• Dolly Redux! I have spent a lot of time thinking about the legacy that Dolly Parton left behind. What's most amazing is that she seems to have somehow transcended politics, despite the fact that she was fairly apolitical. Of all the interviews and videos I've watched over the past several days, I think this one is where Dolly's legacy should lay...

And you know what? I don't think Dolly would mind one bit.

   
• Slop! Something I think Dolly would mind very much? The death of shitty fucking AI songs eulogizing her. It started when I happened across a song by Enya on YouTube which was a tribute to Dolly Parton. I started listening to it and realized it didn't sound like Enya. Then I saw a shit-ton of other AI-generated shit and realized that everybody and their dog were "creating" AI slop tributes by real people who never made them. It's so fucking disgusting. And it pisses me the fuck off that YouTube isn't cracking down on this crap. Because I don't want to hear it. Ever.

   
• Skylines! This looks like it's a glorious LEGO mashup of SimCity and Animal Crossing...

Yeah, can't wait for that. Any time I can spend in a fake world is bound to be better than what we've got going on in this world we've got for reality.

   
• Lanterns! Nothing has me laughing my ass off harder than people claiming that HBO's Lanterns has ruined the character by going "woke." Race was a huge... massively huge... part of the comic book series. This small exchange is but a drop in the bucket...

The introduction of John Stewart was specifically made to add perspective to Black persons in the situations which were normally occupied by white people...

I wasn't reading comics in 1971, as I was five years old, but I very much remember reading the stories as back issues later in life. I was a massive fan of Green Lantern (his comic, along with The Flash, were the first I had ever bought) and I read through many back-issues where these foundations were made. The fact that the characters are being dusted off and revised for modern audiences is not an accident. It's what the foundation of the book has always been. I think Lanterns is honoring the source material very well. I just wish there was more action going on. I'm trying to be patient, but we're running through the series quickly without it.

   
• Dantzig! I never tire of hearing this story, which popped up today. I've copied it from his Wikipedia article...

During his study in 1939, Dantzig solved two unsolved problems in statistics due to a misunderstanding. Near the beginning of a class, Professor Neyman wrote two problems on the blackboard. Dantzig arrived late and assumed that they were a homework assignment. According to Dantzig, they "seemed to be a little harder than usual", but a few days later he handed in completed solutions for both problems, still believing that they were an assignment that was overdue. Six weeks later, an excited Neyman eagerly told him that the problems he had solved were two of the most famous unsolved problems in statistics. He had prepared one of Dantzig's solutions for publication in a mathematical journal. This story spread and was used as a motivational lesson demonstrating the power of positive thinking. Over time, some facts were altered, but the basic story persisted in the form of an urban legend and as an introductory scene in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting.

   
• Recall! Recall! Recall! Can anybody keep up with all the foods being recalled? I sure can't. Which means I'm probably going to die any day now. Which is strange given that everybody said I was going to die from all the COVID vaccines I've had (11 and counting!). If only there was some kind of government agency responsible for keeping our food safe. That wasn't dismantled. By assholes who keep cutting necessary government agencies so their billionaire owners can get even more tax cuts.

   
And now back to my post-vacation nonsense, already in progress.

I returned home yesterday to find that both cats were waiting for me. Not just Jake, but Jenny as well. That almost never happens. Jenny prefers to wait and see if Jake doesn't get murdered after he bounds down the stairs to greet whomever is opening the door.

As expected, the cats are all over me all the time... perhaps afraid I'm going to disappear again...

It's nice to be home. It's nicer to be missed.

The flight home was uneventful. And not just because there wasn't an annoying asshole screaming about Jesus or anything like that. It probably had more to do with the fact that I was in First Class. To be fair though, for all I know there actually was an asshole screaming about Jesus in the back. I was having a drink while listening to a movie so I wouldn't know.

On a related note... it's people screaming about Jesus on airplanes which has me thinking that being allowed to bring a loaded weapon onboard might be a good idea after all. Sure you risk a gun going off mid-flight and depressurizing the cabin and killing everybody... but, well... assholes screaming about Jesus.

If anything, you'd think that God would approve of gun violence against assholes screaming about Jesus given Matthew 6:5-6 and all that.

And, to be honest, the people who should most approve of gun violence against assholes screaming about Jesus would be the assholes screaming about Jesus themselves. Absolutely nobody wants to be persecuted more than some asshole who is screaming about Jesus. It's practically their entire identity. Probably because they refuse to follow His teachings, so this is the only way they can be Christ-like.

But please don't think that this post is in any way an endorsement of gun violence against assholes screaming about Jesus. I don't advocate gun violence against anyone.

A nice slap across the face would be fine.

First Dolly, then Tim Curry? Truly we are living in a doomed timeline. Reality is collapsing around us.

Of course I was introduced to Mr. Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The movie was released in 1975, but I didn't see it until over a decade later in 1986 when it was already established as a cult classic. I did one of the famous midnight showings at the Neptune Theater in the U-District of Seattle. It was a fantastic experience, largely due to Tim's performance as the sweet transvestite from transexual Transylvania, Dr. Frank-N-Furter...

Then came Legend, destined to be yet another cult classic. He played Darkness, but I had no idea until years after I saw the movie in theater on VHS. He completely disappeared in the role, and to this day I have no idea how he was considered for it. Something I really do need to research one of these days...

The same year as Legend came Clue, giving Tim the ultimate cult classic trifecta...

After a strange detour in The Hunt for Red October Mr. Curry landed his most iconic role, the deadly clown Pennywise in It...

After loads of voice work, we were treated to his take on Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island, a role which proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that Tim Curry was a singular acting talent... because who else could hold their own against The Muppets?!?

The amount of voice work in his oeuvre is really impressive...

As always, the best person to discuss his career is Time Curry...

Rest in Peace, sir. Your work brought a lot of happiness to a lot of people.

I was gutted to learn that Dolly Parton has died.

In many ways, she was the epitome of the good that can come out of this country... which is an important thing to cling to given how utterly depressing it is to see the bad stuff come out of this country. She came from humble beginnings, became one of the most famous musicians in the world, but remained down-to-earth and humble to the end.

She donated so much to so many. And her Imagination Library provided millions of books to kids, enriching their lives.

But it was her stellar personality which made her such a treat...

The best person to break down her career is Dolly herself...

Sadly, she doesn't bring up her surprising appearance on The Orville, which was such a great use of her status as a legend...

I thought of Dolly all day today, but mostly tonight while I was at Trader Sam's tiki bar. She was a longtime supporter of the LGBTQ community, and incredibly inclusive of everybody in everything she did. And when I went to use the restroom at Trader Sam's...

I saw this...

And remembered seeing this stupid-ass MAGA politician displaying his ignorance for the entire world to see...

Because anybody can use it, the piece of shit thinks it's a "trans bathroom." Which means he likely has a "trans bathroom" at his home and uses a "trans bathroom" on a plane or whatever. Stop the fucking insanity indeed.

By seeing people as people and treating everybody with respect and kindness, Dolly was a better example for society than most of us could ever think of being. Especially these garbage assholes who mock trans persons that are just playing the cards they were dealt the best they can... like all of us are.

Rest in Peace, Dolly. You most definitely left this world better than you found it.

Because it would be a shame to fly all the way to Los Angeles for one day, I hung around to visit the Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween celebration at Disney's California Adventure.

Even though Disney has done a lot to improve the place since they dropped a steaming, cheap-ass turd across from Disneyland, it's still not exactly the height of theme park design. Maybe once Coco Land and Avatar Land open up, there will be something more than one great ride (Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout) and one very good one (Toy Story: Midway Mania).

That being said, Cars Land has the best decorations in the park...

The event has a lot of rare and semi-rare characters making appearances. Some of them you can take photos with, but none of them are signing autographs, which is kinda shitty for an event which ain't cheap.

Here's Pain and Panic from Hercules...

And their boss, Hades, who is the most hilarious thing I've seen in a minute. Whomever they got to play him made a flawless casting choice...

Hercules wasn't there, but his girlfriend Megara was...

Judge Doom from Who Framed Roger Rabbit...

And, look, it's Dr. Doofenshmirtz from Phineas and Ferb...

Texture mapping is getting seriously good...

One of my all-time favorites, Yzma from The Emperor's New Groove...

Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty who is not rare, but very cool...

And the Evil Queen from Snow White...

Good night, Mr. Oogie Boogie...

And good night to California Adventure...

So long and thanks for all the candy!

The reason I'm in L.A. is a quick diversion to see the 25th Anniversary of Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland. I saw it the second year that they had it, then never made it back. Given my love of The Nightmare Before Christmas, in general (and Zero, specifically) I was interested in seeing how it had changed over the decades.

Turns out it's much the same, but there's also some things which are very different. Like they've been slowly upgrading it year over year. Ultimately it's a lot of fun, even though there are people who are pissed off it gets changed at all...

Halloween is probably my favorite holiday of the year, and Disneyland does a darn good job decorating up the place. Especially for nighttime spookiness...

Doesn't matter that it's two months until All Hallow's Eve, it's a good time to be in the Happiest Place on Earth.

   
• I Love L.A.! But L.A. is not loving me, because it's absurdly hot with not a cloud in the sky. That's kinda rare this time of year... but record-setting heat is getting less and less rare every year. This is our normal.

   
• Paradoxical! I've noticed this, but never actually thought enough about questioning how it works...

So now you know. And so do I.

   
• Naturalized American! I'm a huge Kraft Deli Deluxe American Cheese fan (the stuff that's not wrapped in the plastic it tastes like). But I finally stopped buying it because the cost is prohibitive. How can it be 4 times more expensive than sliced cheddar? So a big thanks to Safeway for carrying Sargento American Cheese, which often goes on sale to become affordable!

Great taste, and they put waxed paper between the slices for easy access! I don't eat nearly as much dairy as I used to, so when I crave a grilled cheese, I make sure I have a dreamy, meltable cheese to make it with.

   
• The Truth is Out There! I love LEGO. I love The X-Files. And I am in love with Gillian Anderson. Which is to say that this is really great...

I want it. Even though I have no idea where I'd put it.

   
• Where have you been all my life? Dorielotes... a combination of "Doritos" and "elote" (Mexican Street Corn)... is something I will absolutely have to try before I die (even if it's the cause of my death)...

Looks like it's got Nacho Cheese Doritos, corn, butter, sour cream, mayo, salt, lime, more salt, chili powder, Oaxaca cheese, nacho cheese sauce, and more corn on top. Amazing. But probably not healthy.

   
• Religious Bigotry is Still Bigotry! The amount of time I spend telling random bigots off TikTok to go fuck themselves has me thinking I’d be better off not looking at TikTok...

I have no idea when common courtesy became an opportunity to be such a fucking asshole about everything, but what in the hell do people care what other people want to be called? Who gives a shit? People dying to be persecuted for their beliefs, that's who. Pathetic.

   
And now back to my regularly scheduled vacation.

Going on vacation is incredibly stressful when I'm having to leave my cats behind. Sure there are robots for food, water, and litter box... and my home is fully automated... and there's a dozen people I could call to run over if something went wrong... but it's still tough to leave knowing that they'll be looking for me as the week goes on.

This was my last view of them before I walked out the door...

Yeah, hard to not feel guilty about it all.

I am mostly dead today. Sitting in my living room with air purifiers on full blast trying not to die from having been out in an Air Quality Index of 258.

In other news... the surprise fourth season of Ted Lasso has been airing. And it's got a real meta thing going on.

This series is about Ted coaching women's football. Which, as you can imagine, has many fans of the show outraged because it's a different take on Ted Lasso than the show they fell in love with. Which proves the entire point of the new season. And the show-runners drove that home by having a shareholder's meeting. After the Greyhounds were discussed (or rather, not discussed, thanks to Roy Kent being Roy Kent) and the conversation switched to the Lady Greyhounds, most of the room got up to leave.

But, hey, to me even the worst season of Ted Lasso is better than most of the other crap on television...

And now? I need to pack a suitcase...