Month: August 2024
Tom’s World – 21AUG2024 – Statues – 3
Jake, a monument to military divers. This statue is located on base at The US Navy Diver Training & Explosive Ordnance Training Center Panama City.
Coming home after a long deployment, located on base at NAS Pensacola, National Naval Air Museum.
This monument is from the turn of the 19th-20th century and is located at Atlanta’s Westview Cemetery. I’ve seen lots of cemetery monuments and statues and think that this one is absolutely beautifully done.
This one is a composite. The statue is behind St. Michael’s Episcopal in Milton, FL. I didn’t like the background in the original, it was too busy, towers, other decorations, phone poles, other buildings made a jarring and competing background and destroyed the impact of the statue. So, using Photoshop, I popped it into a photo taken from my house side door as a big storm approached. Much more effective.
Unknown Infant. Every picture should tell a story, this one I think is poignant. I wonder who put the cat there? City Cemetery, Milton, FL.
A Sense of Wonder
My recent foray into Dunwichian power politics may have struck some of my readers as morose and unnecessarily pessimistic. Possibly so, but I was trying to capture the essence of our current reality where an honest and transparent analysis of how our society works reveals enormous hypocrisy. And the nature of our “democracy” reveals itself to be a process manipulated by the powerful who have no regard for the people. But just to show you I haven’t despaired of life I was reminded today of what good can be achieved by getting involved with the young.
I remembered as a youngster being intrigued by astronomy. Maybe it was because of the space program that was getting off the ground about the time I became aware of current events. Maybe it was because my parents gave me access to books and other resources concerning science. But however it happened, I was fascinated by the details of the solar system. I was always reading statistics about the size, location and physical attributes of Saturn and Jupiter, Mercury and Mars. And once I began reading science fiction, I became all the more absorbed by this extension of my world into the solar system. And I suppose that my early interest in science is responsible for much of my orientation in school and afterwards. Engineering was the logical conclusion for someone interested in the practical application of science to life. I suppose that if NASA’s space program hadn’t petered out after the moon landings, I would have tried to get involved in an engineering program that had the potential of involving space travel but that was just a childhood fantasy.
But remembering how exciting and interesting it was to discover the larger universe, I decided to give Princess Sack of Potatoes her first astronomy lesson. We looked at photos of the planets and I tried to explain some of the physical characteristics of the various worlds that circle our sun. Mercury and Venus are too close to the Sun and therefore too hot. Mars is too small and too far from the Sun and therefore lacking a useful atmosphere and too cold. And I tried to explain why the gas giant worlds weren’t places where terrestrial life could exist because of their nightmarish temperatures and pressures and poisonous atmospheres.
So was my lesson successful. I don’t really know. She seemed interested enough and she enjoyed the colorful photos and pictures of the planets. But will it inspire a deep curiosity about the universe. Well, it’s much too soon to tell. Maybe after we begin to discuss interstellar and intergalactic space I’ll see if she becomes bored with the subject. But there was definitely one moment of planetary solidarity. When we had finished with Neptune, she wanted to know what had happened to Pluto. Full disclosure, I was very angry when the international astronomical societies stripped Pluto of its status as a planet. I felt it to be an arbitrary and probably anti-American gesture. So, this sympathy for Pluto by my granddaughter was a very welcome occurrence. When I found out that this emotion was fostered because the planet has the same name as Mickey Mouse’s dog, I was a little less enthusiastic. But still, when dealing with small children you take your victories where they come.
So, teaching children and inspiring curiosity about the wonders of science is something that we can do even in the world of Joe Biden and the American Security State. One small step for a grandfather, one giant leap for mankind.
21AUG2024 – Photo of the Day
21AUG2024 – Quote of the Day
Again, there is no liberty if the judiciary power be not separated from the legislative and executive. Were it joined with the legislative, the life and liberty of the subject would be exposed to arbitrary control; for the judge would be then the legislator. Were it joined to the executive power, the judge might behave with violence and oppression.
Charles de Montesquieu
$180MM in, Disney Cuts Its Losses on the Acolyte
Disney has systematically dismantled the greatest cinematic money-printing franchise by turning the Star Wars brand into a woke, feminized version of the space fantasy series that George Lucas spawned back in the late 1970s.
Generations of boys and men have enjoyed the good/evil, dark/light, David/Goliath dualism that is as old as Thermopylae, the Odyssey and the Bible itself. But Disney (and Lucas himself) had to mess with the classic “apprentice becomes hero and wins the princess” and instead went with girl-boss saves the universe despite helpless and/or evil men.
Well, the response from the paying audiences has been souring over the last decade and now it’s bottomed out. And the latest symptom of this rejection is the cancellation after one season of “The Acolyte.”
This incredibly expensive television series was trashed by the fans and viewership plummeted by the season finale. And so it’s been cancelled. And the reason that the producers attribute the cancellation to is:
misogyny/homophobia.
Well, there you go. The misogynistic homophobes have voted with their feet. Now will Disney learn from this or do they need to lose some further hundreds of millions of dollars? Let’s see.
Debate in Dunwich – Part 4
BISHOP – Welcome to the third and final 2024 Debate between the candidates running for the office of Dunwich First Selectman. I’m head moderator Uriah Bishop and tonight we’re here with Great Old One Hastur and unfortunately none of his opponents was willing to show up for this last debate. Probably this is because he cooked and ate his last opponent, Azathoth at the conclusion of the debate.
HASTUR – Oh boo-hoo. The big mean monster ate one of the other big mean monsters. Grow up little pastry. That is my world. And that is your world too. Look around you and observe how things really work. The big fish eats the little fish. Or bird or cat or man or monster. Everything else is just make believe. The strong survive and the weak go to the wall.
BISHOP – Then what is the point of the weak even trying?
HASTUR – The point is you want to breath that sweet air and feel your blood pulse through your veins for the next minute and the minute after that. You’ll do whatever you can to keep alive. And because the strong aren’t all that strong. If you want something bad enough and work hard enough you can survive. But just remember not to believe the hype. Remember who you are dealing with. Me.
BISHOP – And how are you going to run the show?
HASTUR – I intend to simplify things. I’m gonna get rid of all the make believe. I’m strong enough not to need the divide and conquer stuff. I’ll deal with all of you insects at once. You’ll all get the same deal from me. You do what I say and the game goes on. You get to keep your little lives and hoard your crumbs. But rock the boat and you’ll get my undivided attention. Now that’s pretty fair. You might almost call me a humanitarian. I love all the little people. Especially with tabasco sauce. So don’t rock the boat.
BISHOP – Well folks you heard it here first. Great Old One Hastur has laid out his agenda for his term as First Selectman of Dunwich. And in retrospect it is surprisingly close to the policy that dearly departed First Selectman Cthulhu followed. He tended to eat anyone who forced him to break his routine or questioned his orders. I’m sure we all will adapt easily to this new management. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
HASTUR – Sure. When you think about it, it’s a better deal than you’re getting from Washington. At least I don’t insist that you pretend to like being eaten alive. Honest tyranny is preferable to fake democracy. You don’t have to love Big Brother just stay out of Caesar’s way and live to pull a galley slave’s oar another day. Besides you can dream about a revolt and how you’ll slit the throats of all the masters one day. Doesn’t that sound like fun?
BISHOP – Yes, your excellency. What could be better than that.
HASTUR – That’s the spirit Bishop. You know I’m starting to like you. How would you like to be my emissary to the humans. It doesn’t pay much but if you follow orders, I’ll probably eat you last!
BISHOP – That’s an offer no one could refuse.
HASTUR – Literally.
20AUG2024 – Photo of the Day
20AUG2024 – Quote of the Day
When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty; because apprehensions may arise, lest the same monarch or senate should enact tyrannical laws, to execute them in a tyrannical manner.
Charles de Montesquieu
Debate in Dunwich – Part 3
BISHOP – Welcome to the second 2024 Debate between the candidates running for the office of Dunwich First Selectman. I’m head moderator Uriah Bishop and I would introduce my four fellow moderators but they were eaten by candidate Hastur during the first debate. Well, one wasn’t eaten but he started running as soon as the debate ended and by now, he must be somewhere over the Canadian border. I will be running the debate but we have suspended all rules associated with the candidates’ actions out of naked fear of being ingested. So, we expect a lively but chaotic night.
Tonight, our candidates are Hastur and Azathoth also known as the “Blind Idiot God,” but in a positive and non-judgmental way. Seeing as Hastur scares me worst I will open up the debate by turning over the microphone to him.
HASTUR – Very good human, you managed to avoid immediate death. Keep up the good work. Well, Azathoth I see you’ve managed to scrape the cosmic barnacles off your face and show up for this debate. What do you have to say for yourself?
AZATHOTH – Hey, watch that kind of talk. Why in my day young whippersnappers knew enough to only speak when they were spoken to. If you can’t keep a civil tongue in your head, I’ll take you out behind the Crab Nebula and teach you some manners, by gum.
HASTUR – Calm down sleepy Joe. They don’t call you the Blind Idiot God for nothing. If we squared off, you’d be lucky not to poke your own eye out with one of your claws. Now let’s cut to the chase and tell the audience of puny humans what we each hope to achieve as “First Selectman.” For instance, I hope to ban humans from adding artificial sweeteners to their foods and drinks. All of these additives build up in human cells and always give me a headache if I have more than two or three humans at a meal. Especially the female humans with their attempts to lose weight to attract a man.
AZATHOTH – Hey, what do you mean by stereotyping women that way? That’s obviously sexist and it’s fat-shaming too. What are you? Some kind of agent of the patriarchy. Why I oughta haul off and belt you one, you dog-faced pony soldier, you! And why do you assume a woman is trying to attract a man. Are you trying to deny the existence of the LGBTQ?
HASTUR – Okay that’s enough.
(Hastur closes with Azathoth and proceeds to dismember him. First, he snaps off his lobster-like claws and then all of his remaining limbs.)
AZATHOTH – Ahhhhh! Ahhhh! You can’t do that to me. I’m the supreme deity of the Cthulhu Mythos.
HASTUR – Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you also taste really good baked with some dipping butter on the side. So, everyone is invited to join me on the beach tonight for a good old seafood bake. Bring your own bibs and I’ll provide the sides and beer.
BISHOP – Well, there you have it folks. Hastur has taken to our New England customs and cuisine surprisingly quickly for an invading intergalactic demigod from another dimension. And I for one applaud his generosity in hosting this party. But I will not be attending. There was no talk of what the side dishes would be and I don’t wish to tempt fate by ending up as one of them. So, until the next debate this is Uriah Bishop wishing you a good night and nightmare free dreams.