Thursday, May 31, 2018

fall 2017 TV season reviews (Part 2)

May 17, 2018 SWAT: 


"Follows a locally born and bred S.W.A.T. lieutenant who is torn between loyalty to the streets and duty to his fellow officers when he's tasked to run a highly-trained unit that's the last stop for solving crimes in Los Angeles."


Pros: 

1. There is good action and lots of it.  The first scene was of the SWAT team chasing some arms dealers.  There is a shoot out, chasing, jumping over the fence, and running on roofs.  A helicopter comes.

I even said to the bad guys: Split up!

They then did.

I loved the beginning so much that after the pilot, I rewatched the first scene.

2. There is good writing.  There is lots of drama, conflict, and tension as the team have to save lives.  There is lots of suspense.

3. There is good acting by Hondo (Shemar Moore from Criminal Minds).  I felt emotional as he talks to a victim at the hospital.

4. They dealt with race and police.  

5. There was a motorcycle chase scene and it was fun to watch.

6. There are surprises.

Spoiler alert: A white guy gets shot at the rally.

Spoiler alert: The new recruit Jim (Alex Russel) says that Buck put his mom in jail.

7. There is good ethnic diversity.

Cons: None.

My opinion: It was good and all, but I didn't watch it again.


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6111130/

http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/seal-team-renewed-season-2-swat-renewed-season-2-cbs-1202737950/

Wisdom of the Crowd:

"A tech innovator creates a cutting-edge crowd-sourcing hub to solve his own daughter's murder, as well as revolutionizing crime solving in San Francisco."

Pros: 

1. The idea was good to solve his daughter's murder.  It was realistic too.  We do have an Amber Alert for missing kids.

2. The dialogue is good:

"From humble beginnings, come big things."

"People want to be part of something meaningful."

3. There are good surprises:

Spoiler alert: They get hacked.

Cons: None.

Comparisons:

Technology and crime- fighting put together:


APB: Does anyone remember this show came out in mid- season 2017?


"After witnessing a violent crime, a tech billionaire purchases a troubled police precinct, rebooting it as a private police force."

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5542294/?ref_=nv_sr_1


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6522758/

http://tvline.com/2017/11/27/wisdom-of-the-crowd-cancelled-cbs-jeremy-piven-sexual-assault-allegations/

Frankie Drake Mysteries:

"The series follows Frankie Drake, a female private detective operating in Toronto in the 1920s."

Pros:

1. If you like private investigation shows like Angel and Veronica Mars, you may like this. Or mysteries.

2. The characters are mainly women and likeable.  It has Lauren Lee Smith from The Listener in it.

3. Surprises.

Spoiler alert: Frankie meets her mom.

Cons: None.

My opinion: It was good, but I didn't really find it interesting. 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6881870/

Inhumans:


"An isolated community of superhumans fight to protect themselves."

1. The show had it's own world with it's own sets, costumes.

2. Good fight scenes.  There were some good action sequences.

3. The dialogue:

"The difficulties strengthen the mind, as well as labor does the body."

I should put that in my inspirational quotes.

4. Ethnic diversity.

Cons: 

1. It was boring.

Comparisons: 

A group of people going on one planet to another:

Flash Gordon: 


Hometown Celebrity Steven "Flash" Gordon discovers a secret his father tried desperately to keep hidden. He then embarks on a journey to another dimension in hopes of finding his father who was believed to be killed in a fire. Flash becomes involved with the struggles of Planet Mongo. A tyrannical leader controls the only source of clean water on the planet. Flash makes many allies during his struggles leading to a Revolution.



—epcnb86

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0959086/?ref_=nv_sr_2

My opinion: I watched the first 2 eps that aired together and then I never watched it again.


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4154858/

https://www.destructoid.com/shocker-marvel-s-inhumans-cancelled-by-abc-502945.phtml

Star Trek: Discovery:

"Ten years before Kirk, Spock and the Enterprise, the USS Discovery discovers new worlds and lifeforms as one Starfleet officer learns to understand all things alien."

Pros:

1. It was a good production, scenery, special effects.

2. Ethnic diversity.

3. There is drama, conflict, and tension when characters are in danger.

4. Good dialogue.

Sarek: When emotions bring us ghosts from the past, only logic can root us in the present.

I should put this in my inspirational quotes.

Cons: It was very boring.  It was like one of the most boring pilots I ever watched. 

My opinion: I never watched it again.


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5171438/

The Gifted:


"In a world where mutated humans are treated with distrust and fear, an institute for mutants battles to achieve peaceful co-existence with humanity."

Pros:

1. There is lots of drama, conflict, and tension with the family going on the run.

2. There is good actors dad Stephen Moyer (True Blood), Amy Acker (Angel), son Percy Hynes White (Between) and Natalie Alyn Lind.

3. Ethnic diversity.

4. The Stan Lee cameo.

5. The special effects of the super powers.  It's exciting to watch.

Cons: None.

Comparisons:

A family on the run: It was done on the TV movie Family in Hiding:


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0824326/?ref_=nv_sr_2

My opinion: It was average.  I probably would have liked this show more if I was teen.  I never watched it again.


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4396630/

May 25, 2018: I'm writing so much about TV because the shows season finales are ending.  Also all these shows are getting renewed or cancelled.  Also I have been reading these new falls shows that will be coming.


My week:


May 25, 2018 Tru Space:


Truspace believes every business is unique, which is why we work closely with you to gain a deep understanding of your company – from its goals and needs to its people and culture. Once we have a true understanding of your business, we create a tailored solution that not only addresses your company’s immediate needs but will also fulfil your business’s future needs.

www.truspace.ca

May 27, 2018 "Kevin Federline wants Britney Spears to pay him $60K a month": I'm writing about this because it's about finance and jobs.
Yeah, I'm writing about this again.

Finances:
Does he rent or own a home?
How much is the rent or mortgage?
Does his wife have a job?
How much money are they spending on food?

Does his ex-fiancé who he has 2 kids with have a job?
Does his ex-fiancé have a partner who works?

I don't know about his whole financial situation.  It's not like the Financial Facelift column in the Globe and Mail where they profile one person, a couple, or a family if they can retire or when, or how to retire.

Careers: It says KFed is a DJ.  Have he ever thought of being a dance teacher?

He was a back up dancer for Britney Spears, that is a good credit and looks good on a dance teacher resume.  He was also in the Pink music video "Get this Party Started."
I didn't know this until the Pop Up Video showed it.  In the 2min 35 sec part it's KFed in a blue track suit dancing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW1dbiD_zDk
The thing is, though he can be a dance teacher, does he really want to be?
Also, do people want to learn dancing from him?

I endorse that he's a good dancer, but some people just don't like him or is a fan of his.

He needs to talk to a career counselor. 
https://ca.style.yahoo.com/kevin-federline-wants-britney-spears-pay-60k-month-child-support-reasonable-010636566.html

May 29, 2018 Shane Sparks: I would learn dancing from him.  He was a judge for So You Think You Can Dance and America's Best Dance Crew.  I even saw him on the TV show Starting Over.

However, I just checked up on him and it seems he spent some time in jail.

Blake McGrath: He was on So You Think You Can Dance, and is a judge on So You Think You Can Dance Canada.  I auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance Canada in 2009.  He saw me dance for 30 sec.  I wrote about it on my blog.

He was a dancer for Spears and was in Janet Jackson's "So Excited" music video.  He was in the 2min 28 sec part of the video where he touches Jackson's butt.  Jackson then waves her finger at him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHaEgO1FMeA


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_McGrath
Self-awareness:

The woman who dances like a little girl: It was in SYTYCD in 2006.  This show came out in 2005.  In my teens and early 20s I loved dance.  I liked watching these shows.  It's not until 2010 I stopped watching these shows.  I still like dancing, but not enough to watch these shows.

This blond woman who was overweight comes to audition.  It was contemporary ballet dance.  She had her blond hair in a bun.  She was wearing a black halter top and black tights that were halfway below the knee.  I'm describing it because maybe some of you may want to try to find the video on YouTube.

Mary Murphy: This looks like something I would see 5 and 6 yr olds would perform at a children's dance recital.

My opinion: I thought the same thing.

The woman said she had 13 yrs of dance lessons and this is what she had to show for it.  She was wasting time, effort, and money into this.  If you like dancing, you can if you want to.  She did say she saw the show on and off, and she really thought she can get on the show.  The woman talked to the camera and was indifferent about the judge's criticism.

Math: That's the thing with dancing and arts, it's subjective.  Here's something objective.  It's like looking at a student's grades:

Applied Math 20 (2nd to lowest math class in gr. 11): 52%
Applied Math 30 (2nd to lowest math class in gr. 12): 50%.
Pure Math 30 (grade level average in gr. 12): 63%.

The other core subjects like science, English, and social studies are B and C.
Then it's like having that student apply to the STEM fields in any of the colleges.

Of course the student isn't going to get accepted.  If you want to get accepted into the STEM fields, you have to an A in math and/ or science in gr. level.  Also have As in nearly all core subjects.

The woman's dancing was poor and would not get onto SYTYCD at all.  This student's grades would not get accepted into STEM at all.


Jobs: I was talking to this life coach advisor Bill at Achieve Today.  It was free consultation on the phone.  I told him about my job search to be an administrative assistant and sent my resume.

Bill: Are you qualified?

I would say yes.  
I have a 2yr college diploma in Professional Writing:  I know how to write business letters and proposals.

I have worked at the Office Job in 2013 which is a call centre.  I explain to people how to read their bills and take payments over the phone.

I have worked at the Home Installation place in 2015.  I answer phones, take payments, and schedules.

I attended 2 classes at the Office Assistant program.  A business communication class and a Microsoft Word 2010 class. 

https://www.achievetoday.com/

May 26,2018: I went to work and then there was a 2hr meeting.

May 30, 2018 Finance tip: My dad told me that I had 2 banks.  I should transfer everything to 1 bank as in the one I use the most.  I did that.  Fortunately there are a lot of banks in downtown so I can walk back and forth to each.

I remember reading a Financial Facelift column where one woman had accounts at 3 banks.  The tip was to put it into 1 or 2.

Consolidate all finances to 1 bank.


May 30, 2018 Roseanne's TV show cancelled: Roseanne made an offensive racist tweet and then her show got cancelled over it.  At least she apologized.

It kind of reminds me of the time when I accidentally offended my friend when I made a joke about one of her interests.  I have apologized to her.

Lessons:

1. Don't make jokes about race, gender, sex, sexual orientation, religion and politics.

2. Stop and think about before posting.  Ask friends and family if it seems offensive to them or may be offensive to other people.


http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/29/media/roseanne-twitter-chelsea-clinton/index.html


Friday, May 25, 2018

fall 2017 TV season reviews (Part 1)/ Dad took late son's girlfriend to prom

May 16, 2018 Fall 2017 TV season reviews: I watched 12 pilots this fall, and I only liked 2 shows, and they were both about missing kids.  Both shows got cancelled.

The Disappearance: This was a 6-part mini-series so there was a low chance it would have gotten a 2nd season.  This is Canadian.



"During a treasure hunt, on his 10th birthday, Anthony Sullivan inexplicably disappears. During the subsequent investigation long-buried familial secrets are uncovered with devastating consequences."

Pros:

1. It was good writing.  The author Lynn Coady was a consulting producer on it.  There was lots of drama, conflict, and tension.

2. There was good acting on everybody's part, the grandpa Henry (Peter Coyote), the dad Luke (Aden Young), the mom Helen (Camille Sullivan).

3. There is a good mystery of why the kid Anthony was taken and who would do it.

Cons: 

None.

My opinion: I watched all the eps.


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6643540/?ref_=nv_sr_3

Ten Days in the Valley: This show aired 4 episodes.  Then ABC aired the rest of the episodes on Sat. night in December to prepare to cancel it. 

"An overworked television producer and single mother is in the middle of a fractious separation when her young daughter goes missing in the middle of the night. Both her world and her controversial police series implode."

Pros: 

1. Good writing.  It was from Tassie Cameron (Rookie Blue creator).  There was good drama, conflict, and tension.

2. Good acting from Kyra Sedgewick who plays the mom Jane.

The cop Bird (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) was good.

Erika Christensen (Swimfan) as the sister.

The daughter Lake (Abigail Pniowsky).

The father Pete (Kick Gurry).  When he was on at the beginning, I didn't really like him.  Then I grew to like his character.

The assistant Casey (Emily Kinney or Beth from The Walking Dead.)

3. Who would take Lake and why?  A few episodes in, they did reveal who it was and why.  Then later it changed to someone else taking Lake.

Cons: None.

My opinion: This show was average.  At least ABC aired the rest of the episodes.  I don't know if there really can be a second season.  It could be like Bird investigating another case.

That's what happened to the TV show Secrets and Lies.  The detective from the first season goes to the next season to solve another case.



https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6461706/?ref_=nv_sr_2

The Good Doctor:

"Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and Savant syndrome, is recruited into the surgical unit of a prestigious hospital."

Pros:

1. The writing is really good.  There is lots of drama, conflict, and tension because these are doctors saving lives.

2. The lead character Shaun is amazing.  He has a really good heart and truly wants to help people. 

It was a great scene where Shaun steps in to save a 12 yr old boy who got hurt in an accident.  It was intense and fast-paced.  

3. The actor Freddie Highmore is great as Shaun.

Dr. Niel (Nicholas Gonzalez) was a cop on Pretty Little Liars.

Dr. Glassman (Richard Schiff) is good as the mentor.

Dr. Andrews (Hill Harper from CSI: NY) is good.

4. Good ethnic diversity with black, Asian, and Latino.

5. Edu-tainment.  You learn about medical science.

6. Cool graphics of how Shaun sees.

Cons: None.

My opinion: I loved the pilot and Shaun.  However, I never watched it again.  I just don't like medical shows.  Mary Kills People is more about her side job than working at a hospital.

You should check out the pilot.  It was inspirational to watch.  It inspires you to help people.  There is empathy and compassion.

This show got renewed.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6470478/

Seal Team: 

"The lives of the elite Navy S.E.A.L.s as they train, plan and execute the most dangerous, high-stakes missions our country can ask."

Pros: 

1. Good writing.  Lots of drama, conflict, and tension when fighting terrorists, and saving people's lives.  It's dangerous and they almost get killed.

2. It has David Boreanez.  He has been playing on Buffy and Angel.  Then he got on Bones.  Now he's on this.  I only watched him on Buffy and Angel.

Michaela McManus, she was a lawyer on Law and Order: SVU for 1 season.

Jessica Pare was on Jack and Bobby.

AJ Buckley from CSI: NY.

Max Theriot from the movie The Pacifier.  He is good here.

Toni Trucks- she was on 1 ep of Veronica Mars.

3. There is lots of good action like a shootout and explosions.  

4. There is ethnic diversity on the show.  There is the one woman on the team.  It's like that on the TV show Flashpoint.

Cons: None.

My opinion: The pilot was good and all, but I never watched it again.  I'm not really interested in military shows.

It got renewed.

The Brave:

"The complex world of our bravest military heroes who make personal sacrifices while executing the most challenging and dangerous missions behind enemy lines."

Pros:


1. Good writing.  Lots of drama, conflict, and tension when fighting terrorists, and saving people's lives.  It's dangerous and they almost get killed.

They have to save a woman from Doctors without Borders.

2. The lead Mike Vogel is good.

Tate Ellington (Simon from Quantico) is a cultural specialist/ tech guy there.

3. Good ethnic diversity.  There is the one woman on the team.



Cons: None.


My opinion: The pilot was good and all, but I never watched it again.  I'm not really interested in military shows.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6461736/

http://tvline.com/2018/05/11/the-brave-cancelled-season-2-nbc/




Valor: I didn't get to watch this show.

The boundaries between military discipline and human desire are tested on a U.S. Army base that houses an elite unit of helicopter pilots trained to perform clandestine international and domestic missions. The drama unfolds in the present as well as in flashbacks to a failed mission involving one of the first female pilots in the unit, ultimately uncovering layers of personal and government/military secrets and leading to a season-long plan to rescue a group of MIA soldiers.

—vhavnal



http://tvline.com/2018/05/08/valor-cancelled-season-2-the-cw/

My week:

May 23, 2018 "At the Waffle House, she cut up a customer's food for him. It changed her life": This happened in Mar. 2018:

Customers who come into the Waffle House recognize server Evoni Williams.

They have seen her on television, or read about her in newspapers, or seen the viral Facebook post of her random act of kindness, giving an older customer a hand actually two. In the past two weeks, she has gotten a college scholarship, and the mayor in La Marque, Tex., even proclaimed March 8, 2018, to be Evoni Nini Williams Day.

Williams, a soft-spoken 18-year-old from Texas City, has become a local celebrity in La Marque, a racially diverse town south of Houston. She is not sure how to process it all.

It all started with a Facebook post. On the morning of March 3, Laura Wolf was eating breakfast at a Waffle House in La Marque when she overheard an older man, who reminded her of her late father, tell Williams he had trouble with his hands.

The man, later identified as regular customer Adrien Charpentier, had an oxygen tank nearby and needed help cutting up his food. Without hesitation, Wolf wrote, Williams took his plate and began cutting up his ham. After some internal debate over whether to share the photo, Wolf posted the moment on her Facebook page.



As of Friday afternoon, the post has been shared more than 73,000 times.


It touched me,” said Wolf, 46. Because she's so young. I have four kids who would've done the same thing, but you just don't always see something like this.


The following day, Williams's Facebook notifications began to light up. Her friends saw Wolf's post and tagged her in it. Williams had no idea that someone took a photo that morning. The diner was so busy that a line extended outside the door.


She said helping Charpentier was reflexive. She has been working at Waffle House since last June to save for college, and this, she figured, was just the right thing to do.


I would want someone to help my grandmother or grandfather, Williams said.




"22 yr old flight attendant marries 80 yr old passenger after he wins $800,000": When I first read
the headline, I had to read it.  Then when I read the rest of it, I was kind of unsure if it's real.

Then I read a comment to not gamble, and it's the last comment:

Banister Research news: This is about a call centre in Edmonton and I am interested in working at call centres:


Edmonton’s Yardstick Software Inc. has bought locally owned Banister Research and Consulting Inc. in a move Yardstick chief executive Chris LaBossiere says should see the businesses continue to grow.

Skyscraper up for sale: On Feb. 18, 2018, I found this article by Rachelle Younglai in the Globe and Mail:

It hasn't even opened its doors yet, but Edmonton's Stantec Tower is up for sale.

The 60-plus-storey skyscraper, expected to be the tallest building in Western Canada, is one of three key pieces of commercial real estate to hit the market in the city's revitalized downtown core since the beginning of the year.
Stantec Tower, along with Edmonton Tower -- one of the city's newest office buildings -- and a shopping mall have recently been put on the block, The Globe and Mail has learned.

The two towers, privately held by Katz Group and ONE Properties, could be sold as a pair for about $1-billion or separately for approximately $500-million each, according to Royal Bank of Canada, which is running the sales process along with CBRE real estate firm.

There is "strong interest," said Gary Morassutti, managing director of RBC's capital markets real estate group.

The shopping centre up for grabs is Edmonton City Centre and the sale process is being run by CBRE, according to people familiar with the matter. The price tag is not known. The mall is jointly owned by Oxford Properties, the real estate investment unit of the pension fund OMERS, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. The companies separately said they do not comment on market speculation. CBRE declined to comment.

May 24, 2018 "This Dad Took His Late Son's Girlfriend to Prom - and We're in a Puddle of Tears":





The highlight of the week:

Social event: There was one a couple of weeks ago and it was postponed to this week.   Then it got cancelled.  I'm not angry.

Telesummits: I am still listening to Karimah Stewart and Deborah Fryer.  If you noticed, I have been posting all the interviews on Facebook.

Weather: It's been really sunny so I have been reading outside.

Thinking out of the box: 

Self- discipline: I watch 1 hr of TV a day even on my days off.  I usually watch 2 or 3 on my days off.  I pace myself by taking a break after watching an episode.  Hours later I watch another.  That's a small change in habit.

TED talks: I get to listen to some of these for free on my Telus On Demand.  I listen to these here and there on the internet.

Graham Hill talking about a weekday vegetarian: You can eat veggies on the weekdays and meat on the weekends.  It's more healthy and good for the environment.

May 25, 2018 "Kevin Federline wants Britney Spears to pay him $60K a month": I'm writing about this because it's about finance and jobs.

Jobs: Federline is 40 yrs old and he making $3000/ month as a DJ.  He can't work as a backup dancer anymore because of his age.  $3000/ month is pretty good. I did the math and it's $36,000 a yr.  You can live off it if you're single.  

I don't know how often he works, but he wants more money, get more DJ gigs and another job.

Finances: However, he has to pay child support to his ex-fiancé who he has 2 kids with.  He also is married and has 2 kids.

I need to see how he is really spending the money to make an assessment.  I can not know everything.  He needs to get a financial advisor if he doesn't already.   



Melissa

18 hours ago
What I could do with 20,000 dollars a month!

William
18 hours ago
Nice 401k plan

WATSON
22 hours ago
He knows the gravy train will be leaving the station in a few years when the kids turn 18. He needs to start saving up for retirement now.

Jerry
21 hours ago
Hey, give me the $20,000 per month and I'll raise the kids and put them through college too. That's just under a quarter-million per year.

Macho
18 hours ago
Federline is 40 and his back-up dancer and DJ skills are not in high demand so he is having a hard time making his own money. He still has time to learn a trade. Plumber, electrician, welding...

Kenneth
18 hours ago
Here's a novel idea, let the kids realize that life is not all peaches and cream for the average Joe.

Ennaxor
23 hours ago
Wow. That was a mistake that never goes away.

Kathy
19 hours ago
It doesn't seem right to expect her to support his other four children. It also seems hard to believe that he spends $20k a month on two kids and nothing goes to anyone else.