Thursday Ephemeraren’t
I know. I’m full of surprises.
Due to my having other commitments, you’ll have to fling together your own pile of links and oddities in the comments. I’ll set the ball rolling with one way to spend that $3,000,000 you’ve got lying around; one man and his chicken; a moment of triumph; a display of woke parenting; and via Dicentra, an achievement unlocked.
Oh, and careful with that axe, Karen.
Nautical incident of note.
Also, consider evolution.
David,
Have you read the Bosch books? If so, how do you think it compares?
Notre Dame, historical context: https://twitter.com/wrathofgnon/status/1118388349516111872
They’re just like normal people.
They should have left her there.
They should have left her there.
That, or turned her into an art installation.
Is this sort of what things looked like after she was freed?
I can’t help thinking “gluing tits to the floor” sounds like something the Piranha brothers would do.
Have you read the Bosch books? If so, how do you think it compares?
No, so I can’t offer a comparison. Actually, I haven’t read a novel in almost two decades. They tend to have too much padding for my taste, as a rule.
Speaking of padding, Avengers: Endgame was a bit underwhelming. A reminder, unfortunately, of the importance of pacing.
Back in the day, when there was still a Northwest Airlines in the US, there was a sudden push to change all instances of “cockpit” in the ops manual to “flight deck”.
On account of cockpit is sexist and patriarchal and toxic and stuff.
Obviously.
Wrath of Gnon writes:
Harry Mount (from The Telegraph, May 17th 2013, and also in the book “How England Made the English”) recounts meeting a newly graduated Architect. I’ve had many similar conversations.
Why people hate modern architects – exhibit A:
https://www.dezeen.com/2019/04/25/notre-dame-spire-alternative-cathedral-designs/
======
The burning of Notre Dame was a disaster but a far far greater disaster would be allowing modern architects to desecrate it.
It would be…. impolitic to state my course of action regarding these plans, but let’s look to Vlad Tepes for the way forward.
John Bolton said that the United Nations (in New York) would be improved by removing the top 10 floors.
Pretty much every school of architecture would be improved by removing all floors.
Avengers: Endgame was a bit underwhelming.
It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great. It’s the problem with two-part cliffhangers – part two is never as good as the set-up.
‘A glass box’
So an Apple store, then.
It’s the problem with two-part cliffhangers – part two is never as good as the set-up.
Yes. If the cliff-hanger is very good, it’s difficult to deliver a pay-off that lives up to expectations.
Infinity War juggled the various characters, tones and plotlines with surprising efficiency and while keeping a sense of narrative momentum, which was quite a feat. Given the scale of the thing and number of elements that had to be positioned, the film had an unexpected economy. But Endgame is much more bloated and convoluted. It feels laboured, and occasionally boring. The pacing and structure aren’t strong enough, or economical enough, which costs the film dearly, robbing it of focus and urgency. It also feels very, very long. There are great moments, to be sure – lots of them – but overall, it’s an inferior film. It’s as ambitious as Infinity War, in its way, but not as successful.
Also, Brie Larson.
Also, Brie Larson.
Is there a betting market for Plank Larson picking up an Academy Award nomination for her cameo role?
Yes, it’s an eco-loon, but I couldn’t help cringing a little.
Have you read the Bosch books? If so, how do you think it compares?
I have read them and while some of the stories and details are different (in the books Bosch is a Vietnam Vet, a former tunnel rat) the character and tone of the stories has translated nicely from page to screen. I think Titus Welliver as Bosch is inspired … he’s so close to the person I see when I read there was no jarring moment of working at suspension of disbelief when viewing the series.
It probably helps that author Michael Connelly is exec producer of the show.
Is there a betting market for Plank Larson picking up an Academy Award nomination for her cameo role?
She really is quite charmless, whether acting or not. I doubt Marvel can build a franchise on her charisma.
Mr Muldoon’s contribution about 50 things being racist jolted me as early as number 45: Male Pattern Baldness.
This is the reason I will not now have a bevy of mirrors (approved collective noun) in each room in which I can casually observe my own white privilege — and therefore see my racism. In other words, when people ask ‘what’s your best side’ for photos I will never say ‘Top rear.’ I have no wish to be exposed asa racist.
Historical pondering: Why, after Pearl Harbor, did the Japanese not immediately invade the west coast of the States when they had all the advantages? Now, the following explanation for the lack of invasion may or may not be true, but if it is true, food for thought:
https://kilted-veteran.tumblr.com/post/184468308095/heres-an-interesting-side-bar-after-the-japanese
Why, after Pearl Harbor, did the Japanese not immediately invade the west coast of the States when they had all the advantages?
The point about Americans being armed aside, their advantage is overstated. The US Pacific Fleet still had three carriers, three battleships, most of the 20 cruisers, all of the 30+ submarines, and most of the assorted destroyers and other smaller ships.
“Amateurs study tactics, professionals study logistics”, as the saying goes, the Japanese still had another 2500 miles to go to get to California without Hawaii as a resupply/refit station while also supporting fighting in China, the Philippines, Indochina, Malaysia, and so on. If they had made it to California, they would also have encountered three infantry divisions, a number of regimental combat teams, and the 2nd and 4th US Army Air Forces. Under conventional school solution thinking at the time, in order successfully to invade, they would have needed to have moved, self supported, about 12 divisions, most of their carriers, and all the support craft, 5500 miles without loss.
They knew they didn’t have the men or materiel to pull this off – they may have been fanatical, but they weren’t completely stupid.
It’s the problem with two-part cliffhangers – part two is never as good as the set-up.
Actually, can anyone think of a big two-parter with a cliff-hanger, whether in film or TV, in which the second part, the resolution, lives up to the set-up and delivers on expectations?
Australian customs boldly protects the nation from the scourge of assault rifles.
The latex gloves are a nice touch, though.
“my father was born and raised in Bad Axe, Michigan.”
I love American place names.
“Is this sort of what things looked like after she was freed?”
I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say, “No”.
“Another woke jackass has suggested a minaret”
You’re not averse to his other proposals?
“a memorial to the generations of peasants who were exploited to fund it, and the heretics murdered by its client”
“a monument to le gilet jaune inconnu, complete with a dayglow spire”
etc.
He’s pulling yer plonker, mate!
Thank you Farnsworth @ 13:56. Saved me the trouble. Japan’s purpose at Perl Harbor was to damage the US fleet to the degree that it would buy them enough time to complete their conquest of Asia. The Japanese actually saw themselves as saviors of the yellow man. Something that I really didn’t grasp until seeing it written on the wall at the Yasukini shrine in Tokyo in the clearest English I ever saw on a sign in Japan. I remember that moment well as it really opened my eyes to the BS that I was taught in school about Japan in WWII vs. the factual reality that my father had tried to teach me given his real world experiences.
…the BS that I was taught in school about Japan in WWII vs. the factual reality…
Yep, despite having near complete control of the SLOCs between Japan and Alaska, their inability to send enough men and materiel even to hold Attu and Kiska might have been a tipoff to the Imperial high command that invading the west coast was probably not a swell idea.
they may have been fanatical, but they weren’t completely stupid.
Yep. And to keep the US off kilter, they did send seven submarines to the West Coast in order to keep everyone in a state of hysteria. My dad was 14 at the time of “Battle of Los Angeles” and remembered the lights and anti-aircraft barrages vividly. Turns out they were firing at nothing but such was fear after the Japanese actually had shelled the coast near Santa Barbara the day before.
…in order to keep everyone in a state of hysteria.
Hollywood ! Hollywood ! Not having the disadvantage of being at extreme range without adequate resupply, the Germans, though whether they shelled the east coast is the subject of debate, were much, much better at attacking shipping off the coasts.
To be fair, however, the Japanese did kill six people in Oregon with balloon bombs.
hold Attu and Kiska….
…turns out they were firing at nothing…
My dad’s experience as a replacement on Attu and Kiska, when IJA had pulled out but this wasn’t known for sure was that a good amount of ammunition got fired into the sea thinking the Japs had regrouped and were attacking again.
As this is open thread…can anyone recommend a movie playing here in the US that is worth seeing? We’re not into the comic book stuff unless it’s Batman or Spiderman…or possibly Dead Pool, and I have a free ticket that is only good until the end of the month.
From the Evening Standard:
“Chef and author Nigella Lawson has an unusual talent: she can consume a whole jar of pickled eggs in one sitting. Popbitch reports that Lawson once won a £200 bet with the comedian Arthur Smith over how many eggs she could eat in a row. Lawson lost count but says she’s certain she polished off “more than 20”.”
You know David, I always wondered who the big-assed girl sitting in the booth-for-two in the corner was.
You’ve been remarkably quiet about some of the glitterati who hang about this place.
Nigella Lawson
The meaning of names can be very interesting.
Snorri, for instance, is an old Scandinavian name meaning something like “attack”–a good name for a Viking boy.
Ursula means “little bear”. Ursula
UndressAndress presumably misunderstood and thought it meand “little bare”.Nigella used to mean “we were expecting a girl”. Now it might mean “I want to be a girl.”
I wondered why I hadn’t seen the ravening pack of pickled “eggs” roaming the bar lately.
Nigella may be the pickled egg queen, but Sona-whoever has her beat on hump fat!
The meaning of names can be very interesting.
I notice you skirted past “Popbitch”. Odd? Perhaps. Or not.
I notice you skirted past “Popbitch”.
Oh look Dennis, there’s some lovely popbitch filth down here.
I notice you skirted past “Popbitch”.
Sheer lack of familiarity with the word. I nobly resisted the temptation to comment on something of which I knew nothing. (Looks down modestly.) Is it British?
Woke comic strips. It’s hard to describe quite how bad they are:
https://twitter.com/RamblingGroyper/status/1121486890153197568
Woke comic strips.
Remember the awful educational comic strips from Everyday Feminism? (Who cares about punchlines! What you need is more Maoist self-criticism!)
Woke comic strips.
Not entirely unrelated.
It’s hard to describe quite how bad they are:
Well, there’s 30 minutes gone I’ll never get back. I just kept scrolling … like slowing down to gawk at a car wreck.
I got my latest blog post from a stray comment here by Farnsworth linking a newspaper article, so thanks, old chap!
…so thanks, old chap!
For you, on the house – one comment though, might need to asterisk Clementine Ford as the actress of that name is substantially easier on the eyes than the one to whom I believe you are referring…had me confused for a moment.
I had no idea there was an actress! And I was wondering whether my Australian readers knew who Laurie Penny was….
…I was wondering whether my Australian readers knew who Laurie Penny was…
I am pretty sure she has made an Antipodal ass of herself along with all the other continents except maybe Antarctica.