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RTDNTOTO šŸ» Random Thoughts Deserving No Thread Of Their Own 20 (2025)

My library website says I have 697 checkouts total since January 1, 2011?

That seems like a lot. I think they are including periodicals and renewals in that.

I shoot to read a book a week, and 52*13 is 676. Maybe that's not off the mark then.

Jim
 
My standard new baby gift, having said all I said though, is an UberEats or DoorDash gift certificate - also standard for people post-surgery or cancer patient friends and they always remark on what a great gift it was

So I don't use it myself, but I get why it is a welcome gift if you are homebound

but not using Uber when visiting a city, that seems crazy - it's so much cheaper than a cab and if it's late at night, public transit might not be an option
 
dandy_warhol said:
Is sailing on a catamaran better or worse for sea sickness?
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Probably not if tacking into the wind or in a beam reach

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I think any small craft is going to mean lots of movement with the waves. There's no getting around seasick on a small craft if you're disposed to motion sickness in general
 
A Prism of Darkness. Does that represent @dandy_warhol 's thoughts on parenting, or is it an obscure prog-rock band you've never heard of? We Don't Know. We Don't Care. (Does that represent MY thoughts on parenting, or is it the title of the second album of that obscure prog-rock band you've never heard of?)
 
Prism of Darkness? They rock! I saw them one time in San Bernadino. They were opening at the time for Orb of Discontent (prior to the release of their album, Atrium, if I recall)
 
No way! Did you know that Orb of Darkness drummer, Nolan Mars, painted the cover art for Atrium? Those guys are wicked talented. The bass solo on the third track was crazy! I can't remember the name of that song...
 
C'mon ursus. It's that song, you know with the bass rift, you know it, has that certain sound and rhythm, you know that song.
 
Planit said:
C'mon ursus. It's that song, you know with the bass rift, you know it, has that certain sound and rhythm, you know that song.
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Oh, I know. I'm feeling it right now...I just can't remember the name. That's it! "All the Lawless Children". I knew I'd remember eventually! that's a relief. @Maister 's going to think it's "You and Me at Winthrop Station", which is understandable because they both feature killer six-minute bass solos, but that's not the one.
 
No matter how loudly my kids complain when they ask what's for dinner and the answer is, "Pork chops", there are never any leftovers. I suspect tonight will be no different.
 
Both the CNU and ULI website seem to be acting weird. Both have been slow and I have gotten error messages a couple of times.
 
ursus said:
Oh, I know. I'm feeling it right now...I just can't remember the name. That's it! "All the Lawless Children". I knew I'd remember eventually! that's a relief. @Maister 's going to think it's "You and Me at Winthrop Station", which is understandable because they both feature killer six-minute bass solos, but that's not the one.
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For my money, You and Me at Winthrop Station was a better song. The bass solo in that, by the way, was 6:32 to be exact. In concert, of course, the solo rambled for a good 20 minutes longer, but yeah. For the record I think Atrium bankrupted the band's creativity, both musically and artistically. Nolan Mars had the original canvas for the cover art displayed at the RnR Hall of Fame not too long ago. But when you look at the album cover for Trial at Agincourt and how infamously he ripped off Georgia O'Keefe, you begin to understand why that was the beginning of the end for them. Too bad, really. Orb had a tight sound back in the day.
 
CenterPoint Energy is saying
has deployed approximately 160 internal workers, contractors and mutual aid resources to assist with power restoration efforts. Another 300 workers arrived today and there are approximately 500 additional line workers, vegetation management workers, and additional support personnel who are en route -
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Dan said:
People in the 1950s were obsessed with pooping, for some reason.

View attachment 64105
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Proactively taking medicine as some sort of a preventive measure seems to be a prevalent sentiment in the generations that preceded us.....Junior it's time for your daily Carter's liver pills, Ex-Lax, and Nervine.
 
Question: what is the most typical movie western plotline?

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JNA said:
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Rio Bravo (1959)
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Those are typical movies, each with a different plot. My question is what is the stereotypical plot for a Western? In other words, looking for a short analysis, as opposed to a list.
 
1st day back at school for the kid. My 9 year old is now officially pre-teen. She's raiding her 20 year old sister's closet, her shoe size jumped from a 5 youth to a 7.5 adult and we had tears over her hair this morning.
 
Maister said:
Question: what is the most typical movie western plotline?

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Anti-hero good guy's land is stolen or relative is killed, or both. Hero meets a band of outcasts including grizzled old guy, Native American, orphan kid, and attractive lady who doesn't need a man. Grizzled old guy or Native American dies in penultimate fight and kid or woman are kidnapped. Hero makes last stand gets wounded, but saves the day. Kisses woman, but can't be tamed. Rides off into sunset.
 
Major streets are passable, but just barely.
Staff is WFH again today, but directors "that can make it in safely" welcome to work from the office.
Almost didn't make it out of the driveway this morning. Had to shovel a bit and get my son to push me the final 10' into the roadway.
Not sure my little Mazda will be spending the night in the garage tonight - slight incline in my driveway might be too much.
Appeals meeting will be canceled tonight, for sure. (Not asking the Mayor: telling him. Seniority has its privileges.)
Truly cold temps move in tomorrow, then more snow possible Friday.

For this 'burg, a foot of snow and ice is a bridge too far.
 
bureaucrat#3 said:
Anti-hero good guy's land is stolen or relative is killed, or both. Hero meets a band of outcasts including grizzled old guy, Native American, orphan kid, and attractive lady who doesn't need a man. Grizzled old guy or Native American dies in penultimate fight and kid or woman are kidnapped. Hero makes last stand gets wounded, but saves the day. Kisses woman, but can't be tamed. Rides off into sunset.
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Happy Hell Yeah GIF by CBS
 
Maister said:
Those are typical movies, each with a different plot. My question is what is the stereotypical plot for a Western? In other words, looking for a short analysis, as opposed to a list.
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I don't know about analysis, but I do know my favorites, that take off from stereotype.

1) True Grit
2)Lone Star
3)Buster Scruggs.

In fiction, Stephen Crane's "A bride comes to Yellow Sky".
 
fringe said:
I don't know about analysis, but I do know my favorites, that take off from stereotype.

1) True Grit
2)Lone Star
3)Buster Scruggs.

In fiction, Stephen Crane's "A bride comes to Yellow Sky".
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All those you list represent to varying degrees departures from the stereotype. Almost always, Westerns are morality plays. Even ones that depart from the mold can't entirely get away from the whole morality aspect. One of my favorite Westerns that don't follow the formula is Unforgiven, but even that couldn't escape from the morality thing.
 
fringe said:
I don't know about analysis, but I do know my favorites, that take off from stereotype.

1) True Grit
2)Lone Star
3)Buster Scruggs.

In fiction, Stephen Crane's "A bride comes to Yellow Sky".
Click to expand...

I saw The Ballad of Buster Scruggs when NetFlix first released it and it was a great Western and was by far the best movie (that I've seen) that NetFlix made. I really need to rewatch that one soon.

The Coen Brothers version of True Grit is one of my go-to comfort watch movies. I always enjoy that one. Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld are both great in the film but I think Matt Damon's LaBoeuf really stole the show.
 
Today January 7th is Charles Addams birthday.
He grew up in my hometown.
 
I was just on a radio show on our local public broadcasting station - the last time I did this show, I was on Zoom with the other speakers as a panelist, but this time I was a call-in person (they organize call ins in advance) so it was harder than when I was on zoom - we have become so visual now in meetings from COVID-Zoom meetings that the old-fashioned conference call feels weird
 
WSU MUP Student said:
I saw The Ballad of Buster Scruggs when NetFlix first released it and it was a great Western and was by far the best movie (that I've seen) that NetFlix made. I really need to rewatch that one soon.

The Coen Brothers version of True Grit is one of my go-to comfort watch movies. I always enjoy that one. Jeff Bridges and Hailee Steinfeld are both great in the film but I think Matt Damon's LaBoeuf really stole the show.
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Kris Kristofferson made such a great bad guy. I forgot John Sales wrote and directed Lone Star.
 
At the gym right now. Surprised at how empty it is (itā€™s me and only me) in January, even on a Tuesday.

Not that Iā€™m complaining.
 
luckless pedestrian said:
I was just on a radio show on our local public broadcasting station - the last time I did this show, I was on Zoom with the other speakers as a panelist, but this time I was a call-in person (they organize call ins in advance) so it was harder than when I was on zoom - we have become so visual now in meetings from COVID-Zoom meetings that the old-fashioned conference call feels weird
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This reminds me of a question I have about zoom (and other video) meetings: What is the cut-off number of meeting attendees where you're OK to turn off your video? I feel like it's weird when there are only a handful of attendees and nobody has their video on. I have a face for radio, but I turn on the video feed not to be rude.

Also, I would have tuned in by internet to listen. You should give us a heads up next time and we'll call in and ask annoying questions!!
 
My employer tried to encourage the use of video for telecons during the pandemic. One manager on our team was all over that and still dials in with live video. I wasn't averse to the idea and did it for a while. But pretty much no one else did, so why bother?
 
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