One Thing At A Time

I followed the herd and multitasked - look at me, I can drive and text at the same time! - but no matter which way I go, the Zeitgeist is heading in the opposite direction.

A Peaceful New Year's Eve Visit to the Sacramento Zoo

That Time of Year Again

“A Complete Unknown”

I saw the film, “A Complete Unknown.” I liked the movie. The supporting actors are all wonderful. Monica Barbaro is eerily spot on for Joan Baez - she sounds just like her! Edward Norton is wonderful as Pete Seeger (It could be trouble casting a man in his mid-50s for a character in his mid-40s, but given the changing-of-the-guard storyline it works perfectly). Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash and Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo are excellent too. 

Timothee Chalamet is a conundrum, though. He’s like a complete void. He’s great at playing people with no discernible personalities. I’ve seen him in 4 movies now (if you count Dune twice). All his characters are interchangeable - like minions, or tic-tacs, or black holes. 

Fortunately, Bob Dylan seems to not have had that much personality. TC is therefore a good fit for Bob Dylan. (I’ve never liked Dylan’s songs all that much, excepting a few in the mid-70s - maybe overrated.) 

One day, TC will be cast to play someone with a distinct personality, and then he’ll be in real trouble. But until then, smooth sailing.

Oil Can, Please

More H1B Nonsense

It is interesting watching the squabble between MAGA, Elon, and Vivek about H1B visa holding engineers from India. MAGA suspects something is up, and in this case MAGA is right. From the article, about the H1B visa holders:

They are not smarter, they are not more capable, and they certainly are not more experienced. What they are is cheap and pliant and that is ALL that the DOGE crowd and their fellow tech bros care about. And it is all they ever will.

Two Loose Dogs on an Adventure

One a.m., December 26th, and time for the last walk before bed. Jasper and I had just emerged onto empty 2nd Avenue when we were suddenly beset by Two Loose Dogs on an Adventure. The two dogs menaced and barked loudly at the two of us: a Very Handsome but Not Intimidating Fluffball Canine and a Ponderous Human Waving a Pooper Scooper Around Like a Club. Jasper’s first instinct was to flee, or at least retreat, but the two dogs craftily moved around us and cut off the escape. So we continued walking forward despite being followed and harassed. 

Eventually the dogs broke away and continued on their lark. Jasper spent the rest of the walk in a paranoid frenzy, looking over his shoulder, growling with anxiety, and peeing on every inanimate object. I worried we’d see the dogs again on the return trip, and I’m sure Jasper shared my worry, but we didn’t see the Loose Adventurers again.

South Pole Partiers

Courtesy of John, New Year's Celebration at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

 

Manu Chao - Clandestino

This article describes why Trump is good for the human smugglers who work the southern border. The article also points to the significance of the song Clandestino. 

On a visit to the U.S., Manu Chao sang the song outside of one of Maricopa County's Tent Cities:

   

English translation of the original lyrics (aimed at human smuggling into Spain and Europe): 

I come alone with my punishment
There comes only my conviction
Running is my fate
In order to deceive the law
Lost in the heart
Of the great Babylon
They call me the Clandestine
Because I don't carry any (legal) papers

To a northern city
I went for work
I left my life behind
Between Ceuta and Gibraltar
I'm a just a streak in the sea
A ghost in the city
My life is prohibited
Says the authority

I come alone with my punishment
Thеre comes only my conviction
Running is my fate
Bеcause I don't carry any (legal) papers
Lost in the heart
Of the great Babylon
They call me the Clandestine

I'm the sellout of law
Clandestine Black Hand
Peruvian- Clandestine
African- Clandestine
Marijuana- illegal

I come alone with my punishment
There comes only my conviction
Running is my fate
In order to deceive the law
Lost in the heart
Of the great Babylon
They call me the clandestine
Because I don't carry any (legal) papers

Algerian- Clandestine
Nigerian- Clandestine
Bolivian- Clandestine
Black Hand- illegal