Amusing. Super bowl edition.

The big game is coming to Miami. But the whole thing is a huge grift. The very profitable nfl has a long list of items (some might say demands) that they want from the city. It's everything from tax breaks, to reduced costs for hotels, to extra police, to favoring big sponsors over other things in the community, to taking over venues for low cost.

So when the pitch was made to have a game in south Florida, Miami Dade county jumped at it ... but broward (the next county north, literally a stones throw from the stadium), said no thanks.

So the super bowl moved from being a south Florida event to a "Miami" event.

And they decided to make it all about Miami dade county, including many cities - especially south Miami Beach (the one you always see with the pretty people).

Many nfl events, and most broadcasts will come from there.

The funny part is that south beach is more than 20 miles from the stadium (and it's not easy to get there so it's an hour drive). Meanwhile the dolphins training facility (where one team will practice) is about 8 miles away (and a direct route). But it's in broward.

And the stadiums namesake - hard rock - has a flagship hotel and entertainment complex which is probably under ten miles and also a direct route. It is owned by Seminole tribe....but is also in broward - so it has nothing going on super bowl-wise, because broward didn't give in to the demands.

I just find that whole thing funny...

Failure is always an option

Good words from one of the people I admire most...

Make America Smart Again... here’s a well done simple explanation for a mathematical principle

Well played Whole Foods. Well played.



Skating penguins

Even though I didn't win (or even place) in my neighborhood competition, I'm still pretty happy with how this worked out.

I have my 4 penguins, and I can mix and match as I want to.

How I would have made Star Wars

The last Star Wars movie comes out next week, and by and large, Disney missed the mark with the whole franchise.  From Episodes 7,8, and 9 to the Solo movie, it just is lacking some of the gravitas of the Lucas films.  Sure, the Rogue One movie was decent, but it was the rare shining light.

It could have gone so much better.  IMHO, the sequels could have gone something like this:

Episode 7 should have been about what happened after the Empire fell.  There should have been some insights into their downfall, and the struggles of the imperial senate to regain control.  There could have been a first order that was rising from the ashes.

The story could have focused on a character like Rey who is finding herself, and growing in power and is ready to stake out on her own.  You don't need Finn showing up.

As far as original trilogy characters, Leia could have been in the senate and fighting for a greater good. They could have had her intersect at some point.  Perhaps Rey could have met Han and Chewie at a Cantina or something and left with him - not unlike Luke in that sense....Luke should come later.  The whole Starkiller base could have been cut. They could have still met Maz and learned about the light saber, and gotten a little more backstory there.  The hook is that the force is still working with characters, and they are going to build into something.  A force vision would have been nice - maybe some past, some present, and some future.  But don't forget to include them later.

Episode 8 should have carried the story forward - Rey finally meets Luke.  But rather than crotchety, he is more pragmatic. We learn that Luke has been using the force to meet other jedi in hiding, but who have more recently come out.  And he's learned that the jedi order wasn't quite what it seemed.  They could use the "point of view" that Obi Wan talks about in Empire - they were guardians of peace, but same were corruptible, like Dooku was.  Or Anakin.  And they caused more harm.  And he asks Rey to join him on a quest to right the wrongs.

Maybe we could meet a conflicted son of Han, who has been tempted by the dark side and is working for this first order as it rises to power - and they are trying to take over the galaxy.  No need for a superweapon! They could have been offering peace and protection to the galaxy against the backdrop of an inept senate.  Sure there could have been an element of peace through superior firepower, but that could have been part of their strong arming tactics.

Leia could have taken a faction of the senate to fight for good - but they don't have to come out of the resistance, nor do they have to be small and wimpy.

We're clearly heading for a showdown.

Episode 9 - it all comes together.  The new jedi order has also been working to also restore order and peace while finding a new way.  This could be a cool way to reintroduce them as something good.  Luke should be the central figure, but should move more to the yoda role as more of a mentor but still can kick ass.  The senate / republic joins them.  This first order fights them.  And we have some cool battle.

The Kylo character could resolve his conflict.  We could use elements like the wealthy financiers (from Disney's episode 8) who were equipping both sides to enrich themselves.  We could learn more about the jedi and where they failed.  While we don't need lengthy soliloquies about the inner workings of the senate - perhaps a little time spent on why they were inept would help; Sidious made them so...but what happened after?  And Rey could be the leader of the new jedi order - maybe make herself a light saber...would be nice to learn how that works a little.

I mean these are just things off the top of my head.  But professional writers thought "hold my beer.  I can screw this up and make things pointless and stupid."

Orange Bowl (3/3)

From the air, you get a sense of how they used the real estate.

For reference, the letters that "fell off" are on the east side (under the open window) while on the orange bowl they were on the west side. But hey! It's abstract art!

You can see how they moved the footprint about two blocks south (to the right in the picture)