This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
This video is my quick, unscripted reaction to Deadpool & Wolverine. Please note I will be dropping some spoilers, but I made a concerted effort to not reveal too much. This is one movie that’s definitely worth seeing unspoiled. Enjoy!
I know a lot has been going on this past week with American politics. In the past, I usually make my sentiments known whenever a major event occurs. As an American and someone who genuinely takes pride in his country, I am affected by these events. I want to see the country I love thrive and prosper for all the right reasons. And when something terrible happens, I don’t hide how I feel about it.
But this past week, I had to restrain myself. I won’t go into detail because I don’t care to attract certain reactionary elements of American politics.
However, there is one particular event I’d like to highlight. This past weekend, President Joe Biden announced that he is dropping out of the 2024 election and will not seek a second term. But in that same announcement, he also voiced his support for nominating Vice President Kamala Harris.
Now, there’s a lot I could say about President Biden and the job he’s done since coming into office. There’s a lot I could say about Kamala Harris, as well. Both have their share of strengths and weaknesses as politicians and public servants. I’m certainly not qualified to delve into them.
Instead, I’ll just point out that, like so many other major historical events, “The Simpsons” may have already foreseen this. And it wouldn’t be the first eerily accurate prediction, either. Now, does that mean that Kamala Harris is certain to be the next President of the United States?
No, of course it doesn’t. You still have to vote and you totally should.
But just take a moment and look at the resemblance.
I’m not saying that those working on “The Simpsons” are time travelers. But if this comes to pass, how the hell are we going to explain it?
Filed under Current Events, politics
This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
This video revisits That 70s Show. It’s a show I loved as a teenagers, but came to see differently as an adult. And a big reason for that difference is because of Red Forman.
For years, he was the antagonist of the show. He was the main obstacle for Eric, Donna, and the rest of the crew. And for a long time, he really did come off as a cranky old kill-joy.
But now, after revising the show years later, I see Red differently. And I see the main crew differently. That difference says a lot about me, personally. It also says a lot about how the show has aged and evolved.
Filed under television, YouTube
Dear NFL:
I’m a football fan. I love football. I structure a good chunk of my year around watching NFL football. I have many fond memories of watching football with my dad, my brother, my uncles, and friends in college. It is a cherished part of my life and a big part of my identity, as a sports fan.
That being said, my love of football does not blind me to some of your less-than-ethical practices as an organization. I’m as aware of those practices as anyone else with a balanced news feed. But I understand that no individual or organization is perfect. I only ask that the good done in the name of the sport outweighs the bad.
With that in mind, I have a brief message I’d like to send regarding the recent lawsuit surrounding NFL Sunday Ticket, which you lost. In general, I try not to root against the things I love. My lifelong love of football has made me more sympathetic than most might otherwise be to your business practices.
But with respect to NFL Sunday Ticket, I have no sympathy. I have no qualms about the results of this lawsuit. I believe the jury got it right. You, the NFL, did violate anti-trust laws in a way that was too brazen, even for America’s most popular sport.
This was painfully clear to many fans who struggled for years to watch the games they wanted. I remember how difficult it was for me in college whenever I tried to watch out-of-market games. Even with basic cable, the cost and the exclusivity of NFL Sunday Ticket far exceeded my ability to purchase it. I can’t speak for every other college student at the time, but I can confirm that it was a major hindrance, as well as a point of frustration.
Most of those peers resorted to illegal or pirated streams of games, which used to be very difficult to find. However, I can safely confirm that finding those streams has gotten a lot easier, due to the rise of social media and the greater global accessibility of various media. You and every other sports league in existence may fight those streams with all your legal might. But that is a losing battle.
Just ask anyone from the music industry what happened to piracy when they took down Napster and sued its users. It did not stop. It only complicated the problem.
Whether you call it a luxury product or a premium service, NFL Sunday Ticket was grossly overpriced. I challenge you or anyone from any other sports league to find a sports package that was that expensive. And now that the NFL is effectively streaming some games on streaming services, Sunday Ticket has lost even more value because it ensures you can’t get every game.
Please know that it doesn’t have to be this way. I understand that the NFL is a business, just like any other sports league. It needs to make a profit. But the NFL is already a very profitable business. And price gouging consumers with your product isn’t going to increase profits. It’s just going to ensure a large segment of your consumer base will find other ways to consume your product without paying.
You don’t want that.
The players don’t want that.
The coaches, owners, and sponsors don’t want that.
Entire generations of fans, young and old, don’t want that.
I don’t claim to be smart enough to know what the ideal price is for something like NFL Sunday Ticket, nor do I claim to know the best way to navigate the business of sports in an ever-changing world. But you can do better than this.
A jury just proved that what you were doing wasn’t just wrong, it was unlawful. I don’t doubt for a second that you have very well-paid lawyers who are going to fight this verdict and avoid paying the fines. But even if you manage to succeed in that effort, please use this lawsuit as an opportunity.
Re-evaluate your business practice.
Re-evaluate your approach to NFL Sunday Ticket.
Fans like me love football and want to continue watching it. But we don’t want to be price gouged.
Sincerely,
A Lifelong Football Fan
This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
This video is another thought experiment about the nature of power and wielding it effectively. Whether in ancient times or during a modern day election season, people seek power and they seek to wield it. The extent to which they’re effective tends to vary wildly.
But that raises an important question. Just how much power can one person effectively wield?
The implications of this question are far-reaching. Our society needs people in power to run effectively. But what is the limit? And how do we navigate it? I welcome any additional insights or thoughts. Enjoy!
Filed under philosophy, psychology, Thought Experiment, YouTube
This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
This video is my review of Deniz Camp’s Ultimates #2 and Captain America’s effort to save America in this new Ultimate Universe. Enjoy!
Filed under comic book reviews, Marvel, YouTube
This is a video from my YouTube channel, Jack’s World.
This is video another entry in my ongoing “Jack’s Comic Gems” collection. And this particular comic is essentially a case study in just how great a modern comic book crossover event can be. “King In Black” might as an event centered on Eddie Brock and Venom. And while they are certainly part of it, this story is so much bigger than that.
It’s a dark, but beautiful display of superhero worldbuilding and epic battles featuring the god of all symbiotes, Knull. The stakes couldn’t be higher, personally and globally in King In Black. And it’s one of those unique events that shows just what Marvel can be at its best. Enjoy!
Filed under Jack's Comic Gems, Jack's World, Marvel, superhero comics, YouTube
Today is the 4th of July.
For many of my fellow Americans, this is a day of celebration that’s likely to include cookouts, fireworks, cold drinks, and any number of patriotic displays. Whether it takes the form of a parade, waving American flags, or just wearing something red, white, and blue, this is the time to celebrate the best our country has to offer. As an American, I intend to do my part.
I’ve got a six-pack of beer.
I’ve got a pack of hot dogs.
I’ve got burger patties, buns, and enough ketchup to last for the rest of the summer.
And not far from where I live, there’s a fireworks display that I can usually see from the roof of my home. I am as prepared as any citizen can be to celebrate America. And I intend to do so.
Now, I understand it has become difficult for many Americans to celebrate when news, politics, and social ills seem populate our media feeds at every waking hour. I freely admit that the constant barrage of soul-crushing, heartbreaking, and utterly infuriating stories has affected me. I’ll even freely admit it has weakened my once robust faith in humanity.
The fact that 2024 is an Election Year is also not lost upon me, but I’d rather not dwell on that today.
I freely admit America has its flaws, as a nation and as a society. You don’t have to look too far back in history to find those flaws. You also don’t have to look hard to find major flaws today. But that’s okay. Every nation and every society that has ever existed has had flaws. That’s because human beings, as a whole, are very flawed. But that’s all the more reason to strive to be better versions of ourselves.
As Americans, we can certainly do better on many fronts. But for today, let’s just set the politics and social issues aside. Let’s table our many problems for a brief moment to just acknowledge how far we’ve come. America, for all its flaws and missteps, is a wonderful nation full of amazing people.
That’s worth celebrating.
That’s worth cherishing.
That’s worth sharing good food, cold drinks, and some fireworks on a hot summer day.
There will be plenty of time to confront the many issues facing this country and its role in the world. For now, let’s celebrate!
To my fellow Americans, Happy 4th of July!
Filed under Current Events
