Ternaugh

We had Jerry Tarkanian. Same thing, different school.

The replicators on the Orville could be thought of as really fast 3D printers. Now, the problem with using that type of technology as a transporter is that you'd essentially be destroying the original and recreating it at the destination using available materials (for those following along at home, this allows the William/Thomas Riker problem in the TNG episode). But that also means that the transporter is essentially a suicide box/scanner with a really good printer on the other end. Sure, if it's done well, the end product "thinks" that it's the same person, but it really becomes a philosophical exercise at that point. I'd certainly not step into one willingly. Now, there have been discussions from various folks associated with TNG who said that the matter/energy/matter explanation for transporters shouldn't have been used, as it opens up all sorts of problems. Most advanced technology in Trek is based upon some kind of manipulation of subspace fields, and Transporters wouldn't have the problems described if what they actually did is shunt the person or object through a subspace conduit of some kind*. That appears to be the method used in Orville episode 5 by Pria to get onto the bridge. Star Trek TOS went with Transporters as a way to avoid the costs associated with showing a shuttlecraft each week. It then became overused as a plot device. Captain turned into a being of pure energy? No worries, just beam his consciousness into a stored pattern. Doctor has uncontrollable aging? Find a stored pattern and then run the Transporter to "fix" the problem. I'm kind of glad that The Orville can't do stuff like that. *Bamf!

I never finished the last few episodes of last season. Like BDH, I hit a point, where I just didn't care about the show anymore. For me, it was after the computer that I'd been using to record OTA ate an episode, and I really didn't notice. That box started making a grinding noise a couple of weeks ago, and has been turned off. I'm not actually rushing to repair it, so that means that anything not on Hulu will need to be picked up when it hits Netflix at the end of the season. That's mostly CW shows, after they decided at the beginning of last season to stop using Hulu for their shows. At this point, I figure that will be Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow (maybe Flash).

I'd recommend folks to find the Outer Limits episode (or the original short story by James Patrick Kelly), "Think Like a Dinosaur", to understand the full ramifications of events like this. A highly touted recent SF book on the same subject would be The Punch Escrow, though I've been unable to finish that book myself (it's written like a movie treatment*, and telegraphs its big reveals like most modern, spoilery movie trailers). *Movie rights have apparently already been sold.

Superman Returns - Taking place 5 years after the events in Superman II, Lex Luthor arrives with another land scheme that will kill "billions", by using the Krypton crystal technology to rework the world. Serviceable, but lacking a little of the charm of the originals. Brandon Routh is fine as Superman, but doesn't really seem to have a handle on Clark Kent.

Jack, relax Get busy with the facts No zodiacs or almanacs No maniacs in polyester slacks Just the facts Gonna kick some Gluteus max It's a parallax, you dig? You move around The small gets big, it's a rig It's action, reaction Random interaction So who's afraid Of a little abstraction? Can't get no satisfaction From the facts? You better run, homeboy A fact's a fact From Nome to Rome, boy What's the deal, spin the wheel If the dice are hot, take a shot Play your cards, show us what you got What you're holding If the cards are cold Don't go folding Lady Luck is golden She favors the bold, that's cold Stop throwing stones The night has a thousand saxophones So get out there and rock And roll the bones Get busy

Memories of things that never happened These are always the hardest to forget All the old friends and the loved ones These are the people you haven't even met Looking forward into the old days Looking back at what there will be There's no reality it's just an illusion There's no real sanity just plain confusion How do you feel? Well I don't know just how I feel All I know that I love you girl (what is real) It's so real, so real, surreal Here we go There is no single circumstance I never took a final chance I made it something that you can see and touch forever I always looked the same from every angle and never cast a shadow That would change the way you thought about your very being That what what you were seeing would always be Would always be Would always be the truth How do you feel? Well I don't know just how I feel All I know that I love you girl (what is real) It's so real, so real, surreal It's so real, so real, surreal It's so real, so real, surreal Ooh it's so real, so real, surreal Oh all right, ahhh! Well I don't know just how I feel "We have a tradition of whimsy here at Zevo toys Dad began that tradition with Milton the Friendly Elephant And it carries all the way through the new line." There is no single circumstance I never took a final chance I made myself a thing that you could see and touch forever You always looked the same from every angle and never cast a shadow That would change the way I felt about about your very being That what what you say would always be Would always be Would always be Would always be the truth How do you feel? Well I don't know just how I feel All I know that I love you girl It's so real, so real, surreal All the seasons I have spoken All the reasons I have rhymed For the state of incandescence Just imagine what is real Simply then the words were spoken Just imagine what is real What is real What is real

We do get windstorms, and wind speed does increase around tall buildings, so the glass is reinforced/tempered and usually has energy efficient coatings/laminates (Mandalay's windows were gold argon-filled panels to reflect heat, for example). That said, one of the reasons that the shooter was found so fast was that the gunfire set off the smoke detectors in the room. There are no "security systems" in the rooms, but there were probably cameras in the hallways and elevators. Mandalay Bay would have a bell desk, where he could get assistance with luggage up to the room. They frequently have conventions, so odd-shaped shipping boxes and bags wouldn't necessarily be suspicious. https://www.reviewjournal.com/weather/desert-winds-often-make-las-vegas-headlines-a-brief-history/

Superman (1978) - I picked up one of those Blu-Ray sets where there's three movies in the package, in this case Superman, Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, and Superman Returns. Watching this version of Superman, I kept on running into extra scenes that I didn't remember. Turns out, the Blu-Ray was based upon a Special Edition cut that was assembled around 2000, with about 8 extra minutes of footage (151 minute total running time), and with Richard Donner's input. In researching this, I found that Warner Brothers has just released the 188 minute "TV version" that was originally shown over two nights on ABC (which wasn't really all that special, if I remember correctly). About 20 years ago, I remember watching a cut made to sell the movie to distributors (the gentleman who had it worked for a TV station at the time), and it ran the entire movie in about 45 minutes.

About 10 years ago, I was sent to Wellington, New Zealand for two weeks of training. I found that the NZ McDonald's there still had the deep fried apple pies. Before my Mom passed away last year, I'd visit her in Maine for a week. I'd usually make a breakfast run to McDonald's during that time, as it was the only way that I could get a Steak, egg, & cheese bagel*. It had been removed from the Western US menus about the same time that the McGriddle showed up. Maine McDonald's also would often have lobster rolls on the menu, though I couldn't bring myself to order that. *Which looks to have been replaced by a Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Bagel, which is just not the same.

What kind of madness rules the world today What earthly reason holding sway There is no heaven at all For some may weep And some may sleep While some may rise And some of us may fall No one is an island No one born alone No man can turn the tide of fortune on his own Though some may dare to try Say there but for the grace of God go you my friend Say there but for the grace of God go I Go I And so we live in lives of fantasy And dream of dreams that hold the key And we all follow like sheep We thread the path That leads to thee We seek the soul that is not ours to keep No one is an island No one born alone No man can turn the tide of fortune on his own Though some may bravely try Say there but for the grace of God go you my friend Say there but for the grace of God go I Go I

Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe 5.1 mix. I also just preordered my birthday present: https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/the-alan-parsons-project-eye-in-the-sky

For me, it means don't play with the chipmunks and other Plague carriers in Kyle Canyon and Lee Canyon.

"Love Theme" by Vangelis.

One more kiss, dear, one more sigh Only this dear, is goodbye For our love is such pain and such pleasure That I'll treasure till I die So for now dear, Aurevoir, madame But I bow dear, not farewell For in time we may have a love's glory Our love story to tell Just as every autumn leaves fall from the tree Tumble to the ground and die So in the springtime like sweet memories They will return as will I Like the sun dear, upon high We'll return dear, to the sky And we'll banish the pain and the sorrow Until tomorrow, goodbye One more kiss dear, one more sigh Only this dear, is goodbye For our love is such passion, such pleasure I will treasure until till I die Like the sun dear, upon high We'll return dear, to the sky And we'll banish the pain and the sorrow Until tomorrow, goodbye

Now see what you've gone and done. Now you never did see such a terrible thing As was seen last night on T.V. Maybe if we're lucky, they will show it again Such a terrible thing to see There's nothing you can do when you're the next in line You've got to go domino. Now I'm one with the living and I'm feeling just fine I know what I must do Play the game of happiness and never let on That it only lives on in a song There's nothing you can do when you're the next in line You've got to go domino.

To be fair, a truck attack in Las Vegas for the same venue would have to clear a reinforced block wall and multiple chain link fences. Not to mention, Strip traffic probably wouldn't have allowed enough speed for ramming. Much of the Las Vegas Strip has been hardened for truck attacks, and there are several properties where walkways are not even at ground level. As far as "poofing away all the guns", at this point, I'd be happy with extended funding for mental health, and background checks for all gun purchases. Absurd observation of the day: When verifying this on Google Street View, I noticed that the Luxor's sphinx has its face obscured for privacy.

I found out about if from a phone call from an out of state relative about 40 minutes ago. I'm O.K., but now it's a bit of a waiting game to find out if anyone I know was affected.

Poseidon - You know, I really like the original. This isn't it, but it's not as bad as the initial reviews made it to be. (Streamed on Hulu) Undercover Blues - One of my favorite movies, it's a comedy about a pair of spies on maternity leave in New Orleans. (DVD)

Break Like the Wind - Spinal Tap First track: