It has been decided to use a firing squad to execute that character that killed all those men on that Army base. Normally I would say getting people willing to be part of a firing squad would be difficult. Twelve soldiers shooting one man in a blind fold does generally go against the grain of a good man. However, in this case, I suspect they will not have any difficulty finding the men very willing to do it.
Ads, Ads and More Ads
When they first started making cigarette ads illegal, I wondered what they were going to replace them with. As an old man I remember seeing them, it seemed continuously they spoke of all lies. We all knew they were falsehoods, but so many of them were so ‘cute’.
Many of the quips and jingles, if I quoted them today many would turn and look at me in remberance. I must admit, as much as I disliked smoking, those advertisers could come up with some winners, the type you could actually enjoy.
Not that I am in favor of smoking and all the problems it brought, but sometimes I miss those old commercials. Many were actually entertaining. I suspect that might be one of reasons they wanted to rid the airways of them.
They not only went after the actual commercials but also the subtle ads. In the movies they actually paid to have smoking sequences to make it appear the natural and normal thing to do. It was rare to see a movie where such methods were used.
Today, they continue to use the same methods, but not with tobacco. Today it is alcoholic beverages. Today they show people in bars wrapping up things after the big law case. I mean it is what they all do in real life, right. And for sure, which is worse, tobacco or alcohol. You likely have your opinion. However, I’d much rather see ads for cigarettes than booze. Isn’t it just wonderful seeing those Clydesdale horses pulling those huge wagons piled high with beer.
Certainly, alcoholic beverages have helped pull up the slack. We now have far more entertainment being sponsored by far more drinks. And, by the way, let’s remember, those pictures are far better quality today. That takes expensive equipment don’t you know. And those selling alcohol are more than willing to provide the ads.
However, might I remind you that, according to a PSA, Public Service Announcement, thirty percent of fatal accidents are caused by people under the influence of alcohol. I haven’t seen any stats on those that are injured, maimed or permanently disabled, but I would expect those numbers too are far more than they should be. Might I also suggest that spouse and child abuse is likely almost always accompanied by the spirits.
If they had reason to stop tobacco ads, they have far more reason to remove alcohol ads. But then, if they did that, who would pay for the commercial television?
Well, I do have a partial answer, all those part C Medicare advertisers. Come this time of year, they are on every commercial break, sometimes twice. They keep those things up and I’ll start begging for them to bring back the tobacco ads.
A Grand Conspiracy
When I was a kid, for quite a while we lived near L.A. One benefit to living in that area of the country was that someone was thinking when they built the TV transmitters. They put them all in one place, on top of Mount Wilson. Antenna installation was simple and quick.
Many didn’t even put one up. They just used the rabbit ears. However, to get the really clear pictures, we needed a pole and four elements, that is to say, horizontal pieces of aluminum form something that resembled to arrows.
Once installed, one person gets in the house, one gets on the roof and if there is a third person, he stood in the backyard. The person on the roof adjusted the direction of the antenna while the one in the house reported the picture quality.
So there it was. No genius required. It was a piece of cake. If a person didn’t know which direction Mount Wilson was, he could get a hint by looking at the antennas on the surrounding houses.
Occasionally, problems were encountered. One of my teachers told me that when antenna was lined up properly at his house he had two images, a ghost image on the screen. After trying to adjust the ghost image out for A while, he turned the antenna towards a nearby water tower…problem solved. He was getting a reflection off the tower that was stronger than the direct signal from the mountain.
Nonetheless, it really worked out good for us. Though the transmitted were close to fifty miles away, we all received good signals. Aaaand, it was handy all five stations were in the same direction. There was no need to reposition for each channel.
Since they came up with the new signal standards, I find myself wondering if it still works out so well. It makes me wonder if it works out at all. I must guess, at the least, those people that settled for rabbit ear antennas before are likely having to make other arrangements. Maybe, if I have some readers in the Los Angeles area, you might let me know.
I have known a few around here that gave up and got cable. It does make me wonder if the cable companies are behind some huge grand conspiracy.
No Other Country
What destination sits at the top of your bucket list?
I’ve already explored Vietnam, Japan, and Australia. To be frank, I have no interest in leaving the US again. Rather, my ambition is to discover this country comprehensively: traversing from west to east, north to south, visiting every state—many of them repeatedly. That would bring me complete fulfillment.
In the past, I felt some curiosity about experiencing other nations and distant landmarks. However, given the current situation, I’d prefer to keep these size 15s planted firmly on American soil.
They Say Time Heal All Wounds
Don’t believe it. Sometimes when you do the wrong thing, the wound only grows worse with time and you will never set things right, ever.
What’s one thing you know now that would have saved your younger self a lot of pain?
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I Knew I’d Think of More
What’s the weirdest movie you’ve ever watched?
How could I forget *The Conspiracy Theory*?
This one wasn’t just weird; it also was a little thought-provoking, like the idea of assassins with three names. I actually considered that one for a while. For the most part, it seemed like just another chance to produce a violent movie. For sure, it did have its share of that. However, it unfolded to provide a serious, very good plot.
I have a copy of it and have watched it six or seven times. Each time I pick up on things I didn’t notice before. It is one of just a few movies I keep for repeated viewing.
Testing My Memory
What’s the most unconventional film you’ve ever viewed?
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Upon reflecting on this question, I immediately recognized an interesting paradox: I have watched numerous unusual films, yet I’m struggling to recall any specific titles at this moment. Inevitably, within the next few weeks, several examples will likely surface in my memory.
Since I’m being asked to respond immediately, I’ll share two films, though I’m confident I’ve encountered stranger ones. When my younger son was three years old, we brought him to see *2001: A Space Odyssey*. The theater manager waived his admission, remarking, “He won’t understand it anyway.” While I’m uncertain how much he actually comprehended, he remained captivated throughout the entire film. I do believe he did enjoy it. Actually, I must admit, I could have used a little interpretation. However, I loved the special effects and scientific concepts.
Additionally, *The Sixth Sense* caught me completely by surprise. I didn’t decipher the ending until the final reveal, despite the subtle clues woven throughout. I’m not entirely sure that qualifies as truly weird though. However, I must admit it was very well written.
Apologies—these represent the strongest examples I can offer at present.
Reference my post Alarm on the 29th
On the twenty-ninth, yesterday I wrote that if Memphians did not start voting Republican, they would start bulldozing houses as they did in Detroit. Well, I guess I wasn’t totally right. Just a few minutes ago, I saw a video of them demolishing a house using a big backhoe. I was incorrect only in the machine they used.
I’m uncertain. It’s possible the dozer was operating elsewhere, potentially demolishing another structure. Interestingly, the accompanying narrative claimed they were demolishing the city’s hundredth house as part of an effort to prevent the appearance of blight. Blight results from a city and/or county losing its former residents. The result of total blight of a city results in a ghost town. As I look around some parts of the Whitehaven area, the process appears well on the way.
When will it be the 200th, the 300th…? The pattern is set. When will it end? Just what will it take to break the trend.
Mornings? Really?
Tell us about your morning routine.
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I am retired. I don’t do mornings unless absolutely necessary.
Sounding the Alarm
It is essentially what I just heard and saw the Shelby County tax assessor Bailey says on Channel 3 WREG TV news minutes ago.
What prompted him to say such a thing? The financial commitments are increasing and the number of taxpayers is decreasing. it was essentially the way he explained it.
My words, in other words, the intelligent folks are leaving the county. I would suggest it is getting more noticeable as the months go by. Maybe it’s time to change their ways. Just maybe it’s time to vote the democrats out and some Republicans in, that is, if it’s not already too late.
Think. People move from bad to good schools. The Democrats have done all they can to destroy the schools. If it wasn’t their goal, it was certainly their result. Shelby County went from one of the best schools systems in the state to the worst in two, maybe three years. If it is what they wanted, they couldn’t have made things much worse.
If they continue, they will begin following the precedent set by another Democratic city and start demolishing abandoned properties.
Also, you can verify my post by Googling Assessor Sounds alarm in which empty office towers and loss in tourism is cited as the reason rather than suggesting problems with failed schools.
