"Why did it take so long for Shane Gillis to be fired from SNL?"/ "SNL embraces it's new-found relevance"

 Sept. 26, 2019 "Why did it take so long for Shane Gillis to be fired from SNL?": Today I found this article by Tony Wong in the Star Metro:

Unlike some folk, I didn’t hold out much hope that comedian Shane Gillis would be fired from “Saturday Night Live” — despite referring to Chinese as “f-king ch-ks” in a podcast, while mocking Chinese accents and making homophobic jokes.

The “SNL” crew went back to work this week to start the 45th season of the Emmy Award-winning sketch comedy show. Gillis was one of three new cast members announced this month. That includes the groundbreaking announcement that one of the new hires would be the first Chinese-american cast member, Bowen Yang.

But in the five days from the first tweet alerting producers of “SNL” to the time Gillis was let go, I couldn’t help wonder: How fast would he have been fired if he said the N-word? And why the double standard?

Imagine if “Saturday Night Live” had just hired their first Black American comic and Gillis was caught saying “f-king n---ers” on tape, would there be any doubt he would out the door?

Admittedly, writing this after the revelation that the Canadian prime minister wore blackface seems almost quaint. Not to excuse the cringeworthy cluelessness of Justin Trudeau, but Gillis aired his podcast in 2018 when the world was, hopefully, a little more woke.

But my issue isn’t with the firing of Gillis. It’s what happened after. Gillis posted a statement saying, “I understood it would be too much of a distraction,” after the firing, which was not exactly an act of contrition. 

Before that he said in a nonapology that he would offer an apology to “anyone who’s actually offended” by anything he said.

In the wake of the firing, the defenders came running to the door. Former “SNL” cast member Rob Schneider posted: “I am sorry you had the misfortune of being a cast member during this era of cultural unforgiveness.” 

Canadian comic Norm Macdonald said in a pinned tweet that the firing was “unacceptable” and “This means war.”

And someone who should know better, CNN’S Don Lemon, while acknowledging Gillis was being offensive, weighed in with: “I really hate cancel culture and boycott culture … everyone says stupid things, everyone does something that’s boneheaded. We have to be more forgiving.”

Sure, but what if Gillis had said the N-word? Comparing racial slurs — pitting the legacy of injustice to different racial groups against each other, whether it was slavery in the U.S. or a head tax in Canada — is not the answer. 

But one thing is clear: both words hurt. And they’re the worst thing you can say about either race. So what gives?

Professor Lorne Foster, director at York University’s Institute for Social Research, offers some context: “The United States has a unique dialectic” between Black and white, he says. “Because of the legacy of slavery, other marginalized groups are not part of that Black and white narrative and often their issues go unnoticed so they get shut out of the conversation.”

Asians, certainly of an earlier generation, are also used to turning the other cheek — valuing, like my parents, harmony not dissonance, even if it meant personal sacrifice.

“Asians are still punching bags, largely because we don’t speak out and we are perceived as doing well, which becomes part of the model-minority myth,” says Dora Nipp, CEO of the Multicultural History Society of Ontario.

Oct. 11, 2019 "SNL embraces it's new-found relevance": Today I found this article by Bethonie Butler in the Edmonton Journal:

Last weekend, SNL led by example with a sketch that was legitimately boundary- pushing — and hilarious. The episode’s strongest bit, Mid- Day News imagined staffers of a daytime Florida newscast enthusiastically guessing whether the alleged criminals in their news reports were black or white. The antics began when an anchor played by Ego Nwodim reported that a gas station had been robbed earlier that morning.

“And we’re told the suspect remains at large, but authorities now believe they have a credible description of the perp,” said her co- anchor, host Phoebe Waller Bridge. “The suspect, described as a white male ...”

“Woo!” Kenan Thompson interrupted. “Love it!” Nwodim shouted. Waller- Bridge and another co-anchor, played by Alex Moffat, looked confused. “I’m sorry, what are you two celebrating?” she asked.

“Oh, nothing. We’re just glad that we know what the criminal looks like,” Thompson replied. He leaned toward Nwodim, dropping his voice to a hushed tone: “And he ain’t one of us.”

Moffat’s anchor then reported on a multibillion- dollar Ponzi scheme targeting wealthy Miami residents. “That’s one of y’all, for sure,” Nwodim said as Moffat detailed the “egregious white- collar crime.”

“It’s right there in the name,” Nwodim teased. But her glee turned to disappointment when the screen flashed to a picture of the suspect. “And look at that,” Moffat said smugly. “He’s black.”

The competition escalated from there. Even the station’s weatherman ( Chris Redd) got in on the game while tracking the path of a hurricane dubbed Chet.

“Now that’s a white man’s name if I’ve ever heard one,” he said.

The kicker, which found Waller- Bridge and Moffat conceding defeat after a report about “a man dressed as the Joker,” concluded the sketch with a timely chef’s kiss that added Mid- Day News to a roster of sharp racial send- ups from SNL’s increasingly diverse writing staff. 

( In a tweet, senior writer Bryan Tucker credited Redd, Nwodim, and SNL co- head-writer Michael Che — the first black person to hold that title — with writing Mid- Day News.)

As Saturday Night Live incorporates new voices both onscreen and off, the show’s ability to subvert racial stereotypes in unexpected ways has led to some of its strongest sketches, often overshadowing — or elevating — SNL’s political humour.

One obvious example is Black Jeopardy, the recurring sketch that quizzes characters, played by carefully chosen guest hosts, on black culture. When Tom Hanks hosted ahead of the

2016 presidential election, SNL tweaked the sketch’s typical clueless white person format, instead tapping Hanks to play a MAGA hat-wearing conservative who knew a surprising amount about black culture — because he related to it.

Black Jeopardy, created by Che and Tucker, pushed its racial humour to a new level last year, tapping host Chadwick Boseman to appear in character as Black Panther.

When comedian and former SNL scribe John Mulaney hosted in March, the standout sketch was Cha Cha Slide, a four- minute masterpiece that looked like it would riff on the inherent awkwardness of a white guy attending a predominantly black wedding.

 Instead, the sketch revealed that Mulaney’s character, “a software engineer from Indianapolis,” may have been the blackest person at the event, at least in spirit.

PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines.

"Technology triggers compassion"/ "Filmmakers strew light on Syrian interloper crisis"/ At what age do you remember being the happiest to date?

 Sept. 13, 2016 "Technology triggers compassion": Today I found this article by Craig and Marc Kielburger in the Edmonton Journal:

The image of three-year-old Alan Kurdi lying dead on a Turkish beach etched the plight of Syrian refugees into Canada’s consciousness. If only the world had actually felt his dinghy capsize, been thrown into the churning waters after fleeing a rubble worn country. Maybe more would be willing to act.

Now, virtual reality promises to mimic these experiences, with tools to view and hear and feel the world as a Syrian refugee, or a girl fetching water in East Africa. If our brains can be tricked into the immediacy of these events, our emotions could follow.

We are hardwired for empathy. A landmark 2012 study found that human interactions are unique because of a neurological overlap in our understanding of the self and those closest to us. 

Our brains don’t differentiate — our loved ones’ emotions affect us the same as our own.

We’ve all experienced this physiological connection when we’ve felt the pain of a friend. But what about people in distant countries? Virtual reality can close that gap. The technology could revolutionize empathy.

Jeremy Bailenson, communication professor at Stanford University, has been researching the neurological and psychological impact of virtual reality for 15 years at the Virtual Human Interaction Lab. 

Visual, auditory and dynamic spatial cues mimic real-life responses in the brain. Bailenson has found that the immersive quality of this technology leaves an indelible mark on users in a way that still images don’t.

Bailenson’s lab is harnessing this potential, pioneering simulated experiences that create selfless behaviours. 

One recent study found that giving test subjects superpowers in virtual reality, like the ability to fly, made them more likely to help a lab technician with a task in real life.

Virtual reality is inspiring people to become everyday superheroes.

It’s no surprise that non-profits are leveraging this technology. In the face of charity fatigue and whiplash-quick news cycles that lurch from crisis to crisis, there’s a more intimate way to connect donors to a cause.

Hundreds of people donned simulation goggles at a charity gala in New York last year. They experienced the daily routine of a 13-year-old girl in Ethiopia as she trekked for miles to fetch 25 litres of water for her family. The event raised US$2.4 million for clean-water projects — far more than projected.

Journalists, too, have harnessed virtual reality to lift their stories off the page and screen.

 Nonny de la Peña’s Project Syria puts users on the ground in a refugee camp. It debuted at the 2014 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, giving some politicians a rare chance to experience the conflict themselves. Refugee camps don’t make for good memories, but they’re something everyone should see.

We visited Dadaab, a sliver of land in Kenya, during the 2011 drought that plunged East Africa into crisis. It was home to 300,000 refugees fleeing conflict and famine. Aid workers went without sleep; mothers starved to save food rations for their children. 

Because of our history and infrastructure in the region, our partner communities fared better. Still, as a non-profit, we struggled to get the world to pay attention, taking photos and writing stories that didn’t do justice to the crisis.

We hope the next frontier for virtual reality is the classroom, where it promises to immerse students — our future leaders — in worlds beyond textbooks. In a small way, we wanted to do the same for guests at our WE Day events this year, with goggles that take users to one of our partner communities in Kenya. Walk a mile, or several, with a Maasai woman collecting water.

If a single image can transcend borders, imagine what virtual reality can do for global compassion.

Sept. 19, 2016 "Filmmakers strew light on Syrian interloper crisis": I found this article by 

Craig and Marc Kielburger in the Edmonton Journal:

Worried that a Syrian interloper predicament is slipping from a daily news and a conscience, businessman and humanitarian Frank Giustra challenged Canada’s artistic village to share memorable stories of displacement, detriment and hope.

“To effectively residence a interloper crisis, we need a energy and transformation of many,” he told us.

In June, his charity, a Radcliffe Foundation, launched a foe for Canadian filmmakers to furnish a one-minute film that raises recognition about refugees and inspires Canadians to action.

Craig was asked to assistance decider submissions, alongside executive Atom Egoyan and musician Sarah McLachlan and others. From 10 entries, they chose a tip three. Now, until Sept. 23, Canadians can opinion for their favourite. It won’t take prolonged — Craig watched a videos on his phone in a behind of a cab — and we guarantee these will be a many absolute and relocating 3 mins of your week.

The winning film will be screened during a Vancouver Film Festival, Sept. 29 to Oct. 14, and Giustra hopes broadcasters and film theatres will collect it adult and uncover a video to widespread awareness.

The one-minute format was selected to fit complicated observation trends. “People today, generally a younger generations, devour news and information by shorter pieces, we saw a need for a brief film that could rivet this audience,” says Giustra.

Although only one leader will be chosen, a 3 finalists are some-more absolute when noticed together. They form a triptych that beautifully illustrates, from commencement to end, a interloper predicament and Canada’s intensity impact.

Begin with Helpful Hand, destined by Vancouver’s Alexandru Nagy. Without words, a elementary though beautiful animation immerses we in a fear, despondency and wish of one small lady journey destruction for Canada. This brief film captures a intensity within each interloper when they’re given a palm adult (as against to a handout).

Those postulated haven arrive in Canada with small some-more than a garments they wear. Helping accommodate their many needs isn’t only a pursuit for a governments and interloper sponsors. We can all play a part.

Humanity, destined by another Vancouverite, Zeeshan Parwez, is an lenient call to transformation that captures a many ways Canadians can continue to make a disproportion in a lives of those we have postulated retreat — from donating garments and domicile equipment to assisting refugees find jobs and bond with village services.

And afterwards there’s a personal favourite — Show a World by documentary association The Cutting Factory. The film interviews Ian Crerar, an businessman from Kingston, Ont., who says he “won a lottery” when he sponsored a Syrian family. In one shot, a Syrian and Canadian families are congested around a little table, pity a meal. There’s no fear or strife of cultures. “At a finish of a day, good people are good people, and we all have a same dignified values,” says Crerar.

Those heartwarming images of common joy, of dual families from opposite worlds finding they’re only a same were impossibly relocating and put this film over a tip for us.

In a face of a interloper crisis, Canada is in a most opposite position than a nations of Europe. We do not have hundreds of thousands of unfortunate people crashing on a shores. Ours is a weight of conscience, as we can select who and how many we welcome.

What will we do with that choice?

That’s a doubt for Canadians to answer: Are we finished with a 30,000 refugees we’ve welcomed into a country, or will we do more?

The summary in these films is that, if we select to do more, we will uncover a universe what a truly merciful republic looks like.

Vote for your favourite interloper story at: http://refugeestories.viff.org/

Filmmakers shed light on Syrian refugee crisis – News Promo37

This week's theme is about charity articles by Craig and Marc Kielburger:

"Young caregivers lack right support in Canada"/ "Thinking inside the box" (environment)

Tracy's blog: "Young caregivers lack right support in Canada"/ "Thinking inside the box" (environment) (badcb.blogspot.com)

"Make your 2018 count" (donate all year)/ "CSI: Congo"

Tracy's blog: "Make your 2018 count" (donate all year)/ "CSI: Congo" (badcb.blogspot.com)

My week:

Aug. 6, 2021 Leo opinion:

Jean-Marc Léger from Montréal, QC, would like to know:

At what age do you remember being the happiest to date?

Between 18 and 24 years old: 26.06% (1231)

Between 25 and 34 years old: 23.96% (1132)

Younger than 12 years old: 15.45% (730)

Between 12 and 17 years old: 12.91% (610)

Between 35 and 44 years old: 9.70% (458)

Between 45 and 54 years old: 5.33% (252)

Between 55 and 64 years old: 4.15% (196)

65 years old or more: 2.43% (115)

My opinion: I chose 25-34 yrs old.  It's not about the age, it's about my actions and life.  I was following my dream of getting my TV script produced from 22-27 yrs old.  

I also learned a lot about jobs, careers, and business from 2010-2012 (25- 27 yrs old).  I continue to learn about that.

I usually go year by year like 2019 was the Year of the Out of Box Job search.

2020 was the Year of COVID-19 and Work from Home.  I'm sure a lot of people would call 2020 that.  However, I spent more time looking for a job than working at one.  I had a few temp work from home jobs.

Jul. 22, 2021  "Beekeeping dog helps owners deliver honey in Edmonton": Today I found this article by Sydney Upright:

EDMONTON -- Growing up on a hobby farm on the northwest coast of British Columbia, Tracy Brindley has lived with many dogs in the past, but none quite as fashionable and fearless as Moose.

The one-year-old yellow Labrador sports his own beekeeping suit, co-inspects the hives, and even helps deliver honey produced by his owner’s urban bee colony in Edmonton.

Brindley says it all started when Moose showed interest while she was outside inspecting her backyard bees.

“I’d put him inside and he would be barking and his nose would be shoved against the glass,” said Brindley. “I was just a little nervous about bringing him out here because he was so curious all the time, and then I thought, ‘You know what? Maybe I could get him a bee suit.”

The white head-to-toe uniform keeps beekeepers protected against stings during inspections.

After no luck finding a dog bee suit online, Brindley decided to fit Moose with a beekeeping veil she already owned, which he’s been sporting ever since.

Beekeeping dog helps owners deliver honey in Edmonton | CTV News

Jul. 26, 2021 "Raccoon copies girl's hip hop dancing": 

A raccoon with smooth moves has over 10 million views on TikTok after a video of the animal and her human dance partner went viral earlier this month.

Raccoon copies girl's hip hop dancing (yahoo.com)

Aug. 8, 2021 We Bare Bears: Here is the episode "Panda's Birthday."  At the 26-29 sec part, Panda is hip hop dancing to a music video.

(1017) We Bare Bears "PANDA'S BIRTHDAY" | Monsta X | [SUB ESP] - YouTube

Here's the full ep:

(1017) Reaction to We Bare Bears Panda's Birthday - YouTube

Self- care: Today I didn't feel good.  It's important to take care of yourself.

1. I took a shower.

2. I watched 2 hrs of TV.  1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon.

3. I could have attended this Vegan and Vegetarian Meetup, but I wasn't up for it.  I stayed home and rested.

Aug. 10, 2021 Screenwriter's Meetup: Today I read someone's script and made my list of pros and cons and sent it to him.  I haven't read a script from anyone since probably like 2019.  The script was average.

"Bartender shares secret code women use when they're feeling unsafe: '[This] actually did save my life'": Today I found this article by Kelsey Weekman on Yahoo News.  The video was edu- tainment: 

TikTok user @BenjiSpears explained that ordering a nonexistent “angel shot” is a secret code to alert staff that you feel unsafe. 

In a viral post, the Los Angeles-based bartender reenacted a situation where he spotted a woman who looked uncomfortable. 

As he checked on the pair, the woman requested an angel shot, which @BenjiSpears explained has become more common among bartenders lately. He then stayed by her side until the “shot” arrived.

The concept of the angel shot first went viral back in 2017 as an open secret among women and bar employees. The exact name of the drink may vary, but bars sometimes post the code words in the women’s bathroom. 

The angel shot has three different versions now, @BenjiSpears explained. The angel shot with lime suggests that bartenders need to get the police involved; ordering one “neat” is a request for an escort to your car and “on the rocks” means you need someone to call a car to get you home safe.

Bartender shares secret code women use when they're feeling unsafe: '[This] actually did save my life' (yahoo.com)

Aug. 11, 2021 My birthday: I woke up this morning and my little brother says: "Happy birthday."

Birthday cake: I usually get an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.  Last year I didn't.  I usually get to pick which cake with the design.  One time my dad picked one with Garfield on it.  This time I made a guess that it was Garfield.  My mom chose Hello Kitty.  That was a close guess.  

Facebook: 13 people wished my a happy birthday.

Fantasy Island: I then watched my recording of the pilot that aired last night.  This was shot in Puerto Rico and the place was beautiful.  The episode was average.  I recorded the show and will watch more.  I saw an ad on ET Canada to enter into a contest to win a trip to Puerto Rico so I did.

Edmonton Travelers Club: This meeting was about how to travel on a budget like working on a cruise, or being an Au Pair.  There is so much people working from home, you can ask your boss and company if you can work for them in another country.

The Edmonton Travelers Club - JoinMyTrip (Edmonton, AB) | Meetup

Fall 2018 TV season (Part 3)/ "Man in China reunited with son snatched 24 years ago"

  

Jul. 3, 2021 Fall 2018 TV season (Part 3): As you can see the dates, it's been about 4 yrs since I first saw these shows.  However, it's not really my priority to write about this.  I'm writing this now because it's summer time and there aren't a lot of scripted dramas on TV right now.  

Also, I recorded these shows that came out in the fall, mid-season, and spring, but after watching a few episodes, I don't really like them.  I will write about TV shows that I like:

FBI: This is my favorite TV show that came out this fall:

"Procedural drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the FBI, bringing to bear all the Bureau's skills, intellect and mind-blowing technology to keep New York and the country safe."

FBI (TV Series 2018– ) - IMDb

Pros: 

1. The cast: 

Missy Peregrym- who plays Special Agent Maggie Bell.  She was also on the Canadian cop show I like called Rookie Blue.

Zeeko Zaki- as Special Agent OA.  I have never seen him before.  However, as I watch more of the show, I see that he really stands out with his acting on this show.

Jeremey Sisto- as Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine.  He was in the movie Clueless.

Ebonee Noel- as Analyst Kristin Chazil.  She was on the first 2 seasons.

Sela Ward- Special Agent in Charge Dana Mosier.  She was in the first season and was on CSI: NY.

Alana De La Garza- as Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille.  She was on the TV shows Forever and Do No Harm.

John Boyd- as Special Agent Stuart Scola.

Katherine Renee Turner- as Special Agent Tiffany Wallace.

Melanie Nicholls- King- she was on the TV show Rookie Blue.  She was in the pilot of the show FBI.

There is good acting.

2. Good writing: There is a lot of drama, conflict, and tension.  Most stories lines are:

-solve a bombing

-stop a bombing

-solve a murder

-stop a murder

-figure out the motive: A lot of times it seems like it's a terrorist attack, and then it's something else.

Who is the next target?

Where is the next target?

How to stop it?

The show is creative.  In the pilot, there was a cell phone melted into a leg.  Has anyone heard of that?

The stories are crazy and unpredictable.  Fast- paced.

3. Comedy- there are few funny parts.

In the episode "Exposed."  OA and Maggie are at the bank and investigating a case.

OA: We have to go back out there, and make sure we don't like Feds.

Maggie and OA come out holding hands and smiling.  lol.  This was so out of character.

In the episode "New Dawn."  OA and Maggie are walking, and then they got shot at.  They manage to catch the shooter.

OA: Are you crazy?  Shooting at 2 FBI agents?

Suspect: I wasn't shooting at you, I was shooting at the building.

Maggie: You got something against brick?

4. Good production.

5. Ethnic diversity

6.  There is a lot of action like shootouts, car chases, and fighting.

7. In the Season 1 finale episode "Closure."  

OA: Life is for the living.

Simple truth. 

Cons: None.

My opinion: I have watched all 3 seasons of this TV show.  This show has never jumped the shark.

The Rookie: This show is a close second favorite.

"Starting over isn't easy, especially for John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of joining the LAPD. As their oldest rookie, he's met with skepticism from those who see him as just a walking midlife crisis."

The Rookie (TV Series 2018– ) - IMDb

Pros:

1. There is a good opening scene in the pilot.  John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) enters a bank.  They then get robbed and Nolan distracts the robbers as the banker presses a silent alarm.

John: Who am I?

Banker: I think the healthier question is who do you want to be?

9 months later, Nolan has went to police academy is now on duty.

2. The cast:

Nathan Fillion- he's from Edmonton, Alberta.  My big sister is a big fan of his and love him on the TV show Castle.  She also met him and had a picture taken with him when she went to those comic book/ TV show conventions.

Melissa O' Niel- she plays the rookie Lucy Chen.  O' Niel is Canadian.

Titus Makin- Jr. - he plays the rookie Jackson West.

Alyssa Diaz- as training officer Angela Lopez to Jackson.  She was on the TV show Zoo.

Eric Winter- as training officer Tim Bradford to Lucy.  I saw him on The Mentalist and Secrets and Lies season 2.  He's handsome.

Afton Williamson- as training officer Talia Bishop to Nolan.  She was on Shades of Blue.  She was in the first season of The Rookie.

Mekia Cox- as training officer Nyla Harper to Nolan starting in season 2.

Richard T. Jones- as Sergeant Wade Grey.

Shawn Ashmore- as lawyer Wesley Evers.  He was Ice Man on those X- Men movies.

3 Good writing.  There is a lot of drama, conflict, and tension.  In the pilot there was a shoot out, helicopters, and ambulances.

There are a lot of interesting cases.  There are lots of plot twists.

4. The comedy- this is probably the best part of the show.  A lot of law enforcement shows are serious, and there is a little joke here and there.  However, the comedy on this show is consistent.  There is usually a joke or a funny scene in the opening scene.

5.There is a lot of action like shootouts, car chases, and fighting.

6. Dialogue: In the pilot: Nolan is pointing at a Gun Man with a hostage in front of him.

Nolan: I became a cop to help people, not kill them.

Nolan shoots the Gun Man in the leg.

7. Good production: They show shots from the body cams when the cops wear them.

8. Ethnic diversity.

Cons: 

1. This is a mild con.  The show is not very realistic in showing the people in the police force.

Harper does a speech at this cop convention.

Harper: 12% of all cops are women.

I checked to verify that:

"In 2019, 67.1 percent of full-time civilian law enforcement employees in the United States were female. Only 12.8 percent of full-time law enforcement officers were female, while 87.2 percent of law enforcement officers were male."

• Gender distribution of full-time U.S. law enforcement employees 2019 | Statista

The cast is 50/ 50 in gender.  It's not a bad con.  

My opinion: I have watched all 3 seasons of this TV show.  This show has never jumped the shark.

Nurses: While I'm at, I'll throw this TV show in too: There are 5 nurses on the TV show and 2 them are men.

Nurses (TV Series 2020– ) - IMDb

"There are more men in nursing today than at any time in history – and that’s good for male nurses and the profession. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 12% of registered nurses are now men, up from 2.7% male RNs in 1970."

The Male Nurse: Benefits and Percentages of Men in Nursing (snhu.edu)

Manifest: This is my 3rd favorite TV show.

"A commercial airliner suddenly reappears after being missing for five years. As those aboard reintegrate into society, they experience guiding voices and visions of events yet to occur, and soon a deeper mystery unfolds."

Manifest (TV Series 2018–2021) - IMDb

Pros:

1. The story concept is creative.  In 2013, there are passengers like Ben and his 10 yr old son Cal, and his sister Michaela.  They are on a plane and there is a lot of turbulence.  They then land and are told that they were missing for 5 years and presumed dead. 

Ben's wife Grace, and Cal's twin sister Olive, and the grandparents decide to take another plane.

When the Stone family reunites, I felt kind of teary- eyed.

They have a lot to catch up.

The Stone family then starts seeing and hearing things and are able to prevent bad things from happening and are helping people.

2. The cast:

Melissa Roxburgh- Michaela is a cop.  As a cop, she can help more people when she gets these visions or what they call "callings."

Josh Dallas- as Ben who is a math professor.  He was David/ Prince Charming on Once Upon a Time.

Athena Karkanis- as Grace.  She is caterer.  She  was on Zoo.

Jack Messina- as Cal.

Luna Blaise- as Olive.

Parveen Kaur- as Dr. Saanvi Bahl.

Daryl Edwards- as Vance who works for the NSA and investigates them.

J. R. Ramirez- as Jared Vasquez is a cop, and dated Michaela.

Matt Long- as Zeke.  He came in season 2, and is not a passenger.

3. The writing.  There is a lot of drama, conflict, and tension.  There is a good mystery of how a plane can go missing and then appears.

The callings are mysterious and they have to figure things out like in the pilot:

Michaela is riding a bus and she hears "slower" and she tells the bus driver to slow down.  The bus driver does, and a saves a kid who was running across the street.

Michaela and Ben hear "Set them free."  They cut open a lock, and the 2 dogs are free.  Then later, Michaela doesn't feel good and still hears the calling.

She finds 2 girls who were abducted and they were in the junkyard.

4. The dialogue: The whole second chance:

Saanvi: To start over, to live.

Ben: Reclaim my life.

5. The surprise ending in the pilot: The plane blows up.

Cons: None.

Comparisons: 

A big group of people are thrown together by this mystery:

Lost: I only saw a few episodes when this show came out.

"The survivors of a plane crash are forced to work together in order to survive on a seemingly deserted tropical island."

Lost (TV Series 2004–2010) - IMDb

The Crossing: 

"Refugees from a war-torn country 180 years in the future start showing up in the present to seek asylum in an American town."

The Crossing (TV Series 2018) - IMDb

My opinion: I have watched all 3 seasons of this show.  This show has never jumped the shark.  The show got cancelled.

However, they are trying to produce a a 2 hr movie finale:

Manifest Creator Planning 2-Hour Movie Finale To Wrap Canceled Series (screenrant.com)

Jul. 9, 2021 Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams: This show came out in Jan. 2018 on CTV Sci-Fi channel.  I watched the whole season of 10 episodes.

"A sci-fi anthology series with stand-alone episodes based on the works of Philip K. Dick."

Electric Dreams (TV Series 2017– ) - IMDb

Pros:

1. The writing is creative and original for the most part with the sci-fi.  This is really out- of-the-box and unconventional with the stories set in space and the future.  I had to look and find an article about how much of this is Philip K. Dick's short story writing, and how much is the TV writers and producers that wrote this.

2. The special effects, settings, and visuals.

3. The acting.  They had really big guest-stars like:

Bill Cranston (Breaking Bad)

Anna Paquin (True Blood)

Sam Witwer (Being Human) 

Cons:

1. Not all of the writing is creative or original.  

In the Electric Dreams episode "The Hood Maker", it's about a telepath who works with the police to solve crime.

Comparisons: A telepath works with law enforcement to solve crime:

The Listener: This is one of my favorite Canadian TV shows.

 "A young paramedic discovers he has telepathic powers."

The Listener (TV Series 2009–2014) - IMDb

Dredd: I saw this movie on TV in 2019.  The trainee has telepathic powers.

"In a violent, futuristic city where the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop teams with a trainee to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug, SLO-MO."

Dredd (2012) - IMDb

The Twilight Zone (2002-2003): This show came out in 2002.  This is hosted by Forest Whittaker.  I saw quite a lot of episodes.  

"This second revival of The Twilight Zone (1959) presents tales of suspense, fantasy, science fiction and horror."

The Twilight Zone (TV Series 2002–2003) - IMDb

In the episode "The Lineman": 

"Telephone-repairman Tyler Ward is struck by lightning and gains telepathy for strong emotions."

My opinion: He doesn't work for the law enforcement.  I remember a character telling him he can work for them because he knows who's innocent or guilty.

"The Twilight Zone" The Lineman (TV Episode 2002) - IMDb

In the Electric Dreams episode "Real Life", there are 2 stories.  Which one is real and which one is fake?  There is a story of a white woman living in the future.  She puts on a VR and there is a story of a Black man living in the present time and his wife passed away.

Comparisons: Two stories. Which one is real and which one is fake?

The Twilight Zone (2002-2003):

In the episode "Another Life":

"A hip-hop artist has visions of being brutally interrogated by the police and begins to doubt his own identity."

"The Twilight Zone" Another Life (TV Episode 2003) - IMDb

Friend's script: In my Edmonton Screenwriter's Meetup group, Jason wrote a script where 1 man says he's a cop and the other man is a criminal.  Another man says the same thing.

The Electric Dreams episode "The Father Thing": This is about body snatchers and there are a lot of that on TV and movies.

2. I don't really like horror/ sci-fi that much.  I guess the storylines are too out-of-the-box for me.  I like law enforcement drama and how to solve a mystery.

I used to like this as a teen like watching: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Dark Angel, and Heroes.  As an adult I did like to watch The Vampire Diaries.

3. Each episode has it's own story, world, and characters.  I don't really like anthologies.  I like TV series with a set of characters and each episode they go through different stories.

My opinion: This show is average.  I remember reading John Doyle's TV column in the Globe and Mail.  He described this show as "good, and uneven."

If you're reading this review, you can see how mixed this is.  I only saw one episode of Black Mirror and it was the episode "Nose Dive."  My friend Cham had Netflix and she showed it to me.  It was a good ep.

Jul. 13, 2021 "‘Clueless’ Is Being Rebooted As A Dramatic Mystery Series And, Ugh, As If": Today I found this article by Cole Delbyck.  This was actually published on Oct. 21, 2019.  I remember watching the teen sitcom Clueless on ABC when I was in jr. high school.  That was light, fun, and funny:

And before you accuse us of being way harsh, the reboot is somewhat bafflingly described as “‘Mean Girls’ meets ‘Riverdale’ meets a Lizzo music video,” set in modern-day Los Angeles and centering on Cher’s mysterious disappearance.

This new iteration will be “a baby pink and bisexual blue-tinted, tiny sunglasses-wearing, oat milk latté and Adderall-fueled look at what happens when the high school Queen Bee (Cher) disappears and her life-long number two (Dionne) steps into Cher’s vacant Air Jordans,” the series logline reads. “How does Dionne deal with the pressures of being the new most popular girl in school, while also unraveling the mystery of what happened to her best friend, all in a setting that is uniquely 2020 LA?”

'Clueless' Is Being Rebooted As A Dramatic Mystery Series And, Ugh, As If | HuffPost

My opinion: The story sounds interesting. A murder mystery and missing people mysteries are always interesting.

Surreal Estate: This show comes on CTV Sci-Fi at 8pm. I'm going to check out the pilot:

"Realtor Nick Roman and an elite team of specialists handle the cases that no one else can: haunted and possessed houses that literally scare would-be buyers away."

SurrealEstate (TV Series 2021– ) - IMDb

This week there isn't a theme.  Here are the other two blog posts:

The Flourishing Centre/ Handel Group/ The Integrative Institute for Coach Training

Tracy's blog: The Flourishing Centre/ Handel Group/ The Integrative Institute for Coach Training (badcb.blogspot.com)

Quality management at NAIT

Tracy's blog: Quality management at NAIT (badcb.blogspot.com)

My week:

Jul. 9, 2021  "Edmonton in for a ride with outdoor Summer Fun Midway at Expo Centre in lieu of K-Days": Today I found this article by Dustin Cook in the Edmonton Journal:

It’s not technically K-Days, but Edmonton will still play host to an all-outdoor Summer Fun Midway at the Edmonton Expo Centre grounds from July 23 to August 1.

Guests can still take a ride on fan favourites including the Zipper, Polar Express and the Crazy Mouse Rollercoaster, North American Midway Entertainment announced in a Friday press release. And of course the fair foods, to make your stomach rumble or roll, or both, will be on hand. Entertainment will include the beloved President’s Choice Super Dogs! as well as the Ride the Vibe: Fresh Flips 2021 Motorcycle Show.

The summer fair will be open weekends starting at noon and on weekdays at 1 p.m. Advanced ride-all-day passes can be purchased online starting Monday for $38. On-site and advance gate admission will be available for $9 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. Children six years and under will be admitted for free.

Edmonton in for a ride with outdoor Summer Fun Midway at Expo Centre in lieu of K-Days | Edmonton Journal

My opinion: I would have to read some reviews first before attending.

Jul. 12, 2021 The Therapist Parent comic strip: I found this on Facebook.  I find this heartwarming.  I'm not a parent or want to be one, but I like it.  3 of my friends liked it as well and 2 of them aren't parents.

The Therapist Parent

July 10 at 8:04 PM  · 

This is such a great visual of co-regulation. Of course sometimes your child won't want to be held and don't force it. But if we can stay calm, meet the feeling not the behaviour then co-regulation can happen. When we hold our child there is a physical change. Their nervous system will mirror ours. We just have to wait for the fire to go out.

Facebook

Jul. 13, 2021 "Everything was going wrong in his life, but then he won D.C.'s vaccine lottery": Today I found this article by Julie Zauzmer on Yahoo News.  Here's an excerpt:

WASHINGTON - For Sung-ha Jou, a 44-year-old Air Force veteran, one disaster kept leading to the next during the coronavirus pandemic. He lost his job during the early weeks of the pandemic, then eventually his home, his van and his other sources of support. By the time coronavirus vaccines became widespread, Jou was arriving, destitute, at a D.C. homeless shelter.

Meanwhile, the District of Columbia was putting in place an initiative that several states and cities across the country have tried: lotteries with big-ticket prizes, including in D.C. a free car and $10,000 grocery store gift cards, to induce reluctant residents to get their coronavirus vaccines.

On his first day at the shelter, Jou got a vaccine. And this week, he learned to his great surprise that he had also won the lottery.

His prize: a year of free rides on the D.C. Metro system.

He says it's a boon that he badly needed, and one that will help him travel to medical appointments, social services and other important outings as he gets back on his feet while pursuing employment and housing.

"This is literally God-sent. I am so grateful for this," Jou said. "It's just out of nowhere. When I thought everything was going wrong, this really helped me out."

Serving in the military had been a priority of his since he emigrated from South Korea to California as a teenager and became a U.S. citizen. But his service left him living on the East Coast, far from family and friends who might have helped him out. He saved up money from his unemployment checks and used it to start up his own business: He bought a van and established himself as a mobile mechanic, driving around Virginia to do oil changes and make car repairs.

With the expenses of a fledgling business, he was stretching to pay his rent; he put a bed in the van and moved in.

"It was OK. I managed for a while. Until the car broke down and I didn't have the money to fix it," he said. One blow followed another - someone broke into the van, stealing Jou's tools that he used for his mobile mechanic business. His food stamps expired and he struggled to complete the paperwork to start them again. He ran out of money to buy groceries and water.

Everything was going wrong in his life, but then he won D.C.'s vaccine lottery (yahoo.com)

My opinion: That's a really positive story.  I'll give him points that he's adaptive by becoming a mobile mechanic.  He could have called his family and friends and asked them to send him money through e-transfer and/ or get a bus ticket to get to the friend or family's house to sleep on the couch.

I don't know if buses will be driving to where they live.  This also made me grateful that I'm not homeless, and that the pandemic hasn't affected me this badly.

"Pope reappears after surgery, backs free universal health care": Today I found this article by Phillip Pullella and Giulia Segreti on Yahoo News.  I'm not really a fan of the Pope Francis, but I agree with free universal health care: 

In the mostly improvised part of his talk, Francis said good healthcare should be accessible to all and free.

"In these days that I have been in hospital, I saw once more how important it is to have a good healthcare system that is accessible to all, as it exists in Italy and in other countries," he said.

"A health service that is free and guarantees good service accessible to all ... This precious good should not be lost. It must be maintained and everyone should be committed to this. Because everyone needs it ...," he said.

Healthcare is a major political issue in the United States, one of the few industrialised countries that does not have universal cover for its citizens.

According to the World Health Organization, universal health coverage means that all have access to health services they need without financial hardship.

Pope reappears after surgery, backs free universal health care (yahoo.com)

"Bidding wars to rent a house? In Ontario, tenants and agents say it's a new reality": 
Today I found this article by James Dunne on CBC News:

While the price to rent a condo in some major cities may have gone down during the pandemic, high sales prices in the housing market appear to be having a ripple effect on single-family rental homes in Ontario.

The situation has prompted bidding wars some experts suggest may be part of the landscape for the foreseeable future.

"I've never seen it like this before," said Sue Heddle, a real estate agent with nearly 15 years of experience in the Greater Toronto Area cities of Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington. 

Heddle said she is routinely seeing tenants go above a rental's list price, as well as offer months of advance payments. One of her clients recently listed a house that rented for $700 more a month than what was posted.  

Bidding wars to rent a house? In Ontario, tenants and agents say it's a new reality | CBC News

Jul. 14, 2021 "Man in China reunited with son snatched 24 years ago": Today I found this on Yahoo News.  This is a crazy story:

A Chinese man has been reunited with his son after a 24-year search that saw him travel over 500,000km (310,000 mi) on a motorbike across the country.

Guo Gangtang's son had been snatched aged two by human traffickers in front of their home in the province of Shandong.

His son's disappearance actually inspired a movie in 2015, which starred Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau.

Child abductions are a big problem in China, with thousands taken every year.

According to China's Ministry of Public Security, the police were able to trace the son's identity using DNA testing. Two suspects were later tracked down and arrested, said a Global Times report.

After his son was abducted in 1997, Mr Guo reportedly travelled to more than 20 provinces around the country on the back of a motorbike chasing tip-offs.

In the process, he broke bones in traffic accidents and even encountered highway robbers. Ten motorbikes were also damaged.

Carrying around banners with his son's picture on them, he is said to have spent his life savings on his mission, sleeping under bridges and begging for money when he ran out of cash.

He also became a prominent member of missing-persons organizations in China, and helped at least seven other parents reunite with their abducted children.

Man in China reunited with son snatched 24 years ago (yahoo.com)

Edmonton Vegan and Vegetarian Meetup: Today I attended an online Meetup.  The organizer Barbilee has 3 other Meetup groups.  I have met her in real life before.  I met 2 new people there and talked about TV shows, movies, podcasts, and meditation.  Afterwards, I emailed Barbilee some non-violent shows to watch: This is Us, A Million Little Things, and God Friended Me.