Soxbadger

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 19, 2017 -> 07:56 AM) We've had, what 100 previous years of Star Wars movie history at this point? Guys with the power of Snoke don't just "pop up". While we had no backstory of the Emperor in 4-6, that was because it was a brand new universe being introduced to the world and everyone existing existed because movie. The emperor had plenty of backstory in episodes 1-3 because you don't rise to such power out of thin air. Snoke needed at least some explanation. Shouldnt your complaints about Snoke be directed towards TFA? That would have been the movie to explain where New Order rose from, how Snoke went unnoticed (or how his powers developed exponentially after the fall of the Emperor.) In the new movie, there was no point in expanding Snoke or going deep into his story, because he gets killed off half way through. I think TFA is getting a huge pass because it was a remake of "A New Hope" and people got to see their favorite characters from 30 years ago for the first time in a new movie. Last Jedi had a much more difficult task, it had to take characters who people have dreamed about for 30 years and progress them. All the dreams of children who imagined a happy ending galaxy with Luke starting a new academy and the Jedi rising back to power were crushed. And I understand why that is hard. But the more I see people making Change.org petitions to fix Luke's demise, the more I actually appreciate what this movie did. Yes it didnt explain Snoke, nor did it explain the rise of the New Order or anything else that really happened in the last 30 years. But why was that episode 8's fault? Isnt that really what episode 7 should have done? QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 19, 2017 -> 08:08 AM) They made Snoke out to be much more powerful than the Emperor too. I dont think Snoke is supposed to be more powerful than the Emperor. They barely show any use of the force and they dont show him able to send lightning out, which is generally reserved for only the strongest force users. I think that actually most of the characters are supposed to be overall weaker in the force.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 04:40 PM) So you're saying it would have helped a lot to get the tiniest bit of backstory of Snoke and the Knights of Ren? We didn't have much backstory of the emperor and it worked because the Emperor stayed in the shadows through 4-5. He was an outside presence, only referred to in #4 and only hologram once in #5. Maybe if Snoke had been more of a shadowy presence I could have bought that, but they threw him out there as a beat up, ultra powerful force user who somehow had already gotten access to Ben Solo while he was at Luke's school. Just was too many holes in that part of the story. Anyway, if "She could be something else" then stop fighting against that. She had the texts. Luke calls her a Jedi. Go with it! I think because Snoke's powers are different there is more intrigue and want of a backstory. I think that the problem is that unless you spent a full movie on Snoke, no one would be really happy with his development. Its not even clear if he is a classic "Force" user. It just would require a lot of backstory, and I think going down that road would lead to more questions than answers. I think the problem is that most people went in thinking Snoke = Emperor and that he would be the final villain. Kylo usurping him was unexpected. As for Rey just because she has the texts and Luke may (or may not) call her a Jedi, does not mean she is a Jedi as the term would have applied prior to Luke. I think that is what Rey ultimately will have to decide. QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 04:41 PM) I didn't catch that but I assumed the First Order guards that they killed in the lightsabre duel had some training. Its open ended on the people who left with Ren. They could be those knights, they could be elsewhere.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 04:11 PM) And I was willing to buy the end of the Jedi as a lesson for their mistakes and the starting of something else. It would be an acknowledgment that the Jedi rules themselves led to Anakin's downfall and Ben's downfall. Then we got to "and I am not the last Jedi". Yeah Im not sure if Rey will be an actual Jedi or something else. But I think the idea that "she could be something else" is what makes these episodes different. Snoke didnt really fit into a Sith/Jedi box either, maybe Rey will take some of the training. But its pretty clear that episode 9 isnt ending with Luke building a Jedi temple and a grand age of the Jedi. At best there is maybe 1 left and Rey received less formal training than Luke, less than even Kylo it would appear. Part of the problem is that until you see 9, there is no way to see whether 8 set it up well or not. I never was alive when Empire existed and Return did not. So its hard to imagine how I would have felt at the end of Empire and not being able to immediately see the conclusion. QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 04:19 PM) They werent actually moving "slow" but it was kind of comedic that this entire star destroyer fleet couldnt do anything to those 3 tiny ships. I guess all the years of watching Whale Wars primed me for how that could work. Big ship is too slow to catch up, small ship isnt fast enough to completely get away.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 04:03 PM) You're confusing plot and theme. They're different things. I was fine with the theme. I meant that the plot, Rey going to Luke, etc, was used to advance the theme. The slow speed chase was just the immediate danger that necessitated the need for the rest of the action. If not for the "slow speed chase" there is no need for most of the other actions that occur, the only part of the story that exists independent of that is Rey/Luke. But Luke's ending, naturally progressed from the fact that the Resistance werent going to get away.

QUOTE (TaylorStSox @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 02:39 PM) There are a ton of well-made/good movies geared towards children. That's a terrible excuse to give a film. The movie isn't bad because it's "gray." It's not bad because Snoke dies, Luke dies, Rey's lineage is a red herring etc. It's bad because the plot sucks. The plot revolves around a 24 hour slow speed chase. Literally. Think about that. It's a dumb movie. Jean Paul Satre's "No Exit" is an entire book about being in a room. If you think the Plot was a "slow speed chase", then maybe you are watching the movie too literally? Because my interpretation of the plot was the cracking of the old order of the Jedi/Sith and the rise of something different. Which is why the director tries to beat that idea over the viewers head in the scenes where Luke calls out the Jedi for their failing, in the scene where Luke fails as a master and in the scene where Yoda explains to Luke that failure is something to learn from. If you think that is bad plot, so be it. If you think its a dumb movie, you are completely entitled to your opinion.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Dec 18, 2017 -> 02:17 PM) I can get behind this. I guess it will be interesting to see Kylo Rens path now that he doesnt have Snoke guiding him and controlling him. My quarrels with the movie rest largely with a lot of the throwaway stuff they threw in. Finn and Rose, Maz Kanata, Captain Phasma, Holdo's secret escape plan that she had to hide from the 50 people left alive. The script should have and could have been a lot tighter. That being said, i didnt hate it. I didnt love it, but i did like it. So my theory on Finn/Rose is this. When Rey returns, she looks to Finn, she sees him with Rose. You could see that there was some conflict in Rey about this. If you look back to the Vader story line, one of his main inner conflicts was his love for Padme and the fact that as a Jedi he couldnt. Will they develop it? Who knows. Some of the "cameo" of character scenes were somewhat unnecessary. Kanata is fine, Phamsa was just for a Finn battle. The secret plan was kind of odd, unless there is some sort of idea that maybe someone is spying on them.

I think that a lot of the problems people have with this movie is that it ultimately is moving away from black/white to grey. For example, the casino scene. The purpose (besides for the Rose/Finn story line which may impact Rey in the future) was to show that the people who sold weapons to the New Order, sold weapons to the Resistance. Personally I think the movie was fine. I think that if I was 5 I wouldnt have such a critical take on things like "Why was Snoke not developed", when in reality the Emperor had almost 0 backstory in 4-6. I think what the movie did best, was give actual moments where the viewer was not 100% sure what the outcome was going to be. And I think that the whole "First Order is stupid" is basically no different than the Empire. Snoke was the brains, the rest of them are just supposed to be idiot yes men. What has Hux done to show that he has any sort of leadership capabilities? Now that Snoke is gone, Kylo is the new supreme leader. He is basically a teenager with no real leadership experience. Either way I thought the movie was entertaining. I think that since some people have had 30+ ears to dissect every aspect of this world, that expectations were immensely high and that there was no way to get away with writing a pseudo Empire. So instead it gave us a different path, one where the apprentice turns on the master much earlier but isnt redeemed. One where the world is less black and white and more complicated. Right now you are looking at a final confrontation presumably of Kylo v Rey. I think this is leading to the idea that the force is beyond the path of the Jedi or the Sith. And that is what Rey represents, which is why her attunement to the force is different.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 14, 2017 -> 05:24 PM) The fact that this thread exists and makes no sense at all, whatsoever, without an extension. It makes sense if the Yankees went to Hahn and said "We want Machado but Orioles wont deal with us. Well give you A,B,C for him" and Hahn is now trying to get Machado cheaper than A,B,C.

OSU is the best job in the Big 10, its not really up for debate. OSU is also tier 1, with no other team being in that tier.

QUOTE (soxfan2014 @ Dec 14, 2017 -> 05:12 PM) Fear of getting dealt to Yanks from another team. Yep, fear that the Sox trade for Machado and then he is flipped to Yankees for their prospects.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 14, 2017 -> 05:04 PM) I haven't seen anyone say this yet so I will - if RH does trade for Machado and the player leaves as a free agent, that would count in my eyes as his 6th "fireable offense". That's how big of a mistake that would be. Depends on the deal, but if he gave up nothing who cares.

QUOTE (JenksIsMyHero @ Dec 14, 2017 -> 03:33 PM) Yeah this is going to be challenged and I doubt anything happens for another couple of years. And from there the telecom companies aren't going to change their plans right away. They'll want to pretend like they've been forced to do so due to increase costs of infrastructure or some bulls***. It'll be an interesting world in about 5 years. Disney, Facebook, Google, Netflix v. AT&T, Comcast and Turner. Who wins? Those arent going to be the sides. Expect teams. Im guessing ATT and Comcast are going to try and work a deal with Disney because Disney is about to leverage their massive ip catalog against everyone.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan99 @ Dec 14, 2017 -> 11:48 AM) I'll be curious as to whether the DOJ challenges this. My guess is no since Fox news will be pro-acquisition lol. Trump wont like this, but I doubt he is willing to anger Murdoch who was personally involved in the sale. That being said there are some interesting clauses about what Disney has to pay Fox if the deal is killed by the DOJ.

QUOTE (Quin @ Dec 13, 2017 -> 05:06 PM) I imagine if the Sox want him bad enough, he's theirs. Yeah but I cant imagine the Sox really trading their top tier.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ Dec 13, 2017 -> 02:18 PM) He got the day and year correct but apparently he believes June is the 7th month. Id laugh but one time I filled out my form and put the current year as my birthday.

QUOTE (Harry Chappas @ Dec 11, 2017 -> 11:15 AM) The University of Alabama is giving away tuition to students up north. You really don't need to be that great of a student to get a great financial package from there. They should include this quote from "Dazed and Confused": "That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I keep getting older, they stay the same age."

QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 8, 2017 -> 09:28 AM) I have never brought up the Rothschild family. Feel free to provide the evidence though. Something tells me you never will. If you think questioning Israel's place in American foreign policy is anti-Semitic then you're intellectually challenged. You're just trying to shut down discussion. No one gave me any problems when I questioned Saudi Arabia's place in American politics. Apparently the Saudi's aren't protecting their influence with useful shills as well as the Jews are. Rabbit, I could not find the post, so I may have been mistaken and been thinking of this thread http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?sh...103155&st=0. I thought there was something else, but since I cant support it, I am willing to say that my recollection was faulty. That being said, questioning America's policy towards Israel alone isnt anti-Semitic. Questioning Israel isnt anti-Semitic. Using arguments that cant be proven and that allude to past anti-Semetic theories could be interpreted as anti-Semitic. Which is why a variety of critics called it as such. In comparison, Balta commenting on actual events is not anti-Semitic. He is in no way alluding to shadow cabals etc.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 7, 2017 -> 07:45 PM) "The boundaries of the Israel lobby cannot be identified precisely." Why do you write coded messages instead of owning the theories of Mearsheimer and Walt. I figured you knew I remembered your previous Rothschild posts, and you could have realized the implication of my Koch brother comment as they invited the authors to speak. In my opinion they already had a conclusion and used selective facts to support it. So put me in the Chomsky and Joseph Massad critique side, as compared to the David Duke support. Not the first time you've dabbled in peddling theories that some may consider anti-Semitic.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 7, 2017 -> 06:09 PM) The Kochs, Mercers and Adelsons all pull in different directions. Fwiw, this was passed all the way back in 1995, when Bill Clinton was president. It's just that they haven't thought it was beneficial to the peace process to go forward with the actual physical move. Im not sure the Mercers or Kochs are involved in these pacs. There isnt a good way to see donor lists, but I seriously doubt Koch brothers are.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 7, 2017 -> 04:43 PM) The Israeli lobby has a significant effect on American foreign policy. I thought that was common knowledge. What specific lobby are you talking about. There is no lobby that is supported by the state of "Israel", there are different lobbies that support Israel that receive donations from Americans. Are you talking AIPAC, Christians United for Israel, or IAC? One of IAC's biggest supporters is Adelson. Which is why I brought up Adelson, because IAC has been pretty active with Trump/Haley and other people who were at the forefront of this decision. And it seems to be a change of policy from when AIPAC was the main donor.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Dec 7, 2017 -> 04:40 PM) At the highest levels the National Republican Senatorial Committee has refused support. There are other scattered individuals who have also said no. Flake donated to Moore's opponent.

QUOTE (raBBit @ Dec 7, 2017 -> 03:53 PM) Because Sheldon Adelson is the reason 90 senators voted one way. It seems you have things backwards. Actually I listed multiple reasons. How can Israel "own" congress? (edit) To go back to the multiple reasons. There are very different reasons why people support Israel in congress. Some support it due to their Evangelical base, some support it because they receive large donations, some support it because it is personal to them. Or as Rock pointed out, nobody wants to run as the candidate who supports "terrorists."

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Dec 7, 2017 -> 11:42 AM) Started Big Little Lies this week. Digging it after 2 eps. Great show. Try not to google anything to stay away from potential spoilers.

QUOTE (Da_Goob @ Dec 7, 2017 -> 03:01 PM) I think Bagley is the universal #1 right now. I think his question was if the Bulls had the second or third pick. Ah I didnt know that. The SI mock out this week has Bulls taking Ayton at #1, Doncic #2 and Bagley #3. I posted about Bagley really early in this thread so I was just continuing to push my love for him. Honestly I think Ayton is the wild card and you need more tape on him to confirm that he can translate into a superstar.

QUOTE (KagakuOtoko @ Dec 7, 2017 -> 01:25 PM) Hoiberg should just resign. He sucks. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO We need to lose. We should lose every game. I dont want to see a single win from today until the end of the season QUOTE (SleepyWhiteSox @ Dec 7, 2017 -> 02:43 PM) Doncic or Michael Porter Jr? Neither. For me its Bagley. There is just something about him. Ill need some more tape on Ayton before I start saying who my 2nd is.