Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them. --Frank Herbert (Dune)
Saturday, July 31, 2021
July Words of Wisdom
Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them. --Frank Herbert (Dune)
Friday, July 30, 2021
Awards action
Thursday, July 29, 2021
I feel a trip to Colorado coming on
Back in April, it was reported that Casa Bonita, the Colorado theme restaurant made world famous by South Park, was in danger of closing. The article also mentioned that South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone had expressed interest in buying and saving the restaurant, but there was nothing concrete.
The good news - that appears to have changed. Not sure how the current owners feel about it, but Parker and Stone are reportedly all in.
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Words of Wisdom: Writing and Creativity Edition
The mystery story is two stories in one: the story of what happened and the story of what appeared to happen. --Mary Roberts Rinehart
Ideas are cheap. It's the execution that is all-important.--George R.R. Martin
The script, I always believe, is the foundation of everything. --Ewan McGregor
Rule one, you have to write. If you do't write, nothing will happen. --Neil Gaiman
You can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page. --Jodi Picolt
I write because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention. --George Orwell
--Marcel Proust
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars. --Les Brown
The solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind. --Albert Einstein
The most potent muse of all is our own inner child. --Stephen Nachmanovich
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. --Pablo Picasso
I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues. --Duke Ellington
Breaking rules isn't interesting. It's making up new ones that keeps things exciting. --Christopher Nolan
The first draft of a book - even a long one - should not take longer than three months, the length of a season. If you spend too long on a piece, it begins to take on an odd foreign feel. --Stephen King
Be regular and orderly in your life, so you may be violent and original in your work. --Gustave Flaubert
That's my advice with dealing with writer's block. Follow the fun. If you aren't having fun, you are doing it wrong. --Jordan Peele
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
New blood
The bad news: I was under the impression that the new season of Dexter was coming in September. Turns out we're going to have to wait a bit longer - the premiere date was just announced as November 7.
The good news? A new Dexter trailer.
Monday, July 26, 2021
Recent reading: "Close-Up on Sunset Boulevard"
Close-Up on Sunset Boulevard: Billy Wilder, Norma Desmond, and the Dark Hollywood Dream by Sam Staggs
Thursday, July 22, 2021
Saturday, July 17, 2021
Okay, I've never liked PayPal but it's been a necessary evil. Until now.
The credit card that I use for most of my purchases expired last month. That means that not only did I get a new card that's one of those weird-looking contact-free cards (apparently plastic cards with raised numbers are a thing of the past) but I also had to notify various accounts I do business with of the new expiration date. Which is no biggie. Something I can totally handle.
Then yesterday I got this email from PayPal:
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Friday, July 16, 2021
Get well soon, Fluffy
"Not the way I wanted to spend my birthday but at least I'm alive and I have cake," he concluded the announcement, adding, "I can't taste it or smell it, but I have it."
Fortunately, it seems like he has a mild case and should be okay, although one worrisome thing is his obesity. I've read in multiple places that a large number of COVID fatalities involve excess weight.
Another thing I thought was odd is that the issue of contracting The Plague after being vaccinated against it was kind of ignored. Iglesias credited the vaccine with getting him through it quickly, so to speak. But there's been so many stories circulating about side effects from the vaccine that it seems odd to gloss over it...but unfortunately not surprising. Most media is really towing the line when it comes to ignoring this aspect of the COVID story.
I know if I'd allowed myself to be punctured not just once, but twice with a needle containing what is (whether you like it or not) still really an experimental drug rushed to market, and then I caught the damn disease anyway, I'd be pissed. Even at my age I have a 99+% of recovering if I get it without benefit of being used as a human pin cushion. Why let someone inject me with the stuff.
Well, enough of that rant for now. Get well soon, Fluffy!
Pic snicked from the linked article.
Thursday, July 15, 2021
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
We've got bad TV news and good TV news
Let's get the not so good news out of the way. The Nicholas Cage Tiger King project isn't happening. Gotta say I'm really disappointed with this news. I was seriously looking forward to seeing Cage as Joe Exotic. That would have been epic levels of scenery chowing. Quite the bummer.
As a palate-cleanser to that news comes word that both Jennifer Carpenter and John Lithgow are reprising their roles as Debra Morgan and The Trinity Killer respectively in the Dexter revival. Due to the fates of both characters it's almost a certainty the will appear in flashbacks, but it will still be great to see them and see how Dexter remembers them.
Friday, July 9, 2021
Flashback Friday of a sorts
This would be hilarious, unless you're one of the astronauts. Since I'm not an astronaut I think it's hilarious. But if I was an astronaut, I'd be seriously pissed.
And now, for your heartwarming story of the day:
Sunday, July 4, 2021
Happy Birthday America the Beautiful!!!
Friday, July 2, 2021
Wherever shall I spend this largesse?
This was actually posted to the White House Instagram account: