Saturday morning stuff
I woke up this morning just in time to catch most of the brilliant 1973 Best Picture winner, The Sting. Even without the appearance of the famed Merry-Go-Round from the Santa Monica Pier, I've always loved this movie. Brilliantly written and acted, with a stellar cast.
Now as I sit here contemplating what to do today, I'm watching the 1978 movie "Game of Death." I've always been fascinated by what this movie could have been had Bruce Lee not died before resuming his work on this project.
He had been working on Game of Death when he was offered the chance to star in Enter The Dragon. With a much larger budget, Lee decided to set aside Game of Death to make the film that remains the standard for other martial-arts movies to try to achieve.
The version of the film we are shown these days in the U.S. is roughly 100 minutes long and less than 12 of them are actual footage shot by Bruce Lee prior to his death. Bob Wall wasn't even going to be in the film as originally envisioned. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar refused to take part in the re-shoot. Sammo Hung, who can be seen below fighting Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon, choreographed the fight sequences in the re-shoot.
The original footage in the final product, scarce as it is, is worth plodding through the rest.
* * *
Will the Liar-in-Chief actually follow through on his threat to cut off the $600 million per month in federal subsidies paid to the marketplace exchanges as part of the Affordable Care Act?
Possibly, but if he thinks that the blame would fall on the Democrats for such an action, he is sadly mistaken. With all of its flaws, Obamacare provides care for millions of people who did not have health insurance before its passage. If those people lose their coverage because 45 is frustrated, they will all blame him. They will also form a bloc of easily energized voters at the mid-term elections.
Bad idea, Cheeto-in-Chief.
* * *
The University of California at Irvine has rescinded 500 admissions offers and now the campus' student government wants to know why.
According to multiple media outlets, the administration is claiming this is related to issues with grades and transcripts. They are denying the rumors that the offers had to be rescinded because they overenrolled.
Maybe. Maybe not. All but the most elite of universities of any size overenroll to some degree because they know they won't get a 100% acceptance from those accepted for admission.
Stay tuned.
* * *
The men who set fire to the horns of a bull in Spain should receive a fitting punishment. The bull was in such agony that it charged the post to which it was tied, killing itself. I refuse to show the video, or link to it.
I know that setting their ears on fire would be cruel and unusual punishment. Any other suggestions?
* * *
Steve Wynn had to admit to the fact this his Wynn Palace Hotel/Casino in Macau lost $10 million in April; on a conference call with analysts.
He called it "...probably the most unique statistical anomaly in my 50 years of doing this" and that may be the case. But this isn't the first and won't be the last time a casino takes a big hit over a short period of time due to their Baccarat tables.
They say "the house always wins" and for the most part that is the truth. Billions of dollars aren't invested in casinos and the resorts to house their gamblers because of all the winners who go home with the house's money. The house has an edge against the player on every single game.
But with Baccarat, the edge is the smallest one in the building. Worse yet for the casino, this game attracts some of the biggest high rollers.
However, over time, the casinos wind up ahead. One bad month isn't a big deal to them. In fact, it is great publicity, making gamblers who think there is an element of "luck" involved believe that for a moment, the luck at that casino is good.
* * *
Now as I sit here contemplating what to do today, I'm watching the 1978 movie "Game of Death." I've always been fascinated by what this movie could have been had Bruce Lee not died before resuming his work on this project.
He had been working on Game of Death when he was offered the chance to star in Enter The Dragon. With a much larger budget, Lee decided to set aside Game of Death to make the film that remains the standard for other martial-arts movies to try to achieve.
The version of the film we are shown these days in the U.S. is roughly 100 minutes long and less than 12 of them are actual footage shot by Bruce Lee prior to his death. Bob Wall wasn't even going to be in the film as originally envisioned. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar refused to take part in the re-shoot. Sammo Hung, who can be seen below fighting Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon, choreographed the fight sequences in the re-shoot.
The original footage in the final product, scarce as it is, is worth plodding through the rest.
* * *
Will the Liar-in-Chief actually follow through on his threat to cut off the $600 million per month in federal subsidies paid to the marketplace exchanges as part of the Affordable Care Act?
Possibly, but if he thinks that the blame would fall on the Democrats for such an action, he is sadly mistaken. With all of its flaws, Obamacare provides care for millions of people who did not have health insurance before its passage. If those people lose their coverage because 45 is frustrated, they will all blame him. They will also form a bloc of easily energized voters at the mid-term elections.
Bad idea, Cheeto-in-Chief.
* * *
The University of California at Irvine has rescinded 500 admissions offers and now the campus' student government wants to know why.
According to multiple media outlets, the administration is claiming this is related to issues with grades and transcripts. They are denying the rumors that the offers had to be rescinded because they overenrolled.
Maybe. Maybe not. All but the most elite of universities of any size overenroll to some degree because they know they won't get a 100% acceptance from those accepted for admission.
Stay tuned.
* * *
The men who set fire to the horns of a bull in Spain should receive a fitting punishment. The bull was in such agony that it charged the post to which it was tied, killing itself. I refuse to show the video, or link to it.
I know that setting their ears on fire would be cruel and unusual punishment. Any other suggestions?
* * *
Steve Wynn had to admit to the fact this his Wynn Palace Hotel/Casino in Macau lost $10 million in April; on a conference call with analysts.
He called it "...probably the most unique statistical anomaly in my 50 years of doing this" and that may be the case. But this isn't the first and won't be the last time a casino takes a big hit over a short period of time due to their Baccarat tables.
They say "the house always wins" and for the most part that is the truth. Billions of dollars aren't invested in casinos and the resorts to house their gamblers because of all the winners who go home with the house's money. The house has an edge against the player on every single game.
But with Baccarat, the edge is the smallest one in the building. Worse yet for the casino, this game attracts some of the biggest high rollers.
However, over time, the casinos wind up ahead. One bad month isn't a big deal to them. In fact, it is great publicity, making gamblers who think there is an element of "luck" involved believe that for a moment, the luck at that casino is good.
* * *
posted by me at 2:57 PM
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