Thursday, December 10, 2015

Britons Trying to Make Sense of American Crime Drama

Donald Trump and the Bald Eagle

Leaf Fall

Was just sweeping leaves at 2 a.m.: admittedly strange, but there was a big leaf fall from the high winds and the ground was still dry, so the work was still easy. It just started sprinkling. The first significant storm of the winter is here!

Good wishes to Ron McRae, who will attempt to cross the Sierra Nevada tomorrow in the teeth of the howling blizzard in order to enjoy an evening of civilized discussion with Vince Gilligan at the Mondavi Center in Davis. Hoping he doesn't get waylaid at Donner Pass and forced to eat too many fellow travelers.

Another Hot Year In California

California was warming up anyway (global warming, urban heat island, etc.), but the last 2 years have been amazing, and scary. Much of the bump was the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) warming up the waters of the eastern North Pacific, and thus warming up California, by proximity. No sign yet it's reversing, either.

Make Italy Great

Eight Things About Donald Trump

Love the quote:
"There’s a reason why the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s executive director wants GOP candidates to “be like Trump” even as Graham bleats that Trump doesn’t represent the party. Lindsey Graham, are you shitting me? Trump doesn’t just represent your party. He’s the goddamn Platonic ideal of it. You can’t spend decades preparing the way for someone like Donald Trump and then pretend to be shocked, shocked when he roars down the field, flawlessly executing your playbook."

Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s Ad

The trouble with having cancelled cable is I miss out on stuff:

Son Burglarizes His Mom's House

All for her posole:
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Jonathan Ray wanted some of his mom’s posole last week.

So much so that, police say, he broke into her Northeast Albuquerque home, made a beeline for the fridge and ran away with a pot of homemade posole.

Jeremy Lion - Twelve Days of Christmas

This guy is GREAT!

Tea and Consent

Lose 75 Pounds in ONE DAY!

Toyah - I Believe in Father Christmas

Sharks Don't Like the Remus SharkCam

Monday, December 07, 2015

Photos from "The Debut"

Sunday, a week ago:

Ran Away

Tonight for Bella's walk, I decided to wear a black windbreaker, not only for warmth but because I would be dressed in black from head to toe. The windbreaker would make me look a little more formidable on the street.

When Bella and I reached 21st Street, when we usually turn south, my eye caught surreptitious movement. A man was sprinting north on the dark sidewalk - running away from us as fast as he could possibly run. Vastly surprised, I watched him run away until he reached Broadway, a block and a half away, and keep running at high speed, until he had vanished.

Out of curiosity, we changed direction and headed north too, to where I had first seen him, by the cemetery. There was a pile of trash there - old empty plastic cups and cardboard boxes - but nothing of apparent value. It was all a complete mystery.

Reminded of the familiar poster from the early Seventies.

What I Want For Christmas

I'm beginning to think of what I might want for Christmas.

So far, I'm thinking of two esoteric items. One is a copy of De Nederlandse Opera's 2007 production of John Adams and Peter Sellar's "Dr. Atomic." For being so distant, the Nederlandse folks did an astonishingly-good job of portraying the Manhattan Project and New Mexico. As far as I know, it's the only opera that refers to Santa Clara Pueblo and the Jemez and Sangre de Cristo Mountains, all with an unforgettable nightmarish edge.

Unfortunately the part I like best isn't on YouTube, but this is OK:




The other is a copy of "Clouds of Sils Maria" the 2014 movie that I think is the best film of the century so far. To a soul, the critics misjudged it - pitched so far above their heads they can't catch it. It may be the only movie that ever really captured the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche.

Here, Maria (Juliette Binoche) grills Valentine (Kristen Stewart) about the performance of a fresh but controversial actress (played by Chloe Grace Moretz) who is about to join their theatrical project. They begin edging into Nietzsche territory....

Why Is That Vehicle Idling?

One of the troubles with having a large homeless population is that people aren't rooted in one place and easily lose contact with one another. People blame authorities for disappearances and are particularly suspicious of vehicles idling for long periods to no apparent purpose.

In Sacramento, 'Joe the Plumber' says the homeless are being swept into mobile crematoria (semi-trailers called 'Smokies') that patrol inner city neighborhoods in the day and incinerate people in the outskirts of the city at night.

Similarly, in Albuquerque, people accuse ambulance drivers of organ harvesting. (h/t John)

Worried About Michael Flowers

Because we love him to pieces and are worried. He disappeared once for a time, but this time is longer - a month.
MISSING: Michael Jimmerson was last seen November 11, 2015 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. if you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Michael Jimmerson please contact the Albuquerque Police Department at (505)242-2677.

[UPDATED: Dec. 8, 2015: Michael has resurfaced! (I knew he would - it was just a matter of time.)]

Fractal Wrongness

Brian:
"For gun supporters everywhere. From their willful misinterpretation of the 2nd Amendment to their denial of statistical realities to their utter absence of common sense."

Edgy

People used to investigate first:
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The reported gunshots that triggered a lockdown at Kirtland Air Force Base Wednesday afternoon turned out to be someone popping bubble wrap, said Eric Elliott, the director of public affairs for the base.

“One individual had some heavy-duty bubble wrap from a package and was stepping on it to pop it,” he said. “Someone else heard the popping and —due to (the mass shooting) happening in San Bernardino — called 911.”