I prop my pillows upright so the cats don’t lay on them and get fur all over them. Jenny, bless her heart, HAS BEEN PULLING DOWN THE PILLOWS WITH HER CLAWS AND THEN LAYS ON THEM!!

Usually I have to look at the security cameras to see what happened. But this time the little scoundrel did it right in front of me...

Which is oh so typical of her.

She has absolutely no regard for rules. Well, neither of my cats do, but she's borderline contemptuous of rules.

Which is oh so typical of cats, really.

The other day I happened upon a series that I thought had long since been canceled: Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction. It's a show where Jonathan Frakes introduces these outlandish stories, then you have to decide whether they are true or not. Then they tell you what stories were true. I actually remember James Brolin being the host before Frakes did it.

Apparently it was canceled back in 2002, then revived in 2021 because it's popular in Germany. And it's still going, or was as of last year.

But anyway...

When I Googled to see how it was still being made, I came across this...

It's weird how things have a completely different vibe when taken out of context like this.

Which is true about a lot of things in life, I suppose.

After my horrific disappointment with The Old Guard 2 on Netflix last night, I was more than a little nervous to tune into the second season of The Sandman today.

Turns out there was no reason to worry. It's every bit as amazing as the first season, and they've done a phenomenal job of adapting this phenomenal story...

The problem remains, of course, the piece of shit responsible for this phenomenal story. Neil Gaiman may be a creative genius, but he's also an asshole with decades of sexual assault in his history.

Which is to say that after every episode, I feel like screaming. Cursing its creator for inventing something so wonderful then turning out to be a sack of shit who makes it impossible for me to view his work the same way that I used to.

On July 24th there's five more episodes to complete this adaptation of The Sandman.

On July 31st there's a single episode adapting Death: The High Cost of Living, one of my most favorite comic book series of all time and something I've been dying to see. Especially once we got to see Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Death in The Sandman.

After that we have Colleen Doran's lovely adaptation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchet's Good Omens that I pre-ordered ages ago.

And after that we have the Good Omens Netflix wrap-up movie (in lieu of a third season that got canceled after Gaiman's misconduct surfaced).

And after that?

I can finally put Gaiman and his bullshit behind me and try to be glad that I got to enjoy his work for as long as I did.

I have been looking forward to the sequel to The Old Guard for what seems like forever (well, okay, it's been four years, but still). It's been the sole reason that I've hung on to Netflix through its price increases and the films delays. But today was the day... and the film was finally released.

And I hated it.

Hated it.

It's a convoluted mess of a movie that isn't the least bit interesting or inovative. In other words, it's the complete opposite of the first film. The characters aren't made even remotely compelling this time around. Nicky and Joe's relationship, the whole heart of the first flick, takes a backseat to Andy and Quynh's relationship, except there's nothing really to it except predictability. The sequel takes place six months after the last one, but Nile's abilities are completely off the chart and she's more of a plot device than a character. Booker, who could have had a fascinating redemption arc, was given a lazy redemption that wasn't earned so much as it was shoe-horned in with no reasoning. Chiwetel Ejiofor was given a more active way in the story, but to lesser effect. Henry Golding was added but completely wasted and wasn't made in any way essential except he knows things. All he did was take time away from the other characters, and they could have eliminated him and changed nothing. I guess Uma Thurman has an essential function, but it's sure a boring one.

But the worst part? It ends on a massive fucking cliffhanger.

This sequel barely happened, a third film is highly unlikely, and they decide to end it on a cliffhanger? What the fuck? The first movie was a complete story that happened to have a stinger at the end which could lead to more in case they got to make more. You could have never gotten a sequel and had a satisfying experience. But this time if there's no sequel to the sequel, you're left with something incomplete and half-baked.

I fucking hate it when they do this shit. Unless you are 100% certain that you will get another movie or another season or whatever... DON'T FUCKING END ON A CLIFFHANGER!! This is not rocket science. What it actually is is lazy, shitty filmmaking that broadcasts to the entire world that you are not talented enough to wrap something up and move on to something bigger and better.

And I honestly don't care. If a third movie never happens, I'll try to be happy that we got the first one and move on with my life.

Jesus. Charlize Theron could have spent her time giving us a sequel to Atomic Blonde instead of wasting her time on this nonsense.

Though now I'm scared shitless that we'd get a bad sequel to that brilliant movie too.

A book I've read more than a few times is Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. It's a solid and entertaining read that was begging for a movie adaptation.

And now we have one.

Ryan Gosling, whom I never gave much thought to until his exceptional performances in The Nice Guys and Blade Runner 2049, is perfect for the lead role, and I'm happy they cast somebody who can bring the character to life in a way that has charm and dimension. Because, keep in mind, he's going to be the only human on-screen for a big chunk of the movie's runtime...

And how cool is that alien space ship design? Very happy they put some serious money into the special effects budget.

But will I actually be compelled to go to a theater in March of 2026?

For this? Maybe!

So the year is officially half over.

Which is to say that Americans just got fucked in record time.

This country is adding trillions of dollars to the national debt while slashing benefits for average Americans all so 60% of the resulting tax cuts are going to the top 20% of the wealthiest Americans.

Typical.

I get how the math isn't understandable by most people. Math is hard. Fooling people about the math is easy.

But how is it that people don't understand that preventative health care for all Americans is in everybody's best interest? If people can't afford to go to doctors when problems are small and can be resolved relatively cheaply, then they wait until health problems are very large and incredibly expensive. Then they can't afford to pay. So they don't. But that money has to come from somewhere. Which is to say that we all end up paying far more for their care than we would have if they had gotten early treatment... whether it's via our taxes, higher insurance premiums, higher doctor costs, or whatever, WE pay for it! This is a simple concept that people are apparently too fucking stupid to understand.

The politicians supporting this shit understand it all very well... they just don't give a fuck if people get sick and die. And they also don't give a fuck if American taxpayers end up paying more money... just so long as their wealthy owners don't end up paying for it. Which they won't, because the vast majority of the tax cuts are going to them.

It's a horrific situation we're all being put in.

For example...

I really hope that nobody out there has a parent with dementia.

When I did, there was insurance and options for veterans available and it still wasn't enough. I took out a loan for my mom's care... but, even so, without Medicaid to help cover some of the costs, I have no fucking clue what I would have done after she got to the point she had to be put in a facility. Medicaid is a safety net that we all pay into so that if tragedy strikes, we can get care. And without that safety net, what happens?

This Big Pile of Shit Bill is going to fuck over so many people. And most of them don't even know it yet.

All because the millionaires and billionaires who own our fucking politicians want even more of our money and don't want to pay their fair share.

I kept my mom with me even after her doctor said she needed to have professional help. Because I thought it would be better for her than sending her to go live with strangers. I was wrong. There's a point where a dementia patient requires specialized round-the-clock care which I wasn't equipped to provide. But now people will likely be forced into this situation anyway because assholes somehow get elected who don't give a fuck about the people they represent. So everybody loses. Except millionaires and billionaires, who always win even when they lose because the system is set up to always, always, always benefit them.

I cannot fathom what this disgusting, cruel, and utterly vile bill is going to do to the future of this country. The things we will lose are not something you can bring back by snapping your fingers. The sad truth is that even if everybody wakes the fuck up and puts a stop to this senseless destruction, it could take decades to undo the damage. If it can be undone at all. We're going to be paying more for less for a very long time.

But, hey, those toilets on billionaire's jets aren't going to gold-plate themselves! People losing Medicaid and dying is apparently a small price to pay so they can live the excessive lifestyle we provide to them.

Or so we're being told.

I tell you what... we've gotten to the point where I have to seriously ask myself if the universe would be better off if a giant meteor would just fucking wipe all humanity off the damn planet.

Because, for the record, if somebody fucking answers "No comment" when you ask if they're pro or anti slavery, they gave you their answer...

When it comes to fucking owning a human being, there's room for debate? There's wiggle-room for interpretation? Jesus.

The impending heatwave is cause for concern, but there's a shady spot just for you... because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• I May Die of Unshock! NEWSFLASH: Senate GOP budget bill has little-noticed provision that could hurt your Wi-Fi. All they had to do was put "Ted Cruz" in the headline and they could have saved me from reading the article. Then I'd automatically know something stupid and fucked up that's not in the best interest of the American people was being discussed.

   
• It Could Happen to You! "Please don't cut our Medicaid... those benefits are a safety net for everybody because you never know what might happen!" — FUCK YOU! NOW DRAG THEM THE HELL OUT OF HERE!

There we go. There it is. Eugenics in action. And, yes, I understand that disabilities are not necessarily genetic. But try explaining that to people who have no empathy. Try to explain to them that life can turn on a dime. Try to tell them that they could easily end up in a wheelchair because of a million reasons. I dare you to try and explain what ableism looks like by holding up a mirror. Because EVERY. TIME. I try to explain this to people who want people with disabilities to be discriminated against and lose benefits... they all feel that it could never happen to them, their family, or people they care about. Nope. Never. It's only these leeches who should be cared for by their families instead of taxpayers. My God this is the absolute worst. Well, a lot of people will find out the hard way that this actually does affect them when something awful happens that cannot be anticipated.

   
• Q! A shoe-in for my Best of 2025 Television List...

I was prepared to not care for it, because I thought for sure it was going to be one of those "damaged person makes everybody miserable" shows that we've seen a million times. This was nothing like that. It was smart, well-written, exceptionally-performed, and had a fresh take on the genre that I loved. Recommended.

   
• AKRAM! I just... Alexej Manvelov's character of "Akram" in Netflix's Dept. Q above leaves you wanting more in absolutely every scene he appears. In this short interview clip, they discuss how amazing it would be to have a prequel series which tells his store and how he came to the U.K., and I am totally on-board...

If they have the correct script, it could even eclipse the original series (which I very, very much hope gets future seasons). One episode left to go!

   
• United Parcel! Dear UPS... if you're going to charge me $104 to get a 2-lb. package half-way across the country via 2nd Day Air... YOU COULD AT LEAST MAKE IT SO THAT MACINTOSH USERS CAN PRINT YOUR SHIPPING LABLES! — Having to copy and paste the label into a second app so I can print to a PDF that I can place in a THIRD app is bullshit. — FIX YOUR WEBSITE!!! — If you leave the label instructions "on" for the label... you'll get no label at all. If you tell the system to leave instructions "off," you'll get a label you can't print... but you can drag your cursor over it and copy it. ASSUMING YOU CAN GET INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE. Does nobody test you crap out on a Mac so your customers can actually use your service? Doubtful.

   
• Disgusting. Fuck this fucking piece of shit for all eternity: Kennedy says US is pulling funding from global vaccine group Gavi — From Doctors Without Borders: "When we vaccinate in the community, parents line up for hours to give their children a chance to be protected from these deadly diseases. For these children, vaccination programs such as those supported through Gavi are a matter of life and death." — I am disgusted to my very core that RFK, an ignorant asshole who peddles disinformation as fact, could even be considered for a position which makes decisions about public health. He doesn't know shit. He's a grifter who doesn't believe in science, and we're stuck with his bullshit... no matter how many times he's been caught outright lying.

   
• Paper! Fearmongering assholes spreading bullshit for clicks is a plague on society. Fuck this asshole and everybody like him who spreads misinformation they don't even fucking bother to understand...

Meanwhile, serious shit that's actually a danger is ignored because people are focusing on this stupid misinformation crap.

   
And now back to our regularly-scheduled extreme hotness.

Every time Jake comes to me crying because Jenny has been chasing him, I always say "Well, what did you do to piss her off?" because I know that's exactly why she would end up chasing him. She doesn't randomly decide to antagonize her brother.

Last night while I was finishing up watching Dept. Q, Jenny was laying on the back of the smaller sofa. Jake, for reasons known only to himself, hopped up on the arm of the couch and then immediately swatted her. I guess he had seen her up on the sofa and decided he didn't like that?

Jenny has always been a little bit tempermental and demanding.

But it's her vindictive streak you have to watch out for.

As for Jake? He's definitely learning from her example, but is still mostly easy-going and chill about most every situation. The other day while I was on a Zoom call he wanted attention. I had to put him off until I was finished which would have enraged Jenny. But Jake just plopped down in my Buddha-Cat statue's lap and waited for me...

As I'm typing this he's out in the catio, where he spends most evenings now. It's warm enough to be comfy but not so insanely hot that he's uncomfortable wearing his fur coat.

As for Jenny?

After she cried and cried and cried for pets while I was loading the dishwasher, I relented and pet her until she was content to wander off and fall asleep on the cat tree. My little princess doesn't do the outdoors very often.

I'm a massive fan of television programs and movies. I "watch" a lot of them. And by "watch" I mean that I am doing work (or blogging!) while they run in the background. My mind is pretty good at multi-tasking, so I can fairly easily follow whatever is on my television while banging away on my laptop.

The nice thing about watching stuff this way is that I can ignore all the idiotic shit that draves me crazy when it pops up.

Take for example the Wilhelm Scream.

I fucking hate it. The sound effect is so overused and offensive that it immediately takes me out of what I'm watching...

=shudder=

And then there's the fucking "Tarzan yell" which annoys me for the same reason...

Yeah, fuck Richard Marquand and George Lucas forever for that bit of dumbassery ruining an already disastrous Return of the Jedi (the heinous followup to the amazing The Empire Strikes Back). Lord.

If I had the time, I'd edit the sound mix of every movie I enjoy to rip this dumbassery out of them so I can enjoy them without distraction.

But why stop there?

There's a lot of shows and films which need some more exstensive editing than just a sound clip.

I've been re-watching the James Bond movies and cringing at the appearances of the Sheriff J.W. Pepper character, which I loathe...

Not that this frickin' idiot is the only bad thing in a James Bond movie. Many of the films have moments that are beyond stupid and are begging to be modified or cut.

Take, for example, that incredible car jump stunt that had the misfortune of being sabotaged not just by an appearance by Seargent J.W. Pepper, but with the stupid-ass slide whistle they played over the top of this magnificent stunt, which effectively sabotages it...

Who the fuck makes a choice like that?

I feel like I'm picking on James Bond and Star Wars movies, but there's precious few movies that I wouldn't change at all. Most films have something I'd change... even if it's something very small.

Hollywood should just save themselves the trouble and consult me on the final edit.