the Eagles and Philly.

1. He is an accurate passer.

Most of his passes are thrown with pinpoint accuracy. He knows how to put balls in the receivers' hands, and doesn't throw too many interceptions. The only times he seems to be off the mark is when there is a miscommunication between the QB and receiver in the huddle.

2. He is mobile.

For a lanky 6'5" guy, he really can move. He seems to know when he is out of options and has to keep the ball. The play where there was a pile of players almost certainly looked like a sack, but Wentz managed to wriggle out of the pile of large humans and rush for 17 yards. That was one of the most amazing plays I have ever seen. (link courtesy of NFL)

3. He has field awareness.

I think the most important skill for a QB to have at any level is being able to see the big picture. Wentz does this very well. He knows when his receivers are open, when they aren't, and how the defense is lined up. He isn't afraid to call an audible if he doesn't like what he sees.

4. He is tough and hardworking.

The most important skill for an athlete to have in Philadelphia is to be tough and play your heart out. More than 20 years on, people still hate on Ricky Watters after the "For Who, For What" game, and rightfully so. This town has no place for prima donnas who care more about their own stats than their team. Wentz will usually slide on a run like a QB is supposed to do, but he isn't afraid to take a hit to get a first down or extra yard. Also, he can take a hit and get back up. In Sunday's game, he was slammed to the turf. The very next play, he threw a bomb down the field, setting up a touchdown. (sorry, no clip yet).The commentators said he was "North Dakota Tough," but I am going to call him "Philly Tough." Philadelphia is a proud, working-class town, and they want athletes that don't quit and give their all on every play. That is why some of the names mentioned most in Eagles lore are Reggie White, "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik, and the incomparable Brian Dawkins.

5. His O-line protects him.

Even the best quarterbacks struggle if the offensive line can't block and the QB has no time to throw the ball. After some struggles in the first couple of games, the line has jelled as a unit and are doing a good job protecting their quarterback. Jason Peters' injury will hurt the line, but I am sure Vaitai (I'm not even going to attempt to spell the man's first name) will become accustomed to his new role after a week of practice.

6. He has some good receivers who know how to make plays.

One of the reasons the Eagles haven't been able to win a big game is the lack of playmaking receivers. Todd Pinkston? James Thrash? This season has seen a lot of production from free agency acquisition Alshon Jeffery, and some catches from Torrey Smith. Third-year man Nelson Agholor seems to have found his place as a great slot receiver.

7. Wow! A running game!

Last season, the Eagles were very pass-heavy. This is one of the reasons Wentz struggled a bit. It looked like more of the same early this season, as the offense remained out of balance. However, during the win over the Giants in Week 3, the running game came to life, led by LeGarrette Blount, with lots of help from Wendell Smallwood. Blount is a classic (I hate this cliche) downhill runner who can burst through the line. A strong running game takes pressure off the QB and balances the offense.

8. He has a good relationship with the players and coaches.

His fellow players seem to think Wentz is a nice guy. He doesn't hesitate to congratulate his teammates after a big play or score. He has also earned respect from the coaching staff. Doug Pederson seems like a laid-back "players' coach" and he has even managed to get some of his schemes from North Dakota State into the playbook. One of them was even used on a scoring play.

Now that I wrote this, I have probably jinxed him. Watch him start to suck or get hurt next week. Just don't hold me responsible.

Everything you wanted to know about Optune (but were afraid to ask)

Now that I am back on Facebook (yay!) A few people have been interested in Optune, the new treatment I am undergoing. Here are a few questions answered about this fascinating device. In the interest of education and passing on what I am learning, I am using some information from the patient packet to complete this. I am having a bit of trouble getting pictures on here, but I hope to put them here eventually.

What is Optune?
Optune is a treatment for glioblastoma patients 22 years or older. Optune delivers electric fields (called TTFields) that stop cancer cells from dividing and also destroying some cancer cells. It has been proven that, in conjunction with chemotherapy like Temodar, it has extended survival rates for GBM patients.

What does it look like?
The unit itself is in a small bag that can go over the shoulder, or can be carried hand-held. There is also a backpack available to carry the device.It is connected to four arrays that adhere to the scalp. It can be powered by electricity via a wall plug (ideal for sleeping or work), or with lithium-ion batteries for portability. The unit comes with four batteries, and a charger that holds three of them.

Does it hurt to wear it?
No, if it is applied correctly. The only thing I feel is a small amount of warmth from the arrays.

How do you put it on? 
First, your scalp needs to be completely shaved. An electric razor is included that seems to work well. Next, you need to swab your scalp with isopropyl alcohol. Then, you apply the four arrays. The location and placement of the arrays depends on the location of the tumor and the size of the patient's head. This process needs to be repeated with new arrays every 2-4 days depending on hair growth.

Are there any side effects?
Not really. Some patients have complained about sores and irritation on the scalp, and that is usually caused by too much hair on the scalp. If you shave your head and replace the arrays regularly, you should be able to avoid this. Luckily, I have one of the most anal caregivers you can possibly have.

How often are you supposed to wear it?
The FDA recommends 18 hours per day minimum. Optimum is 22 hours per day. You are supposed to sleep with the device on. Aside from the first night, I have had few problems sleeping with it, even while using it with a CPAP (for sleep apnea).

Can you wear something over the arrays?
Yes, you can wear a breathable wig or hat over the arrays.

Can it get wet?
No, you should take it off if it rains, and take it off or use a shower cap when bathing.

Can you talk on a cell phone while using Optune?
Yes. There have been no reported problems related to using the Optune device with a cell phone.

Does insurance cover Optune?
Although the device is approved by the FDA, the actual cost of the device and supplies is very high. The supplier itself provides financial support, and we were lucky enough that our medical insurance (through Penn State) approved it right away. Jaci thinks it is because my file was "flagged" by the insurance company because they did not approve a head CT back in January, and we could sue them if we wanted to.

Can Optune be used for other types of cancer?
As of now, it is used exclusively for GBM. They are supposedly working on adapting Optune to treat lung cancer, using an array that adheres to the chest.

The website Optune.com also provides a lot of great information and some useful testimonial videos.

Any other questions, please ask!