Pluvious
Pluvious's JournalWe tried out the 2004 Jamie Lee Curtis / Tim Allen "Xmas with the Kranks" film...
"Skipping Christmas" was the teaser that reeled us in.
As that is exactly what we ourselves do every year 
The movie seemed such a refreshing break, at first.
We cheered on the couple with their inspired boycott
of all things Xmas. The (small) town fought back
hard and dirty, we rooted for them to stick to their
brave and noble plan, looking forward to their
tropical cruise getaway from the cold, fake-merriment
of garish Xmas decor laden rows of houses and
the forced fake cheer of the spiteful children
and grim faced adults intent on imposing their
determined will upon the hapless (recently empty
nested) couple.
Then, appeared The Horror, in the form of a simple phone call.
We suddenly realized we'd been had, suckered into
a viewing of something we could not possibly endure
watching any further: A feel good morality lesson on
the true meaning of...
Sorry, I'm gagging. Can't say it.
Besides, Allen's acting chemistry was painfully absent
juxtaposed against the always brilliant ms Curtis' skills.
So...
We switched over to "Kim's Convenience," an
awesome Netflix show. And enjoyed the salvaged evening.
First sighting of the inevitable headline we've been waiting for...
Maybe Palmer Report isn't the first, but I've been waiting and waiting for the first signs of the cracks leading to the final shattering. It's coming. We'll be seeing more and more of such headlines and stories very soon. I'm hoping.
https://twitter.com/PalmerReport/status/1062740469673795584
Link to his short and ad-laden piece if you like:
https://www.palmerreport.com/analysis/circling-drain-donald-trump-knows-everyone/14039/
---
I say we'll need to flush twice.
And eventually tent the whole WH structure after the BLOTUS stain has vacated - or been vacated, we'll see how it plays out.
My guess now is he'll be resigning in less than 3 months. Ugh. Then Pence. I need drugs.
This is NOT a fart joke (random tweet)
You, dear DU'r, are my Kinna peeps
Thank you for your trust,
may Zeus bless you for your courage.
There are times when I encounter the totally unexpected,
that I just marvel at the human species.
https://twitter.com/_youhadonejob1/status/1021183033536335874
One of the most amazing light shows in a live concert - NIN 2013
My good friend, a musician, cites this NIN show he witnessed as one of the best ever in his many decades.
Their video does an excellent job capturing that mesmerizing magic moment.
Tho... of course...
IF you can view it on a big TV in a darkened room, with your most optimal mellow mental state of well being, I'd be the last to dissuade ya
Here is one song from that show (I'll post a comment below with a link to the entire show for those interested).:
Nine Inch Nails - Disappointed
WTF Would It Take ?!!
I just forced myself to watch R. Maddow's piece "We Hope it's Going to be Very Big" (link below).
She walks down the list of all the policy gifts The Asset has provided Putin, and speculates on what others might be forthcoming.
I grew up under the real fear of the USSR, and Reagan's "Trust, Yet Verify" approach to dealing with the "Evil Empire." Watching this shit unfolding now, I'm quite horrified, and wonder WTF happened to the Republican Party ?!!
WTF would it take to give us that "HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF HUMAN DECENCY?!" moment from the GOP ?
Seriously, if His Anusface ordered the Department of the Treasury to begin making $100 billion monthly payments to Moscow, WOULD THAT DO IT ?!!
The fact I'm genuinely not sure, just terrifies me.
#SOMEBODYDOSOMETHING
Rachel vid: https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017499666
The Speech Nixon Never Gave (in event of men stranded on Moon)
I'd never seen this before, I thought I'd share it here.
(found on Reddit in a random comment)
Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.
These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.
These two men are laying down their lives in mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding.
They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.
In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man.
In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations.
In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.
Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.
For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.
Another person remarked how vast and amazing our changes were which occurred in the 1900's by noting that:
Awesome music collage of dancing clips from 292 movies !!
Something uplifting to give your spirit a short break...
( this is really a work of art )
vimeo.com/275826346
Ok, this AI stuff is starting to get creepy (Google's Duplex)
We truly are living in the SciFi age !!!
Just listen to a few of these clips...
If you only listen to one, choose "Duplex calling a restaurant"
She had no clue...
I'm telling ya:
We're leaving the Twilight Zone, and descending into the Uncanny Valley !
https://ai.googleblog.com/2018/05/duplex-ai-system-for-natural-conversation.html
Helpful info on crypto currencies and personal data security
Recently, I've been "evangelizing" proper practices for personal data security to 100s of people from the poker table to the dinner table the last few years.
Too often I'm horrified at the lack of understanding and carelessness so many regard this important topic.
My top three harping points are:
1) Disaster Recovery - Have a data recovery plan in case of total loss of your phone, laptop, house, etc.
2) Use a dedicated, and properly maintained "banking" laptop used ONLY to visit safe websites and applications, no email, no searching, etc.
3) Digital Estate Planning - Do your care what becames of your digital assets and accounts access in the event of your incapacitation or demise ? What is your provisioning for this unwanted, and inevitable occurrence ?
Now that more people are jumping on the Cryptocurrencies bandwagon, good personal data security has become even more complex, and more important !
The blog entry below, kindly authored by the helpful Hodor, is an excellent starting point...
Good luck, and ALWAYS backup
https://xrphodor.wordpress.com/2018/04/23/security-tips-for-crypto-newbies/
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Member since: Sun Jul 11, 2004, 06:18 PMNumber of posts: 4,308