Jan 21Member-onlyTo conjecture is to be human: Reactions to the Damar Hamlin dramaBy Kent R. Kroeger (January 21, 2023) Disclaimer: I am NOT an anti-vaxxer. Quite the opposite, at the earliest opportunity during the COVID-19 pandemic, I scheduled Pfizer/Moderna vaccinations for myself, my wife, my teenage son and my in-laws. I did the same for the first and second boosters. Nonetheless, I…Covid 1912 min readCovid 1912 min read
Nov 12, 2022Member-onlyRanked-Choice Voting could have corrected one great electoral wrong, but would reinforce anotherBy Kent R. Kroeger (November 12, 2022) Politicians and media pundits love shaming election deniers like myself. But no bother, I wear the badge of electoral discontent without guilt or embarrassment. …Ranked Choice Voting16 min readRanked Choice Voting16 min read
Nov 10, 2022Member-onlyAre She-Hulk and The Rings of Power ‘runaway’ hits?By Kent R. Kroeger (November 10, 2022) “Shows like The Rings of Power and She-Hulk have been runaway successes — why can’t keyboard warriors admit it?” Marc Burrows of The New Stateman asked his readers? Perhaps because it is not clear that they are ‘runaway’ hits? According to Nielsen Media…She Hulk9 min readShe Hulk9 min read
Oct 26, 2022Member-onlyWhy does Hollywood hate internet ‘trolls’ so much?By Kent R. Kroeger (October 26, 2022) Disclaimer: In the following essay, I use the pejorative term ‘trolls’ to represent a group online podcasters (primarily on YouTube) who are persistent critics of the content produced by mainstream Hollywood studios — particularly movies with overt social justice agendas. The term like…Disney9 min readDisney9 min read
Oct 16, 2022Member-onlyGeorgia’s U.S. Senate race says a lot about today’s politicsBy Kent R. Kroeger (October 16, 2022) There are two constants in how the U.S. news media and pundit class cover elections: (1) They love scandals, and (2) they are convinced that political campaigns matter. But reality is different. Most elections are predictable months before the general election (and often…Herschel Walker4 min readHerschel Walker4 min read
Oct 15, 2022Member-onlyHBO’s “House of the Dragon” versus Amazon’s “The Rings of Power”By Kent R. Kroeger (October 15, 2022) “The canons of narrative art in any medium cannot be wholly different; and the failure of poor films is often precisely in exaggeration, and in the intrusion of unwarranted matter owing to not perceiving where the core of the original lies.” — J.R.R…House Of The Dragon11 min readHouse Of The Dragon11 min read
Oct 7, 2022Member-onlyIs ‘content king’? The Disney-Dish Network squabble provides insight.By Kent R. Kroeger (October 7, 2022) Though Microsoft founder Bill Gates is frequently given credit for popularizing the phrase ‘Content is King’ — the title of his 1996 essay about digital marketing where he argued that content would generate most of the money on the internet — this business…Hollywood7 min readHollywood7 min read
Sep 21, 2022Member-onlyAmazon’s “The Rings of Power” has not captured a large audience: What can they do now?By Kent R. Kroeger (September 21, 2022) [Disclaimer: The opinions (and errors) expressed in this essay are mine alone and do not represent the opinions of any of the media companies or creative properties mentioned herein.] Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power TV series is going…Lord Of The Rings7 min readLord Of The Rings7 min read
Sep 15, 2022Member-onlyAs censorship and secrecy rise, so do conspiracy theoriesBy Kent R. Kroeger (September 15, 2022) Disclaimer: The following essay is not intended to endorse or promote any of the conspiracy theories mentioned herein. The Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) was the most watched podcast on Spotify in 2021, reports Variety, and appears to be the most watched podcast across…Conspiracy Theories6 min readConspiracy Theories6 min read
Sep 14, 2022Member-onlyRecent revelations about PAXLOVID™ should lead to serious questions for the FDA, CDC and PfizerBy Kent R. Kroeger (September 13, 2022) “In politics, not all lies are all lies. And not all truths are complete.” — Mark McKinnon (American political advisor, reform advocate, media columnist, and television producer) “The most effective propaganda is surrounded by truths.” …Paxlovid6 min readPaxlovid6 min read