WTF? Have the rulers gone mad?

They're getting impatient, that's for sure.

This may end badly.

"I say we take off and nuke the entire planet from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

This governor in Vermont is a Republican.

Oh Gaud, say no more!

Riots in Italy as shoppers see higher prices.

The recent (ongoing?) riots in Chile were supposed to be caused by a rise in the cost of public transportation. At first it was college kids evading subway fares. Before long they were joined by the Maoists who started burning down buildings. Doesn't take much to set (some) people off.

Lack of food will surely do it.

"I say we take off and nuke the entire planet from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

No doubt. Remember that movie where they took 4 geriatric astronauts and sent them on a mission to investigate a satellite put in orbit by the Soviets? It turned out to be armed with nukes which was a clear treaty violation to keep nukes out of space. One of the geriatrics flew that satellite to the moon. The closing scene had Sinatra singing, "Fly me to the moon and let me wish upon the stars, Let me see what things are like on Jupiter and Mars." ;)

Remember that movie where they took 4 geriatric astronauts and sent them on a mission to investigate a satellite put in orbit by the Soviets?

Yeah, it was "Space Cowboys," with Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, James Garner and Donald Sutherland. I like that movie, I saw it on my "borrowed" NetFlix account a few months ago.

I'm glad I don't pay for NetFlix. Rarely do they have movies that interest me, but I ran across "Sling Blade," with Billy Bob Thornton a few nights ago. That's pretty decent if not dark.

I liked the scene where the "smart" guys are trying to start a tiller and he looks at it and says, "Ain't got no gaaaas in it," in that raspy voice.

"Space Cowboys," with Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, James Garner and Donald Sutherland. I like that movie...

One of my favs also, reminds me of the Blues Brothers "on a mission from God."

Blues Brothers

Remember Jake and Elwood in Chez Paul trying to get the Maitre D to come back to the band? That was choice. When they told him they planned on coming there for three meals a day he said, "OK, you got me." LOL

What movies does Netflix not have that you want to see?

Good question, I never really thought about it. Off the top of my head, I'd have to say "The Martian" with Matt Damon. I saw a downgraded version on EweToob before the pulled it. Mark Watney's predicament kind of seemed and felt like mine, post-accident.

Maybe the "Alien" and "Star Trek" franchises. The last time I was in a movie theater was for "Alien" probably about 1979.

When I was taking care of my mother and handicapped sister in the days before digital TeeVee, I put in a Tivo box with a DVD burner in it at Mom's. She had cable, I didn't. When I was there I would program the movies to record (mostly TCM, she didn't have premium channels). I really liked the depression-era movies.

When I had a bunch of movies on the drive, I'd go ahead and burn them to DVD, usually three or four movies to a disc, and program the next batch to record.

I've probably got around 500 DVDs, 400 of which are currently trapped in my Sony DVP-CX995V 400 disc player which was unfortunately taken out when lightning hit my house, last June 1st, frying almost every electronic device (even battery operated) on the south portion of my house.

Bear in mind, the lightning didn't hit the power lines, it hit the house somewhere on the end. When I took out my big, dead TeeVee in the living room, you could see the lightning tracks on the wall. When I built the house, I put in whole-house surge suppression in the main panel, and I also use point-of-use surge suppression on most of the electronics.

I was fartin' around in the attached garage when it happened. It was deafening and great for my tinnitus, but I didn't think much about at the time. It wasn't until later when I went in for the night that I learned what had happened. Took about a week to determine the extent of the damage. It was pretty bad.

I also never thought about that when the lightning came in, it had to go out. Apparently, it went out through the water line in my kitchen. It failed about midnight, July 3rd, once again I is was in the garage, and when I walked in there was a couple inches of water in the house. Crap.

Anyhoo, I miss William Powell, Myrna Loy, Carole Lombard, Ginger Rogers and all my "friends" imprisoned in that big black box on the corner of the desk in my den.

I guess EweToob will have to suffice on the little laptop on my nightstand.

I've probably got around 500 DVDs, 400 of which are currently trapped in my Sony DVP-CX995V 400 disc player

Interesting! I installed a surge protector in my metal-roofed shop after it was hit by a minor lightning strike a couple of years ago. A spark jumped an inch or two from the metal frame of my table to my knee. I wasn't hurt, and none of my instruments were fried.

Would you recommend grounding the metal roof? Would that help minimize damage in a strike? Would that tend to draw lightning? 18' x 12' bldg with an attic and steep 12/12 pitch galvanized sheet metal roof.

I know you have a Phillips screwdriver. How are the 400 DVDs still trapped in there 10 months later?

Would you recommend grounding the metal roof? Would that help minimize damage in a strike?

A tall lightning rod may be a better bet. Lightning's a funny thing, it starts with a difference in potential between the ground and atmosphere and actually travels from the ground up. Short answer, I"m not sure.

I know you have a Phillips screwdriver.

Probably only a hundred.

How are the 400 DVDs still trapped in there 10 months later?

Well, been a little busy dealing with the lightning, subsequent blown pipe and flood, my younger sister dying, etc. Besides, I've got no way to play them, Thor took out my other two DVD players, and VHS machines.

Just not a big priority for me.

(Edit) Besides, the thing is huge, about 2' by 2' and 8" tall. Probably weighs 150lbs loaded.

I've probably got around 500 DVDs, 400 of which are currently trapped in my Sony DVP-CX995V 400 disc player

Yeah that's automatic analog music players for you -- even if digital. Every car player ultimately eats a tape, CD or whatever!

I have a 94yo local friend who's suffered every possible calamity -- somebody up there hates her, an absolutely wonderful woman. Once every appliance in her house blew at once and they traced it to a mouse that wandered around and caused a short circuit somehow, blitzing itself.

The internet is a movie and TV cornucopia. Movies, documentaries, movie documentaries -- it's unbelievable, and tons of it's free. Major Hitchcockery in HQ for the clicking as we've seen! A fave doc or am I repeating meself again:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsVzDf-KhXU

I'm glad I don't pay for NetFlix.

I've been watching free movies at IMDB, it's free to sign up and they have a pretty fair selection of movies and TV shows.

Watch Hollywood hits and TV favorites.

Another free site:

Pluto

One more:

USTVGO

A tall lightning rod may be a better bet.

Thanks. I'll look into that.

i have no clue how any of this works

Do you watch online, or on your tellie screen?

Thanks for any help.

www.imdb.com/tv/watch/tt0...=dvm_us_as_imdb_fdv-c3-c6

A great drama starring Lyova Rosenthal alias 'Lee Grant'. The first episode was extremely grim and buttoned-up but the fun and extremely admirable Columbo character is making its way into view. But don't watch this after #1 -- same ending.