Last month I traded in my 2020 Ford Ranger for a 2024 Nissan Frontier. This previously unheard of move (in my family, at least) to purchase a truck not made by Ford was the culmination of years of heartache with Ford product decisions. Here […]
Author: joeimp
Allied Air Operations in WWII
Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War there were many who predicted that air power would play a decisive part in the next general European war. To what extent did the performance of Allied air forces in the European Theater of Operations […]
George’s Long Game
Was Patriot success in achieving independence due more to the strategic skill of George Washington, or to the operational and strategic mistakes of the British? The American Revolution is an interesting study in that at the outset, it can be seen as both certain […]
A Non-Phrase Phrase.
“A whole nother thing”. Have you ever thought about how often you hear this not a phrase phrase? Just pay attention to work meetings, phone calls, conversations with friends, politicians, celebrities. Merriam-Webster even has a whole article on the history of nother. You hear it everywhere, […]
The Wrong Man (1956)
A totally different Hitchcock film that might be his finest work. 20 minutes into this movie I was a bit perplexed. It was released during the so-called Hitchcock golden age of the 50’s, but the pacing is so slow and deliberate that I couldn’t […]
Robot & Frank (2012)
Could have been great with a bit more polish on the script I liked it. The dialogue was a bit thin and characters tropey. Ex. A woman in her 40s calling her father daddy; hipster library guy treating a senior citizen like he’s stuck […]
Tom & Jerry (2021)
To the humorless reviewers of this movie: Boy, I’d hate to host a cocktail party with you all as guests. This was a great modern animated film. There was all the cartoon violence you’d expect to see from these two. No lame CGI. None […]
Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
A disservice to an important historical period. Took notice of the reviews, but just finished watching Wolf Hall and wanted to learn more about this period. Within the first five minutes there was a black dude at court and Mary writing a letter to […]
Kodachrome (2017)
Had potential, really wanted to like it. This film immediately made me think of Nebraska with Bruce Dern and Will Forte. Similar concept, guy taking his elderly father on a road trip. But this movie just couldn’t do it for me. The story was […]
Penny Serenade (1941)
A truly great depiction of a couple’s real life. For starters: this film has a REALLY unsatisfying ending. I wonder what happened, because otherwise the script was great. Cary Grant and Irene Dunne play a couple that has just lost a child, which is […]
The Ultimate Russia Reading List
Here is a list of books about Russia or by Russian authors. I’ve read about 1/3 so far. Peter the Great: His Life and World by Robert K. Massie The House of the Dead: Siberian Exile Under the Stars by Daniel Beer One Day in the Life of […]