Sacramento Woman Pleads Guilty

No other way out:

A California woman has pleaded guilty to punching a flight attendant in the face -- bruising her and chipping three of her teeth -- during an argument over mask wearing and other air safety requirements.

Vyvianna Quinonez, a 28 year old resident of Sacramento, had initially claimed she was acting in self-defense, before accepting Wednesday the federal charge of "interference" of a flight, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The incident took place on May 23, when Quinonez's Southwest flight began its descent into Sacramento, according to the plea agreement.

The flight attendant requested Quinonez to fasten her seatbelt, stow her tray-table and to reposition her mask so that it covered her mouth and nose.

In response, Quinonez pushed the flight attendant and then began "punching her in the face and head with a closed fist and grabbing her hair," the agreement stated.

"The flight attendant who was assaulted was simply doing her job to ensure the safety of all passengers aboard the plane," said Randy Grossman, a federal prosecutor in California.

The prosecutor's office said it intends to ask for a jail sentence of four months plus six months of house arrest.

Quinonez will also be banned from flying for three years.

Leaving 2019; Entering 2022

(h/t Margo)

Werner Herzog Nihilistic Take on "A Charlie Brown's Christmas"

This is just silly:

The End of the Cretaceous Was in Late Spring or Early Summer

(h/t, John) Amazing the detail from 66 million years ago!:

In the new research, scientists turned to the Tanis fossil site in western North Dakota, a part of the vast Hell Creek Formation, a geological layer that spans several states and is dated to have been laid down at the time of the impact. Some 10 – 13 minutes after the impact in Mexico, immense seismic waves passed the Tanis site, causing flooding that most likely came from the nearby Western Interior Seaway, a huge but shallow sea that ran north/south across western North America at the time. This in turn created what’s called a seiche, a huge standing wave in water that can generate waves a hundred meters high. This is similar, for a much smaller and mundane scale, to when you scooch back and forth in a bathtub in time with the waves generated, amplifying the crests enough that you can splash water out of the tub.

Now picture the tub being a lake, and the waves reaching 20 stories high. 

This happened quite suddenly at Tanis, and the geography of the area makes it possible to actually get extremely fine time resolution of the events. It’s also replete with fossils, including fish, insects, plants, and more. Here’s where this gets cool: By examining these fossils, it’s possible to figure out the time of year of the impact.

Oh, Hi Mark!

More analysis than you'll ever need of how Gen-Zers address me:

 

Toys For Thoth

RIP Joan Didion

RIP, Joan Didion, Sacramento's native daughter. Here is her childhood home, just a short bike ride away.

Frickin' Anti-Maskers

"West Side Story" was a success, but I didn't much like the three young women next to us in the movie theater. Unmasked, in open defiance of theater regulations. I directly asked them to mask up, and they directly refused, with a touch of naughty smugness. 

So, what to do? I was inclined to thrash them with my jacket, but I had just purchased a high-quality N95 mask. So I sat next them, masked up (except when I ate popcorn). The seats were of the larger sort, so there was a bit of separation. And thank goodness I'm vaccinated up the wazoo. 

Throughout the movie, I fantasized whipping them with my jacket. 

Maybe next time.

"West Side Story" 2021

 

We went to see the new "West Side Story." I liked it! Better than the original. Much better backstory development, with much better exposition at the start of the movie. I loved all the little details, rendered lovingly by Steven Spielberg and his crew, like the ragtag sign opposing Robert Moses and his vision for the future of New York City. 

I noticed the dancing was a touch slower and less angular than the original. That suited me fine. The character development was better. The cinematography was awesome; light years ahead of the original. And Rita Moreno was in it too! 

The only things I didn't like was scene in the morning at the apartment after the dance - it dragged a bit. And I didn't like the Anybodys character - not as sassy as the original, and somewhat inexpressive, with a disconcerting hint of horror. Still, in the grand scheme of things, very minor complaints.

Just a triumph of a movie!

I Like The Mall!

Christmas season means it's time to start prowling the mall. And I like it. Even in this Covid year.

The greatest mall I ever knew was Cinderella City, near where I lived for a time on the outskirts of Denver, in 1976.  The largest mall west of the Mississippi!  I can't believe it's gone: 1968-1997.  That's just 30 years!  I guess I'm getting old!  It came and went like a dream.  They even have a virtual tour.

 

But Sacramento's Arden Fair Mall is still here....  Let's go!
 

This display in J.C. Penney's is inexplicably ticking.  Like a time bomb.  I won't wait around for the BOOM!

Grande vistas at Arden Fair Mall.

Skylight!

Cool displays.

This display at Barnes and Noble is ticking too.  Apparently there are theft-deterrent devices on these items.