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Time is so subjective that it’s essentially not real. Look at time dilation from 2 years of Covid.  So? It’s only moments, thusly… existence is simply memories. And nothingness isn’t tragic.

Nothingness is the baseline, and it’s beautiful serenity in the way that not existing prior to our birth was the buddhist center of peace and calm prior to kinetic and existential suffering and the pain or trauma of simply existing.

 

So “every living thing is simply a snapshot in time” is me…

 

…until the quote from poet Lisel Mueller. “What exists, exists so that it can be lost and become precious.”

 

It’s such a beautifully concise way to explain the inevitability of existence and death.

 

  • Speaking of… I am no metaphysicist, but Alan Watt’s “thee who dies makes room for the next to be alive”… it’s important to me. If my broken heart of 2014 hadn’t happened precisely in August, it wouldn’t have made room for Norway in the subsequent months, because we would have missed her through a wonderful prior engagement to our Pavlov.

But she became my greatest love, that heart dog experience you didn’t realize could happen.  So her passing? Maybe she’s making room for something we don’t know exists in our future, and we will exist for her and it:

  • In the “I relate to this and can not stop thinking about this person”, this is me all of December and into 2022:
@chickymalthinking about mr. penguin on the float at the macy’s day parade. hope he is doing okay :/? Mad World – Alternate Version – Michael Andrews

 

 

  • Actually, this: ** DUBSTEP AND VOLUME WARNING **

 

 

  • But if you think I am all pensive and existential and lost to it, I remind you of last year’s new morning alarm, that is still waking me up.

 

SPACE

 

  • Clearest Earth based photo of the sun, ever:

 

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A post shared by Andrew McCarthy (@cosmic_background)

 

 

 

  • Catching images of the ISS isn’t easy. His words:

“By positioning myself at just the right point on Earth and just the right time, I can capture the silhoutte of the International Space Station against the bright sunlit moon. These fleeting events last only moments, and in this case the ISS was only within the frame of my camera for 1/25th of a second.

This image is one of the clearest transit pictures I’ve captured so far, with the ISS captured at a whopping 2800mm for extreme detail. This is a small crop, the final image was created as a mosaic, by stitching together the rest of the moon to the frame that included the ISS, making a crystal clear portrait of that moment. You can see the full size pic on my insta, just look me up (cosmic_background) since I can’t link it here.

To bring out the hidden color of the moon, a series of saturation adjustments were applied to reveal the mineral composition of the regolith. Reddish areas are iron rich- you’re seeing the effects of particles from Earth’s atmosphere producing iron oxide from the iron-rich basalt. The bluer areas are rich in titanium. Combined these colors make our familiar moon seem almost alien in nature, which of course it is.

You can see the video of the pass here Note: This is slowed down over 6x. It was recorded at 160+fps, and played back here at 24fps”

 

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A post shared by Andrew McCarthy (@cosmic_background)

 

 

  • The visualization of a Black Hole tearing apart a star is wild. This usage of supercomputers is just amazing!

 

 

  • In the “Russia still being Russia” column, or “project and blame others for what you’re doing” saga:

Russia legally threatens NASA astronaut for allegedly sabotaging Space Station: “The attacks are false and lack any credibility” https://futurism.com/the-byte/russia-threatens-nasa-astronaut-sabotage

Russian Cosmonaut says that the Hole in the ISS was Drilled From the Inside - Universe Today

 

 

  • Also, having to dodge space junk becomes the most common theme of this newsletter:

Space station dodges space debris from decades-old Pegasus rocket https://www.space.com/space-station-dodges-pegasus-rocket-space-debris

 

 

  • SPACE TOURISM ON EARTH!

NASA visitor complex to open immersive ‘Gateway’ to deep space https://collectspace.com/news/news-120221a-nasa-kscvc-gateway-deep-space-launch-complex.html

"Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex," a new attraction at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, is slated to open in March 2022.

 

 

SCITECH

 

  • Researchers develop ice cube that doesn’t melt or grow mold: The jelly ice cubes offer an alternative to traditional ice and could potentially reduce water consumption and environmental impact. They also offer stable temperatures to reduce food spoilage and could be ideal for meal prep companies, shipping businesses and food producers who need to keep items cold. The application could potentially reduce water consumption in the food supply chain and food waste by controlling microbial contaminations. The research was published in the American Chemical Society’s journal, Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. https://phys.org/news/2021-11-ice-cube-doesnt-mold.html

Researchers develop ice cube that doesn’t melt or grow mold

 

 

  • In the “A-HA IT ISN’T JUST HOTELS UNDER BLACK LIGHTS ON NEWS PROGRAMS ANYMORE” section:

Japanese scientists develop glowing masks to detect coronavirus https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/12/8a768ba9e395-scientists-develop-glowing-masks-to-detect-coronavirus.html

 

 

 

 

 

  • This renewed my child-like fascination with the always present dangers of quicksand!

I actually hadn’t really thought of the fact that Quicksand is a Non-Newtonian Fluid.

 

 

  • Very promising drone concept

 

 

  • There’s a lot to digest in this clip, and it’s not just the food! LOL So we can’t raise wages to a living wage, so we head to robots. Will this push that workforce upwards into nicer restaurants or entry into hospitality and service? New careers? Or will they not work?

Remember that robot hotel that fired all their robots for calling in sick, and sucking at their jobs? Robots break down, and these seem ripe for health code violations and a weak chain of custody.  There’s so much going on here with robot adoption vs raising wages, etc.

You do bypass small talk for introverts. Boy… introverts have been training for our modern future their whole lives. =)

More: People Furious at Robot Serving Pancakes at Denny’s It’s like dining with the Jetsons! https://futurism.com/robot-server-dennys

 

@miabellaceoEarly morning breakfast at Denny’s I did give the server hot apple pie mini melt sample..? original sound – Bob

 

 

  • This new system engineered by Honda that stabilizes the motorcycle such that you don’t even need a kickstand.

via Gfycat

 

 

  • In the “it does sorta suck sometimes” column:

Scientific American Op-Ed that some scientists seriously believe it won’t just be collapse, vs extinction:

Humans Are Doomed to Go Extinct: Habitat degradation, low genetic variation and declining fertility are setting Homo sapiens up for collapse: I suspect that the human population is set not just for shrinkage but collapse—and soon. To paraphrase Lehrer, if we are going to write about human extinction, we’d better start writing now. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/humans-are-doomed-to-go-extinct/

 

 

  • AND SO… art.  This brilliant Australian installation art, I guess… an indestructible container that will document how we mishandled climate change.

Australians to create ‘black box’ to hold world accountable for climate crisis: https://www.reuters.com/business/cop/australians-create-black-box-hold-world-accountable-climate-crisis-2021-12-07/

“Earth Black Box is a structure and device that will record every step that humanity takes towards or away from the impending climate catastrophe,” said Jim Curtis, the executive creative director at Clemenger BBDO, which came up with the idea for the black box.

He said not only would the box provide the world with a wealth of data on climate change, the information recorded would help hold leaders accountable and leave lessons for future generations.

“If the worst is to happen and as a civilization we crash as a result of climate change, this indestructible box will be there and will record every detail of that,” Curtis said.

Site: https://www.earthsblackbox.com/

 

 

  • This isn’t as morbid as you think, and documentaries have been done that show that assisted suicide is truly the greatest, most noble, peaceful, and loving deaths you can hope for, both for the terminally ill *and* the family. I will make light of the fact it isn’t the Orgasmatron from Sleeper, but looks super similar to the Prometheus surgery pod… just with a different intent.

Sarco suicide capsule ‘passes legal review’ in Switzerland https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/sci-tech/sarco-suicide-capsule–passes-legal-review–in-switzerland/46966510

 

 

 

MOVIES, TV & I think “Cameo” is the most depressing thing to ever happen in the universe as a statement on modern capitalism, fame, and how we can find new ways to be uncontrollably needy and sad.

 

  • A list of shows that bring endless joy: Arrested Development, Cheers, Night Court, Rick and Morty, Community, The Good Place, The Office, Parks and Rec, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Nathan for You, How to With John Wilson, Joe Pera Talks To You, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Firefly, Schitt’s Creek, What We Do in the Shadows and more… BUT, FACTUALLY?

–  and I sort of think none of them would exist without that first listed one:

 

 

  • Harrison Ford had a scene in E.T. that was deleted. It was out of context of the experience of the film strictly through the boys eyes, so it was an appropriate edit… but fun to see Harrison!

 

 

  • This is just a note of disbelief that in the year 2016, in an era of understanding search, exposure, and digital marketing, someone made and released a film simply called “Zombies”. Not in 2006. 2016. How in the hell did everyone involved in production, marketing, etc allow that to happen? This thing is likely on page 10 of search, if not 100, and that’s not talking about the quality in any way. So weird. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/zombies

Zombie Busters: Outlive the Undead (TV Movie 2012) - IMDb

 

 

  • L’il Dicky in a charming condom ad, that’s also quick!

 

 

  • THE RABBIT HOLE SPECIAL: This is how a typical moment happens on the internet for me. “Bad Sequels” to “realizing I am old”.

This great list of the worst sequels of all time: https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/worst-sequels-of-all-time/

Led me to the director of Police Academy citizens on patrol: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jim_drake

He may have struck out on the big screen, but he was a GIANT in 1980s / 1990s sitcoms.  Alice, Facts of Life, Gimme a Break, Newhart, Golden Girls, Hogan Family, Coach, and even the Jamie Foxx Show about Jamie running a hotel on Crenshaw (GREAT show w/ Garrett Morris)

But that led me to this show I watched. Dave’s World!  I loved this show because I loved Night Court and Harry, and wanted to keep that vibe going. I really, REALLY miss Harry Anderson, who we lost in 2018: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/dave_s_world/s01

I remember watching Dave’s World in context of missing Night Court. I know Larroquette tried a reboot, but not sure if it fell flat or was halted due to Pandemic stuff. But anyway… here’s Night Court’s Richard Moll, aka Nostradamus Aristotle “Bull” Shannon:

 

But Dave’s World doesn’t resonate with me other than nostalgia, although I do think it was a “fine” show. To me, if not Night Court, Harry will ALWAYS be “The Hat” conman from Cheers:


 

And all this nostalgia dripped it’s way through the sluice of memories to find out that Shadoe Stevens, like Moll, got OLDER AS WELL. Shadoe was in Dave’s World with Anderson.

 

And now you’ve joined me down that rabbit hole of wayward searches with no end game. It’s a nice place to be.

 

 

  • Gremlins 2, T2, and Good Morning Vietnam, Don and Dan are nostalgia fuel for a lot of us:

 

 

  • And before we usher 2021 out the door, let’s celebrate that we were watching a silly cartoon for years with no notion of ever really getting to 2021!

Adult swim Sealab 2021 wallpaper | 1600x1200 | 303409 | WallpaperUP

 

MUSIC

 

  • Harold & Maude soundtrack release FINALLY… 50 years later. On Vinyl, it’s been released twice for record store day, but still missed a lot of songs. This is the first complete and official vinyl release, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the film. This is truly one of my happiest places in the universe:

Cat Stevens’ Harold and Maude Soundtrack Gets 50th Anniversary Reissue The soundtrack for Hal Ashby’s 1971 film gets its first-ever digital release https://pitchfork.com/news/cat-stevens-harold-and-maude-soundtrack-gets-50th-anniversary-reissue/

  • David Bowie’s “Never Let Me Down” is quite the underrated album from his career, I believe. Maybe I’m insulated. This specific song, “Glass Spider” matches some Vangelis synth with storytelling as a lead in to the music.  It was just such a wonderful delight from my youth. There is a 2018 remaster version that really messes with the song, and I don’t like it… so here’s the studio album version:

 

 

 

 

  • THAT’S THE SOUND OF DA POLICE:
@soylamamada59? sonido original – soylamamada59

 

 

  • The below history of electronic music in my life is an old post I offer up because of the below Big Audio Dynamite II posts. So underrated, and really my first electronic music.

A history of electronic music through my times…..

 

  • Kruder and Dorfmeister and Portishead were sorta mid 90s. Massive Attack and Orb, as well as Moonshine Ambient albums were all early 90s. But other than Bjork’s Human Behavior, I can’t really pin another moment that electronic music and sampling in dance music “woke me up” than “The Globe” from 1991, but Mick Jones’ from The Clash, in his band “Big Audio Dynamite II”. Rush and The Globe may be more fun as dance songs, but this tracks samples and synth woke something up in me that led to my nearly 20 years of DJing!

 

I can’t believe it, but I’m dropping the full playlist of the album here. It’s really quite something. A relic in time, I hope not. This is fantastic.

 

  • One of the greatest folk songs ever written. By a “comedian”. Sure, Bo. When I play this song on my smarthub, the players that follow it are: Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, Simon and Garfunkel, so SURE YOU’RE JUST A COMEDIAN. Oh yeah… who wrote the saddest and truest song of all time.

 

 

  • This came on, and I SWEAR I was listening to Ryo Fukui. But nope… it’s our old friend Robert Walter, from the Greyboy Allstars and his 20th Congress. What a patient jam… atypical from his groovy organ, this is some straight ahead cool jazz in a traditional sense:

 

 

  • Paul Jackson’s bass is so funky, but his album Black Octopus was bonkers groovy, and some of these tracks are so perfect for our chaotic world… great message with something to shake da booty:

 

 

  • Dave Brubeck and his crew take a magic carpet ride… over the LA 405.

What a groove… but I would love to know the sensibility of the time that led to a superimposed work over the 405. The freeways weren’t gridlock and pollution then, but accessibility and interconnectedness. The reason they used this at the time is such a different context than how people would perceive this now.

 

COMEDY

 

@justmarcus06They did bro wrong ???????????? ##AmazonMusicJingleBellTok ##justmarcus ##TheSplashDance ##fyp ##GiveWithAllYourHeart ##trending ##greenscreen? original sound – James Leon

 

 

 

  • This guy was just epic. George Carlin, if you’re a kiddo.
    UPPER CLASS PAYS NO TAXES, MIDDLE CLASS DOES THE WORK AND PAYS THE TAXES, THE LOWER CLASS IS THERE TO SCARE THE MIDDLE CLASS TO KEEP THE GAME GOING.

 

“POWER DOES WHAT IT WANTS”.

 

 

People, Culture, Society, and cute drinks.

 

  • This reminds me of a joke that has a punchline, “Yeah, but you’ve got one ugly llama Mister!”

Dozens of camels barred from Saudi beauty contest over Botox https://apnews.com/article/oddities-health-travel-lifestyle-camels-b3e4d60991ce053d185cb8ed9cbbca74

 

 

  • A strong belief I have? That homelessness is not a regional problem, but a national one, and it will never be solved regionally…

A chronically homeless person costs the taxpayer an average of $35,578 per year. This study shows how costs on average are reduced by 49.5% when they are placed in supportive housing. Supportive housing costs on average $12,800, making the net savings roughly $4,800 per year. Congress will need to invest in permanent supportive housing to drive progress while reducing tax payers’ spending. Congress should provide at least the $2.487 billion in the House bill for HUD’s Homeless Assistance Grants in FY 2017. https://endhomelessness.org/resource/ending-chronic-homelessness-saves-taxpayers-money-2/

 

 

 

 

 

  • PROFIT OFF STUPIDITY!

 

 

 

 

 

  • This group of gentleman went viral for having shot camcorder video on the night that Princess Diana died. These guys are on the back end of the most brutal two decades in history due to the AIDS crisis, and Diana did a lot to humanize and defend gays vs AIDS, and I can’t imagine the moment you lost this person who fought for your humanity. This is simply presented as a historic time capsule of existence as a tragic curiosity.

 

 

A quick follow up from the main guy in the video, 14 years later in 2011. Sound warning:

 

VEHICLES

 

Vehicles detect a pothole, then the position and location are uploaded in real-time to the Mercedes-Benz Cloud.

The pothole or speed bump is detected when a threshold in sudden compression and rebound of the suspension is reached on the front and rear, with the appropriate time delay between the two.

 

 

  • From the “totally not because it’s a shot in front of my National Park Lodge we manage”:

The Can-Am Ryker Is A Hoot, Even On A Punishing 600-Mile Road Trip I spent a week with a Can-Am Ryker as my only transportation. https://jalopnik.com/a-ride-on-the-can-am-ryker-600-miles-down-the-best-road-1848115064

 

 

 

  • This 2 minutes of Top Gear / Grand Tour crew being funny regarding “When do you use launch control”?

 

 

  • I’ve been “reporting” on this vehicle, ooooh boy.

Watch Polestar’s Design Head Explain What Makes the Precept Concept So Special It “sees” with an advanced LiDAR sensor, for one thing. https://www.thedrive.com/news/43369/watch-polestars-design-head-explain-what-makes-the-precept-concept-so-special

 

 

  • These guys are awesome, unpretentious, and FUN. What’s more, the bewilderment of the classic collector guys on the shifting market to Japanese Imports and 4×4 is fascinating to watch. Read the room, guys, and sell your cars before they crater in value. All people want is Skyline and maybe a Italian Miami Vice car, or possibly an M3 from the Krauts apparently that is offensive, so “Germans” it is.

An Auto Show for the Raddest Cars of the ’80s and ’90s Nostalgia mixes with tape decks and car phones at RADwood events that aim to capture “the essence of a bodacious era.” https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/29/business/radwood-cars.html

By Uncle FishbitsCategories: Newsletter