Amusements

https://www.theringer.com/music/2019/2/26/18240667/weezer-black-album-review-rivers-cuomo

I don't know; I've always liked Pinkerton, probaby because it was so...heartfelt?  Maybe some people didn't want to hear what he was saying, but as with most things, I think people just take wayyyy too much out of crap sometimes.

https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/2/25/18239309/oscars-2019-green-book-best-picture

I don't know, either... I mean, as I like to say, no one watches "Cavalcade," and we, and the Academy, survive.  I get many of the arguments above, but I also think that a film should be... fun?  I mean, not all of them, of course, but sometimes people go to the movies to be entertained, and "Rocky" does that... but it is a good film; isn't it the second-best sports movie of all time?  Isn't the point of the movie -- he loses, you know -- not that you win, but you stand and fight and hold your own?  No one believes in you and thinks you have a chance and you do? I mean, it has a hell of a lot MORE relevance than "The Shape of Water."  Of course, considering the competition in that year...

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/02/united-methodists-fracture-lgbt-plan-rejected/583693/

I get a kick out of these articles for a bunch of reasons, such as:
1) They are Protestants, schism is what they do!
2) Isn't it racist to assail all of the African Christians who are upholding traditional practice and belief?
3)  I noticed this in the aftermath of the 2016 election, when I noted that no one went around asking Romney voters how sad they were... no one likes losing, but... they had a vote.   People, I assume, used their consciences and such, and at the end of careful prayer and reflection... they voted.  And you lost.
4)  This could be me, but... it seems in EVERY Catholic diocese in the US, there are always a few parishes that are more...ultramontane, if you will, and a few that are... not, if you get my drift. Mind you, it's still Mass and Confession and all that, but... some places might offer the Latin Mass, while others might have an LGBTQ ministry.  (You get the drift.)  The structure and spiritual life is the same as every OTHER parish, but the tilt is different. 

And you what?  It works.  I mean, people tend to self-select in most cases, but the important thing is that these people are still, nominally, at least... Catholic.  I would like to think people can figure this out and go where they like (or don't; I think Catholics LOVE to use the excuse of "I hate X" to give less), and I seem to recall, along the way, that if worse comes to worse, a tacit suggesstion is offered that if you don't like this parish, St. Moonbat is always available...  I just don't understand why the Mtethodists can't figure this out...