Canadian Provinces Most Likely To Survive Alien Invasion

July 31, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

UFO Hearing – Shocking claims of alien technology defying the laws of physics are shared by whistleblowers

Captivated by extraterrestrial phenomena, our friends and experts at BonusFinder Canada took a crucial step in safeguarding humanity by conducting a study revealing which Canadian provinces are most likely to survive an alien invasion.

Residents of Harbour Mille, N.L., reported seeing three missile-like UFOs fly near their community on the night of Jan. 25, 2010, including this one photographed. ((photo-Darlene Stewart))

The Provinces Most Likely to Survive an Alien Invasion

Rank	Province	Alien Survivability Score /10
1	Nova Scotia	8.03
2	Manitoba	7.50
3	Newfoundland and Labrador	7.47
4	New Brunswick	7.06
5 tie	Alberta	7.02
5 tie	Quebec	7.02
7	Prince Edward Island	6.92
8	Saskatchewan	6.90
9	Ontario	6.65
10	British Columbia	5.96

The experts created a points-based index system evaluating:

Population and population density (per km²)
The average duration of UFO visits (minutes) and sightings per 100,000 people
Total forest area (thousands of hectares) and forest area as a % of land area
Fresh water area as a % total area
Police officers and active military service per 100,000
Number of food businesses
Number of farms, farms per 100 km² and employees in agriculture (in 1,000 people) per 100,000
Construction and manufacturing per 100,000
Healthcare professionals per 100,000
Scientific and professional personnel per 100,000

You can dig further into the data here.

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BonusFinder Canada can reveal that Nova Scotia‘s resilient spirit and strategic coastal location make it a province most likely to survive and endure an alien invasion, with a survivability score of 8.03/10. Having witnessed 22.38 UFOs per 100,000 people in the province, which is actually, the second-highest out of all the provinces, with New Brunswick having the highest (25.92 UFOs/100,000 people). Nova Scotia also has the highest number of active military service with 1011.98 per 100,000 people as well as the most scientific and professional personnel, with a total of 64.89 per 100,000 people.

The province also benefits from the 79% of forest-to-land area ratio, meaning they can be used to take cover to resist alien invaders. Nova Scotia is also very famous for the ‘Shag Harbour Incident’, which is a sighting of a UFO crashing into the waters of Shag Harbour leaving no trace other than yellow foam.

Manitoba takes second place, with an overall survivability score of 7.50/10. Manitoba has seen over 17 UFOs per 100,000 people, which on average last 17.69 minutes. The province benefits from 18,968 hectares of forest, and the highest percentage of fresh water-to-land ratio (15%), the same as Ontario. With 14,543 farms and 1,460.34 agriculturists per 100,000 people, the population’s satiety is in good hands.

Falcon Lake, located in Winnipeg, is one of Manitoba’s most notorious experiences with the unknown, as Stefan Michalak saw two vessels hovering above him in the night sky.

In third place is Newfoundland and Labrador, scoring 7.47/10. It has the second-highest number of scientific and professional personnel with 53.86 per 100,000 people and has the lowest number of UFO sightings with 0.59 per 100,000 people, for an average of 12 minutes. Despite having the lowest % of forest-to-land ratio (29%) and the least manufacturers (1.98 per 100,000 people), the province has the highest number of healthcare professionals per 100,000 people (8.72).

British Columbia, however, ranks the lowest in the research, with an alien survivability score of 5.96/10. Despite its breathtaking landscapes, with a high 63% of forest-to-land ratio, British Columbia’s vast and remote terrain may pose challenges, making it potentially less likely to survive an alien invasion due to its difficulties in coordination and defense – the second–lowest active military service (191.87 per 100,000 people). British Columbia also lacks agriculturists in the province, with 471.92 per 100,000 people.

Culture

How to take care of yourself at night?

July 27, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

After a long day of work or school, it’s important to take care of yourself before bed.

Taking care of yourself at night ensures that you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead. Here are some tips on how to take care of yourself at night:

Take Care of Your Skin

Taking care of your skin is an essential part of self-care. Before bed, make sure you remove your makeup and cleanse your face thoroughly. Apply a moisturizer that suits your skin type to keep it hydrated and prevent wrinkles and other skin problems. Don’t forget to use an exfoliating soap for the perfect beauty routine!

Unplug and Disconnect

We are constantly connected to our smartphones, laptops, and other devices. Before you go to bed, switch off all electronic devices or keep them away from your bedroom to ensure a peaceful and restful sleep. The blue light from electronic devices can disrupt our circadian rhythms and affect the quality of our sleep.

Create a Relaxing Environment

Your bedroom should be a peaceful and relaxing environment that promotes restful sleep. Make sure your room is dark, cool, and quiet. Use comfortable bedding and pillows that support your neck and spine. You can also use aromatherapy candles or diffusers to create a calming ambiance that helps you relax.

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Good sleep hygiene is essential for a good night’s sleep. Make sure you stick to a regular sleep schedule and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals before bedtime as they can interfere with your sleep quality. Also, try to establish a bedtime routine that helps you unwind and relax, such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, or meditating.

Do Relaxing Activities

Engage in relaxing activities before bed to calm your mind and promote a restful sleep. You can try reading a book, listening to calming music, practicing yoga or meditation, or taking a warm bath. These activities help reduce stress and anxiety, which can interfere with your sleep quality.

In conclusion, taking care of yourself at night is crucial for your overall health and well-being. By following these tips, you can create a peaceful and relaxing environment that promotes restful sleep and helps you wake up feeling refreshed and energized. For the Silo, Bill Gordon.

Earth

Why I Am Hooked On Ontario Heirloom Tomatoes

July 27, 2023 The Silo 3 Comments

I’m a tomato snob. I can’t help it. I’ve had the best and will never go back.

The first summery taste of a home-grown tomato, fully matured on the vine and still warm from the sun is one of the great taste pleasures of summertime. You need to experience it to appreciate it.

The poor imported supermarket version of the tomato just doesn’t compare. And in reality, it can’t. The imports are picked when they just start to show some colour, before their texture and especially their flavors have had a chance to develop. Then they travel, sometimes halfway around the world.
Consequently on the store shelves we see these hard, bland-tasting, thick-skinned things that misrepresent what a tomato could be.

In fact, modern tomato varieties are developed specifically for this kind of handling, packaging and transport. Thick skins, uniformity of size and shape are all desirable attributes to producers. Unfortunately, flavor isn’t. But we want tomatoes, so we take what we can get. However, with a little effort, we can get better. Why not grow your own? It’s easy. And why not grow specifically old-fashioned varieties? They taste a million times better than the imports and you aren’t paying for the oil to get them here.

Why I’m hooked on heirloom tomatoes.

The variety of colours, shapes, sizes, and even flavours, is almost endless. And it is a lot like collecting antiques. In my own garden experience I’ve grown everything from the marble-sized ivory-coloured White Currant to the enormous red Sicilian Saucers. The fabulous tasting Black Krim (originating from the Isle of Krim in Russia) is my absolute favourite of all tomatoes, with it’s lovely burgundy skin and marbled magenta and green interior. The appearance, flavour and variety in the heirlooms simply cannot be approached by the mass-produced types.

Though tomatoes originate in ancient Mexico, the heirlooms in my own collection were developed, some as far back as centuries ago, in France, Italy, Germany, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, USA, Russia, and the list goes on. Some of their names are descriptive: Black Cherry, Green Grape, Big Rainbow, Indian Stripe, the absolutely beautiful Persimmon, and the absolutely weird Purple Calabash. And some of them bear the names of their sources: Andrew Rahart’s Jumbo Red, Aunt Gertie’s Gold, Marianna’s Peace, Martha Homestead, and my favourite named – Olga’s Round Yellow Chicken Tomato – all varieties discovered and saved by home gardeners, often passed down through families for generations, and shared with friends.

And so, through the efforts of seed-savers throughout the world, the tomatoes are spared extinction and continue to be enjoyed for their wonderful flavor, but not by the masses. Only by snobs like me. And maybe you.

For the Silo, Rick Posavad.

Comics

Dystopic Comic Book Feels Startling Familiar

July 25, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

Here’s the synopsis:

Mainstream Social is DEAD! State censorship, sponsored spam,
cancel culture and inciter-banning means everyone who’s anyone is on the dark web. And no one knows it better than Tucker Scott.

Rampant cyberbullying. Fake news trolling. Spying, voyeurism and privacy invasion. This is Contraband, the ruthless entrepreneurs’
digital underground – where profit-hungry mobs prowl city streets
filming violent events to satisfy society’s demand for sensational
content.

Contraband is a unique cross-Atlantic graphic novel collaboration published by Markosia. Here are a few good reasons why you should definitely pick up this superbly relevant graphic novel.

1. Contraband focuses on one of the more timely, relevant topics in
this year of our Lord, 2021, zeroing in on the early violent, criminal abuse of underground community sharing – and by doing so, adds a whole new meaning to disruptive video mobile and social media technology convergence.

But when activists hack Contraband giving control to any influencer
with the most followers, it’s complete chaos as everybody chases
the money and fame of being number one!

2. Some interesting comics and mainstream news media folks like
what we’re doing: “Behe’s dialogue brings a hip, hyper-real energy to his plot while Elliot’s deceptively plain artwork evokes a shabby world of
compromised morals.” The Financial Times

“As visionary as the technology Behe writes about. “ Broken
Frontier

“Behe’s critique of the public’s willingness to watch all manner
of depravity is a righteous, if not an original, one.” Entertainment
Weekly

“Beneath Contraband’s ultra stylish cover lies a tale of high
action and drama in a very near future where technology and
communications have become inescapable.” Forbidden Planet

3. They’re an odd but solid partnership for making tech fiction
graphic novels: There’s TJ Behe -a Canadian CEO of a self-sovereign ID
privacy firm, an experienced social / telecoms consultant and an Ivey MBA graduate – along with Phil Elliott- a British illustration pro who’s been busy creating amazing comics for over 25 years with the likes of Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman and Eddie Campbell.

Sci-Tech

Lightning-fast Connectivity: The Fastest Broadband in Canada For Gamers

July 24, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

Let’s get right to it! Here is the breakdown:

You can find the full dataset here.

Earning it the nickname ‘Canada’s Silicon Valley’, Kitchener, Ontario, is a technology powerhouse with numerous tech companies, start-ups, and research institutions. It achieved first place for broadband speed at 287 Mbps.

Toronto follows closely behind, with 283 Mbps. As the country’s largest city and financial hub, boasting a thriving economy and a diverse range of industries, the demand for the Internet is high, and providers have clearly delivered.

Neighbouring Brampton scored similarly, with 277 Mbps. Home to a growing business sector, particularly in industries such as advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and information technology, the city has the third-highest connectivity speed in Canada.

The only city in the top five that isn’t in Ontario is Surrey, landing in fourth place. Renowned for its beautiful natural surroundings, including parks, green spaces, and the stunning Fraser River, Surrey achieved an internet download speed of 271 Mbps. London, Ontario, follows closely behind with a broadband speed of 270 Mbps.

It makes sense to see Ontario cities landing in the top 5 as recently the governments of Canada and Ontario invested over $54 million to make the Internet accessible to more than 20,000 homes. This not only will bring a necessary Internet connection to rural Ontario but bring reliable high-speed Internet access to the whole of the country.

Methodology:

BonusFinder Canada wanted to reveal the best Canadian cities for gamers to live in.
In order to achieve that, they created a seed list of the 20 most populated cities in Canada using Data Commons.
Fixed download speeds were obtained from the Ookla dataset with gridded worldwide internet speed data. The data was spatially joined with the coordinates of the cities in Canada using the Geopandas package in Python, which allowed for an average download speed (in megabits per second (Mbps)) per city to be obtained. The coordinates for Canada were obtained from the GADM geospatial data set, (except for Quebec and Montreal which were obtained from the overpass api).
Data was also collected on the number of gaming conventions in each city in 2023 using Video Games Con for gaming conventions and Board Game Geek for board games conventions.
TripAdvisor was then used to count the number of ‘game and entertainment centres.
The number of game development companies in each province was found on Alberta Video Game Studios – Canadian Game Devs.
The number of gaming jobs in each city was found using Indeed, using the search term ‘video game’ as well as each city included in the seed list.
All data was then combined into a definitive ranking which was equally weighted. BonusFinder Canada was then able to assign a final score out of 10 to each city and determine which is best and worst for gamers.
Data is correct as of July 6th, 2023.

For the Silo, Marissa Pysarczuk.

Here is a link to our friends at https://bonus.ca/ who commissioned this data.

Earth

UN Invests 8 Billion USD In World’s Poorest Countries To Grow World’s Food

July 17, 2023 The Silo 1 Comment

Rome, 17 July 2023 – In 2022, despite conflict, climate change and the continued stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic which threatened the food security and livelihoods of millions of rural people, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) invested US$7.96 billion in rural areas in the world’s poorest countries, according to its annual report released today.

“2022 was a particularly challenging year for rural people the world over. Rural communities have acutely felt the effects of this triple crisis on their food systems, which are a critical source of livelihoods – as well as essential nourishment – for them, and for the millions of people who depend on them,” said IFAD President Alvaro Lario in the report foreword.

“We need to support rural people to cope with present crises. But we also need to invest in building food systems that can support and nourish their families and communities, and help feed the world into the future.”

The annual report captures the organization’s activities, special initiatives and new funding sources as well as impact data. Analysis of the 2022 total rural development project portfolio reveals that 90% of core resources went to low-income countries (LICs) and lower middle-income countries (LMICS). IFAD has since committed to increase that ratio to 100% going forward. Data verification also showed that more than 90% of IFAD’s climate finance is invested in initiatives that enable rural people to adapt to climate change. In addition, it showed that more than half of project participants are women.

In 2022, IFAD launched the Crisis Response Initiative to protect livelihoods and strengthen resilience in 22 countries most in need as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. It focuses on tailored interventions to prevent hunger and food insecurity arising, while supporting sustainable food systems.

In 2022, impact data reveals that between 2019-2021, as a result of IFAD’s investments: more than 77 million people increased their incomes; more than 62 million people expanded their productive capacities; more than 64 million people improved their market access and 38 million people strengthened their resilience. IFAD is the only international financial institution that systematically measures the impact of its investments.

Assessments of the Rural Poor Stimulus Facility – IFAD’s COVID-19 response initiative launched in 2020 to help people survive pandemic-caused financial losses while protecting the global food supply – showed that at least three quarters of participants maintained or increased their levels of production and income, despite the impacts of the pandemic.

“Doing more to get more finance is critical; but we also have to continue to ensure that the people who need it most are the ones who benefit. This is another part of what makes IFAD unique, and we are maintaining our commitment to devote 100% of our core funding to the poorest countries,” wrote Lario. For the Silo, Julie Marshall.

Read the report

IFAD is an international financial institution and a United Nations specialized agency. Based in Rome – the United Nations food and agriculture hub – IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided more than US$24 billion in grants and low-interest loans to fund projects in developing countries.

Culture

Canada’s Most Googled Netflix Original Series and Movies Revealed

July 14, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

Around 75 million US and Canadian adults have a Netflix subscription, with the streaming service a huge hit. But, which Netflix original series and movies are most popular amongst us Canadians?

Our friends at Spin Genie- a leading online casino have helped us out with this one and looked at Google search data, viewing hours, news articles, Instagram posts and Tiktok views for Netflix’s biggest original series and movies to reveal the streaming service’s most popular projects.

Canada’s top 10 most Googled Netflix Original Series:

Rank	Title	Number of Google searches
1	Stranger Things Season 4	1,939,100
2	Bridgerton Season 2	656,500
3	You Season 4	605,700
4	The Crown Season 5	585,100
5	Love Is Blind Season 3	580,900
6	Love Is Blind Season 4	561,130
7	Ozark Season 4	469,400
8	Love, Death & Robots: Volume 3 Season 3	404,030
9	Cobra Kai Season 5	363,200
10	Ginny And Georgia Season 2	312,300

Taking the top spot is Stranger Things Season 4, with nearly 2 million Google searches between January 2022 to April 2023. Stranger Things Season 4 was also crowned Netflix’s best original series according to its overall Netflix score of 9.58/10.

Bridgerton Season 2 is Netflix’s second-most searched-for original series since January 2022, with more than 650,000 searches in Canada. The show also boasts over 1.7 billion Tiktok views, 23,200 news articles and 53,856 Instagram posts.

Rounding out the top three is You Season 4 with just over 600,000 Google searches. Season 4 of You had the most media coverage of any Netflix show, with around 180,000 articles written on Google News.

Canada’s top 10 most Googled Netflix Original Films:

Rank	Title	Number of Google searches
1	The Stranger	76,000
2	Persuasion	50,000
3	Hustle	41,770
4	Blonde	35,400
5	Troll	32,950
6	Purple Hearts	26,000
7	Senior Year	21,930
8	All Quiet on the Western Front	18,540
9	Pinocchio	16,810
10	White Noise	15,960

Taking the number one spot for the most Googled Netflix original movies in Canada, we have The Stranger, with around 76,000 searches since the start of 2022. The film was based on the non-fiction book, The Sting: The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe’s Killer by Kate Kyriacou.

In second place, we have Persuasion, another adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel of the same name. Since the start of 2022, this Netflix original movie has been searched for around 50,000 times.

Hustle rounds out the top three with searches up by 41,770. The sports comedy-drama features Adam Sandler as an NBA scout, and LeBron James was also a producer on the movie, through his company SpringHill.

The research also revealed the following:

Enola Holmes 2 is the most talked about Netflix original movie on Instagram with almost 109k posts. When it comes to Instagram’s most talked about Netflix original series, Wednesday tops the list with over 159k posts on the app.
Purple Hearts is the best Netflix original movie according to its overall Netflix score of 8.87/10. Stranger Things Season 4 takes the crown as Netflix’s best original series, scoring 9.58.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is the most-watched Netflix original movie, amassing 301,730,000 viewing hours in its 7 weeks in the top 10.
Dahmer has been named TikTok’s most talked about Netflix series, with around 8.7 billion views on posts talking about its first season. When it comes to Tiktok’s most talked about Netflix film, Enola Holmes 2 takes the crown with around 2 billion views on the platform.

Art

SwissArtExpo 2023 Will Be Most Visited Hotspot In Zurich

July 10, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

Fashion

Sweaty Rocks Activewear For Women Are Ideal For Summer

July 5, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

Summer has arrived and with that mind, here is a new and interesting fashion find from our friends at Amazon.com.

The Sweaty Rocks clothing line is composed of high-tech performance fabrics, that feel luxurious and look amazing, and make their activewear clothing a must-have.

“I found the fit to be more generous. It looked great on the model.. on me. This dress is extremely flattering and the lightweight material drapes beautifully on your body making you feel so feminine. ” Kerry Delgado

“It is a must have in every closet. You can wear it with anything! Some of them are very bulky. This one is cut right to give you a nice fitted shape. This one fits right and looks great. The material is soft and shiny It has extra buckles on the sides to give you that badass biker look and it zips all the way up. This one is not only a great quality but also great price.” Nancy Brewer

Travel

Visit Our Friends to the South in Buffalo & Take In July 4 Celebrations

July 4, 2023 The Silo 1 Comment

obeliskMacKinleyMonumentnearcityhall — The Obelisk- MacKinley Monument near Buffalo City Hall

If you’re looking for a spur-of-the-moment day trip from Niagara, Canada side, I have the answer for you.

A visit to downtown Buffalo can be your answer. It’s about an hour away nestled on the American side of the Peace Bridge and it’s a place still oozing with charm. The older downtown area offers a step-back-in-time experience. Forget the Chicken wings; the historic buildings here make a statement about style and sophistication.

July Fourth Fireworks Galore!

There are many places to catch amazing fireworks displays in and around the city core.

Canalside Fireworks, Fourth of July, Fireworks in Buffalo NY

Cool Architecture and Art Deco Stylings

IMG_0068buffalocityhall — Fantastic architecture abounds in Buffalo- here is Buffalo City Hall, a fine example of Art Deco styling

Old City Hall
Start your day of exploring with a visit to Buffalo’s Art Deco City Hall. It dominates everything in the downtown area. Built during the early 1930’s (at the height of the great depression) this is a must see. The building is open free of charge Monday to Friday between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm. Take the elevator to the 22tnd floor, and then walk the stairway to the observation area. You’ll feel like you’re on top of the Empire State building in New York City. You’re rewarded with an awe inspiring view of the city, Niagara River and nearby Fort Erie. Free tours of City Hall are offered Monday to Friday at noon. Just meet in the lobby and a volunteer will put you through your paces as he or she walks and talks about the history of this Buffalo charmer. I was convinced, I was in a time warp. Docent (an American term which usually refers to a historic tour guide),

docent_dictionarymeaning — The term docent is an “Americanistic term” but has roots in the Germanic language

Rick Smyth, a retired teacher explained the meaning behind the many murals and statues that adorn the inside of the building. He said, “They tell about the friendship between Canada and the United States that has extended since the end of the War of 1812″.
Niagara Square
Outside City Hall is Niagara Square .Dominating the square is a monument built to honour the memory of William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States (1897-1901) who was assassinated in Buffalo at the Pan American Exposition in 1901. If you love old architectural buildings and their history you’ve hit the jackpot. Take your pick, the perimeter of the square beckons you. All of these century old buildings have stories to tell. Escorted walking tours can be arranged at www.buffalotours.org or 716-852-3300.
Lafayette Square
Lafayette Square is three blocks to the east of City Hall. It’s a park in the centre of the downtown. The block, which was once square, is lined by many of the city’s tallest buildings including the Liberty Building, and Rand Building. The Buffalo and Erie County Public Library (www.buffalolib.org) is an interesting place to explore. You can a get a first hand glimpse of the manuscripts of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. by Samuel L. Clemens, better know by his non de plume, Mark Twain lived in Buffalo between 1869 and 1871. The library is open daily at 8:30 am, except Sunday, free of charge. This block is surrounded by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s Metro Rail light rail rapid transit, which runs about 12 blocks above-ground along Main Street in what is called the Free Fare Zone. Try it you’ll love it. The ride really is free.
Live Theatre
You’d be hard-pressed to leave this area without visiting one of the many historical theatres that offers touring Broadway shows, concerts, opera, dance and classic film series. Shea’s Performing Arts Center (www.sheas.org) on Main Street, built in the style of 1926 European Opera House, has an outstanding line-up of live entertainment. Greats like George Burns and Frank Sinatra have performed here in the past.

Find a tall building downtown (like the City Hall building) for a great panoramic look of the skyline.

Where to Eat
When the hunger pains start to come on I recommend the Spot Coffee Restaurant (www.spotcoffee.com) at the corner of Delaware Avenue and Chippewa Streets. This independently owned coffee shop is more authentic than places like Starbucks. They have good reasonably priced food and plenty of it. Uneven floors, wood tables and exposed brick make this the perfect neighbourhood eatery. They open at 7 am and close at 11 pm. It’s where I like to hang out during the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade takes place this year on Sunday, March 18 and begins at 2pm.
Downtown Parking
Street parking is reasonable here. Be sure to carry lots of American 25 cent coins to feed the $1 an hour meters. Lot parking is about $8.00 for the day.
For More Information TELL ’em The Silo sent ya ;>
www.visitbuffaloniagara.com or 1-800-283-3256.

For the Silo, George Bailey.

Reviews

1975 Psycho From Texas Bluray is Drive-In Worthy

July 3, 2023 The Silo Leave a comment

NOTE- this article has adult themes and language.

A backyard movie night with one of those Blu-rays that are courteous enough to program a drive-in style evening, featuring two movies with an intermission.

The first film, PSYCHO FROM TEXAS (1975), was new to me. It’s about a criminal drifter named Wheeler who arrives in small town Arkansas to take on a kidnap/ransom job. The victim turns out to be the very same kindly old man who treated Wheeler earlier that day to a free Coke *and* a cup of coffee.

But we immediately find out that Wheeler is as cold as they come, and he doesn’t care what the old man did for him, he is actually looking forward to killing him once the money comes through. It turns out Wheeler’s Texas psychopathy stems from having a shitty mom who would beat him in between getting fucked by random dudes who pay her in stockings.

Filmmaking-wise, this is total amateur hour, featuring clumsy transitions and mostly bad acting, even the music suddenly changes back & forth between scenes. After the first half-hour, it meanders with an endless foot chase that is alternately funny and tiresome.

There are also whiplash-inducing shifts in tone, going from dumb good ‘ol boy comedy (complete with country bumpkin music) to ultra-grimy sleaze (Linnea Quigley appears in this, and I don’t think her visual discomfort is all acting, either).

But I can’t deny that I found the overall story kinda intriguing, and the filmmakers sure as hell knew how to end a movie on a high note. I’ve been re-reading the Parker novels recently, and Wheeler reminded me of one of those despicable sadists that Parker occasionally worked with (and who usually ended up fucking over Parker and his partners).

Plus, I’m a sucker for regional drive-in fare; I always felt these movies were better representations of their time & place than bigger budget fare. Probably because they couldn’t afford sets and back-lots. There’s a scene where a sheriff is explaining how a young boy found a very important piece of evidence; the boy is Black, and the sheriff begins to say “You know that young n-” and the print suddenly jump-cuts a couple seconds ahead to “…boy from so-and-so found…”, sparing us that very real Arkansas-in-the-1970s moment. I had to laugh.

Also, Wheeler drives a pretty sweet Dodge Dart Swinger 340, which is something I thought you would appreciate, if you were me.

There was a 13-minute intermission with classic snack bar ads and trailers for movies like COP KILLERS and THE GRIM REAPER (U.S. cut of ANTHROPOPHAGOUS), before moving on to the second feature, THE GATES OF HELL (1980) which is the U.S. cut of Fulci’s CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD. There are much better-looking versions available under the original title, but I appreciated the grind house charm of this scratched up print (I’m pretty sure this was the same print I’ve seen at various all-night marathons).

https://youtu.be/06c1xXYlu5Y

I’ve rambled about this one before; it’s not my favorite Fulci, but it’s good times all the same and it was fun to watch it outside at night, wondering if the creepy sounds I heard behind me were possums, gatos, or some evil zombie priest who wants to bring about the end of the world. (And yet, despite the bleeding eyeballs and puked-up entrails and living dead walking around, that priest *still* refuses to acknowledge his colleagues molesting the altar boys behind closed doors.) For the Silo, E.F. Contentment.