"The origin story of Alfred Pennyworth, a former special-forces soldier living in London and how he came to work for Bruce Wayne's father."
Pros:
1. The cast: I really like Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon). He is a likeable character where he really wants to help people. He is starting his security company. He is kind. He experiences PTSD flashes.
All the other characters like Thomas Wayne and Martha Kane, and Alfred's parents are likeable characters.
The bad guys are really bad with kidnapping and torturing the good guys.
The usual of "I kidnap a good guy in exchange for another good guy."
2. There are good action scenes where Alfred and his friends fights bad guys.
Thomas was in his hotel room, and then he gets shot at.
3. Bruno Heller who created The Mentalist (which I liked) and Gotham (I only saw the first season) of created this show. He is a good writer. There is lots of drama, conflict, and tension as Alfred and his friends helps people.
4. There is good dialogue. Alfred falls in love with Esme (Emma Corrin) and she meets his family.
Alfred: They're my family. They're a part of me, but not all of me. I'm not my family. I'm not my dad.
5. It's kind of funny. There is a scene of a senior couple watching TV. The lights go out and 3 men in masks stand behind them with a gun pointed at them. It's Alfred and his friends.
Alfred: Tell me about Thomas Wayne.
Then the man tells about him in a calm manner. It's also tense.
Alfred and friends leave.
There is a dark comedy to it. The bad guys point a gun at Alfred's parents. Alfred fights the bad guys off and takes one down. The parents join in and fight too. They kick the man when he's down.
Me: Yeah!
Cons:
1. There is too much violence for me. It was kind of too dark for me. It may be offensive to some viewers.
My opinion: I saw the first 4 episodes. I would probably watch the show all in one week. It's good in writing, acting, and production. However, I don't really like it because it was too dark and violent.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8425532/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt
It got a 2nd season:
https://screenrant.com/pennyworth-season-2-release-date-story-details/
Jan. 23, 2020 Batwoman:
"Kate Kane seeks justice for Gotham City as Batwoman."
Pros:
1. It had a good opening. Kate Kane is swimming in ice water in the North Pole. She gets the key and unlocks herself. She's trapped.
There is a flashback of a car accident. Kate is with her sister. Her mom is driving and Batman saved them by putting the wire to the car onto the bridge. Only Kate survives.
Kate breaks ice with the cuffs.
There is a voiceover as Kate says Batman disappeared 3 yrs ago and Crow Security watches the town.
2. There is good action and fight scenes like in the beginning. The bad guy Alice and her masked minions kidnap the cop Sophie.
3. The cast:
Ruby Rose as Kate Kane is average.
Dougray Scott as her dad Jacob Kane and the boss of the Crows.
Camrus Johnson as the tech guy Luke. The hero usually needs a tech person to create gadgets for them.
Nicole Kang as Ruby's stepsister Mary. At first she seems shallow, and then it turns out she is a med student and helps homeless people by feeding them and giving them healthcare.
A hero needs a medical person.
Elizabeth Anweis is Kate's stepmom.
Meghan Tandy as Kate's love interest/ cop Sophie.
Greyston Holt as Sophie's husband. He is a Canadian actor and was on the summer 2017 TV show Somewhere Between. He is a good actor. There is a scene on Somewhere Between where he gets stabbed. He is sweating and crying as he is stitching himself up. He's from Calgary. Here's a good pic of him:
I think he kind of looks like the actor Garrett Hedlund (from the movie Four Brothers):
4. There is some good dialogue:
Kate: Bruce gave me a great piece of advice once: Grow into the person you needed as a kid.
Mary: I can't read Alice in Wonderland to my future children. Mary, rearranging your entire life out of fear is exactly how the terrorists win.
I'm going to put that into my inspirational quotes.
Alice: Your dad (Jacob) is a bully who bullies everybody into obedience.
5. There were some surprises to the writing.
Spoiler alert:
I didn't predict Mary was going to be helping homeless people.
Batman secured the car to save Kate, but the engineering of the car was not factored in. That's why they were not able to save Kate's sister and mom.
There is a dirty cop.
They never found Kate's sister's body, and it turns out she is the bad guy Alice.
6. The creator Caroline Dries who wrote for The Vampire Diaries. Kate writes in her journal. She also wrote for Smallville and the Melrose Place reboot.
Cons: None.
My opinion: I watched the pilot and it was mediocre and I never watched it again. After I watched it, I was in a kind of a bad mood. I went in with low expectations and expected I wouldn't watch it again.
I was surprised a few times and that's a marker for good writing. The characters were average. However, I didn't like it.
After I saw it, I went to imdb.com and the viewer ratings were like 3.3/ 10 by I don't know how many votes.
As of today it's 3.4/ 10 from 21,000 votes.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8712204/?ref_=rvi_tt
I then thought: "The CW is going to renew this show even if the viewer's ratings are low. I see the Charmed reboot is like 4/ 10 on imdb.com and it got a 2nd season."
The show did get 2nd season:
https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/dc-entertainment/285218/batwoman-season-2-release-date-trailer-cast-news
Watchmen: I got to watch this HBO TV show for free preview on Telus on Demand. I saw the 2009 movie and didn't like it because it was too violent. Here is the pilot:
"Set in an alternate history where masked vigilantes are treated as outlaws, Watchmen embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel of the same name, while attempting to break new ground of its own."
Pros:
1. There is good action with the fight scenes like in the farm house.
There is crazy shootout at the farm where there is a machine gun firing at the cows.
2. The world is where cops cover their faces to protect their identity.
3. Ethnic diversity.
4. There is good writing and is unpredictable.
Cons:
1. I find this too violent for me.
My opinion: I watched the pilot and it was average, and then I never watched it again.
It did not get a 2nd season:
https://www.geek.com/television/hbo-isnt-making-watchmen-season-2-good-1816524/
Jan. 24, 2020 Green Arrow and the Canaries: I just finished watching this Arrow episode it spins to be a back-door pilot:
Backdoor pilots aren’t usually the same thing, at all… They’re a way of repurposing the budget for an existing TV show and testing the waters with fans in order to see if they’ll be interested in a spinoff. If the episode is well received, there’s a better chance of spinning off the show, without risking launching an entire season or blowing your budget on a new series pilot. If fans don’t like it, on to the next episode of the show they love!
https://decider.com/2020/01/21/arrow-green-arrow-and-the-canaries-spinoff-pick-it-up-cw/
My opinion: If the show does get a spin-off, I would like to check out the pilot. I don't know if I will like it even though I like Arrow. I don't know. I always liked the show for the writing and fight scenes, but it's not like I loved it.
Jan. 29, 2020 Arrow: I just finished watching the season 8 finale/ series finale. It was very good. The last season was preparing to end all the storylines. All the characters came by and there was a happy ending.
There is this great 3 min. fight scene where Arrow fights off 20 soldiers and shooting arrows at them as he walking down the hallway. Then 20 soldiers come and tackle him. This is one of the best fight scenes.
Spoiler alert: The ending was like Oliver and Felicity being together in heaven.
Spoiler alert for The Vampire Diaries series finale: This reminded me of the finale where Stephen and Damon are reunited in heaven.
Arrow: Hitting the Bullseye: I saw this behind-the-scenes special where they interview the cast and crew.
Katie Cassidy (who plays Laurel): To be able to a part of something that's impacting others in such a positive way is amazing.
Stephen Amell (who plays Oliver): There is no stunt double when I fought Ras Agul.
They were both shirtless on a mountain.
The best things I like about Arrow:
1. The writing. There are really good stories and characters.
2. They showed lots of fight scenes here. It is impressive.
My week:
Jan. 26, 2020 Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash: He and his 13 yr old daughter Gianna died.
Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas Sunday morning, Yahoo Sports confirmed. TMZ first reported the news.
Bryant played his entire 20-year career for the Los Angeles Lakers and won five NBA championships. He was named Finals MVP twice and league MVP in 2008. Bryant was 41.
My opinion:
1. I was shocked and surprised.
2. I didn't really feel that sad because I'm not a fan of his. I still think he's a rapist when he was accused of rape back in 2003.
"Bryant admitted to an adulterous sexual encounter with his accuser, but denied the assault allegation. The case was dropped after Bryant's accuser refused to testify in the case. A separate civil suit was later filed against Bryant by the woman. This was settled out of court and included Bryant's publicly apologizing to his accuser, though admitting no guilt on his part."
Even if he didn't rape the woman, it's still bad that he cheated on his wife.
3. I did feel kind of sad because he leaves behind his wife and 3 kids. However, I'm sure they would be taken care of with his money.
This reminds me of a Mar. 2019 blog post:
"Raped 10 yr old gives birth in India"/ "Oprah's intense interview the Jackson accusers"
https://badcb.blogspot.com/2019/03/raped-10-yr-old-gives-birth-in-india.html
This reminds me of a Mar. 2019 blog post:
"Raped 10 yr old gives birth in India"/ "Oprah's intense interview the Jackson accusers"
Mar. 5, 2019: This was a long time ago when Michael Jackson died in 2009. I was talking to one of my friends on the phone, and I want to protect her identity because she may not want people to know what she said.
I asked her what she thought about his death and she said: "I still think he's a child molester."
https://badcb.blogspot.com/2019/03/raped-10-yr-old-gives-birth-in-india.html
Jan. 28, 2020 "Kobe Bryant and the Sexual Assault Case That Was Dropped but Not Forgotten": :
Prosecutors dropped the case just before it was scheduled to go to trial, citing the accuser’s unwillingness to testify. A lawsuit the woman filed against Bryant ended in a settlement, the details of which have never been made public.
In the era before #MeToo — the societal reckoning with the frequent sexual harassment and abuse women endure at work and in their personal lives — Bryant resumed a career that had never really paused. Throughout the 2003-04 season, while the case was still being litigated, he flew back and forth between court appearances in Colorado and games, often arriving just minutes before tipoff.
Jan. 29, 2020: Here's another:
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/nba/not-now-then-when-kobe-bryants-death-prompts-battle-over-focus-on-stars-rape-charge/ar-BBZq7v6?ocid=spartanntp
Jan. 30, 2020 Ari Shaffir's offensive Kobe Bryant joke:
Comedian Ari Shaffir isn't backing down after making "vile" jokes about Kobe Bryant's death — and his professional career is taking a hit.
The day the Lakers legend died, Shaffir tweeted a selfie video, saying, "Kobe Bryant died 23 years too late today. He got away with rape because all the Hollywood liberals who attack comedy enjoy rooting for the Lakers more than they dislike rape. Big ups to the hero who forgot to gas up his chopper. I hate the Lakers. What a great day!"
https://ca.yahoo.com/news/comedian-ari-shaffir-statement-vile-kobe-bryant-just-a-joke-004618505.html
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/nba/not-now-then-when-kobe-bryants-death-prompts-battle-over-focus-on-stars-rape-charge/ar-BBZq7v6?ocid=spartanntp
Jan. 30, 2020 Ari Shaffir's offensive Kobe Bryant joke:
Comedian Ari Shaffir isn't backing down after making "vile" jokes about Kobe Bryant's death — and his professional career is taking a hit.
The day the Lakers legend died, Shaffir tweeted a selfie video, saying, "Kobe Bryant died 23 years too late today. He got away with rape because all the Hollywood liberals who attack comedy enjoy rooting for the Lakers more than they dislike rape. Big ups to the hero who forgot to gas up his chopper. I hate the Lakers. What a great day!"
https://ca.yahoo.com/news/comedian-ari-shaffir-statement-vile-kobe-bryant-just-a-joke-004618505.html
Papyrus and Carlton Cards closing down:
TORONTO — Greeting card retailers Carlton Cards and Papyrus are closing their doors, including 79 stores in Canada.
A Papyrus store employee at Lime Ridge Mall in Hamilton says employees were told that stores will close in four to six weeks.
Alyssa Scott says the closure doesn’t come as a surprise. She says employees saw it coming because business has been very slow.
The Schurman Retail Group owns and operates Carlton and Papyrus stores, which in turn buys branded products that are available in thousands of Canadian retailers including Shopper’s Drug Mart, London Drugs an Indigo.
Media reports in the U.S. said 254 stores employing 1,400 people will close in North America, including 178 locations south of the border.
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/carlton-cards-papyrus-closing-canada_ca_5e29bf9bc5b6779e9c2eeb1b
My opinion: I applied to those stores before and I attended an interview way back in 2003 (when I was 18) and 2005 (when I was 20). I never bought cards before. I did get some Christmas cards from the charity I donated to. I then sent it to my friends.
I remember giving a Christmas card to my friend Angela when I went to her home on New Year's Eve 2007. I gave one to Leslie in her mail box, and one to my writing help worker Nancy with a WWF -World Wild Life Fund sticker and she put it on her office window.
I remember giving a Christmas card to my friend Angela when I went to her home on New Year's Eve 2007. I gave one to Leslie in her mail box, and one to my writing help worker Nancy with a WWF -World Wild Life Fund sticker and she put it on her office window.
I can buy cards, gift bags, journals, candles, home decor, stuffed animals at the $1 store and bookstores, and the stores listed in the article.
What store is going to close down next? Hallmark?
Bench is closing all 24 stores: I went to an interview here last year. The store was average:
What store is going to close down next? Hallmark?
Bench is closing all 24 stores: I went to an interview here last year. The store was average:
Bench is hitting the wall.
The athletic-wear brand, which started out in Manchester, England, selling skateboard apparel, is closing its 24 Canadian bricks and mortar stores, according to published reports.
The news came as little surprise to veteran retail analyst Susan Hutcheson, who said the stores never really did much for the Bench brand.
“If you’re going to have bricks and mortar stores, you have to make it part of a brand experience. If you look at Lululemon, which is really the leader in that segment, they’ve got yoga classes, they’ve got cafes. It’s not just a shop with stuff on the shelf,” said Hutcheson, managing partner at retail consultancy J.C. Williams Group.
That old-fashioned model just doesn’t make sense financially in this day and age, Hutcheson added.
“If you’re not going to do anything with the stores, why bother having them? You’re paying a lot of rent,” said Hutcheson.
The other issue for Bench, Hutcheson suggested, is that the “athleisure” market has become a lot more crowded lately.
“Everyone’s trying to get into athleisure now. It’s a very competitive market,” said Hutcheson.
https://www.thestar.com/business/2020/01/23/bench-athletic-wear-is-closing-all-of-its-canadian-stores.html
We Bare Bears: I saw that my brother had this change purse with the Panda's face on it. I asked him about it and it's about a Panda, Grizzly bear, and a Polar bear called Ice Bear who are brothers and they live together in a cave.
I saw the pilot and it was so cute and funny. The Panda is sitting in a closet with a blanket around him and he's playing with the guitar from Guitar Hero and he's singing a sad song. His internet girlfriend broke up with him and his brothers try to cheer him up.
We Bare Bears: I saw that my brother had this change purse with the Panda's face on it. I asked him about it and it's about a Panda, Grizzly bear, and a Polar bear called Ice Bear who are brothers and they live together in a cave.
I saw the pilot and it was so cute and funny. The Panda is sitting in a closet with a blanket around him and he's playing with the guitar from Guitar Hero and he's singing a sad song. His internet girlfriend broke up with him and his brothers try to cheer him up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbMhYzGbdL0
Jan. 27, 2020 West Ed mall:
1. Bench: The store is selling everything for 50-70% off.
2. Carlton Cards: 30-50% off.
3. McDonald's: I got a free Big mac burger from them because I got a coupon from my boss M at my 2nd restaurant job.
4. David's Tea kiosk: There was a kiosk and I stopped by. I got a coupon for a free tea at the store. I went to the store and got a Vanilla Matcha tea. It was good.
Jan 28, 2020:
Papyrus: I went to the one in City Centre after work, and it's 20-40% off.
Jan. 30, 2020 Shirley Temple King:
Jan. 27, 2020 West Ed mall:
1. Bench: The store is selling everything for 50-70% off.
2. Carlton Cards: 30-50% off.
3. McDonald's: I got a free Big mac burger from them because I got a coupon from my boss M at my 2nd restaurant job.
4. David's Tea kiosk: There was a kiosk and I stopped by. I got a coupon for a free tea at the store. I went to the store and got a Vanilla Matcha tea. It was good.
Jan 28, 2020:
Papyrus: I went to the one in City Centre after work, and it's 20-40% off.
Jan. 30, 2020 Shirley Temple King:
On Monday evening, Leo Kelly went to bed as a normal 6-year-old boy who loves a good Shirley Temple. But on Tuesday morning he woke up an Instagram celebrity for his now-viral reviews of his favorite cherry-flavored soft drink.
The Connecticut first-grader has been the self-proclaimed “Shirley Temple King” since he started ordering the drink when he was just 3 years old.
“He would order them all the time on vacations or ... we've taken him out to dinner with us, especially when he was an only child, all the time,” Leo’s mom, Lisa Kelly, tells Yahoo Lifestyle of her eldest of three children. “So he'd be at really nice restaurants and kid-friendly restaurants and all that, and he would just always order a Shirley Temple.”
https://ca.yahoo.com/news/6-year-old-shirley-temple-king-takes-instagram-by-storm-162352874.html
Jan. 31, 2020 Peter Ackman fired over tweet:
Jan. 31, 2020 Peter Ackman fired over tweet:
CTV has parted ways with a senior investigative reporter after he came under intense public criticism for a tweet.
Peter Akman apologized on January 26 for the original tweet, in which he expressed relief over not getting the coronavirus while getting a haircut.
Most controversially, he included a photo of himself beside his barber, a man of Asian ancestry who was wearing a surgical mask.
"My barber told me he was offering everyone masks," Akman stated on Twitter. "I apologize for any offence I may have caused."
