Pariah

Earlier this week I finished The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Yes, I know that Atwood herself calls this "speculative fiction"* rather than science fiction. But one of the recurring tropes of science fiction is the examination of what constitutes a "person". And this book has that in spades. I won't attempt a detailed plot summary or analysis, but I will say that this is one of the most disheartening and challenging books I've ever read. Atwood's world-building of a society that has reduced half (or more) of its population to possessions and/or tools is depressingly thorough. The world is a nightmare, and there's really no way to fight against it. There's little freedom and less hope, and any indiscretion could lead to a horrible fate. And the saddest part is how much of all of this seems to be creeping into our society today. “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum”, indeed. -- * Isn't all fiction speculative by definition?

I'll confess that when I read this my first thought was "The Raiders QB room is so FUBAR that they're starting a Congresswoman from New York?" But hey, I'm not here to judge. Of course, the Broncos QB room now sounds like a personal injury law firm. "Did you or any of your loved ones watch Broncos football between 2016 and 2023? You may be entitled to financial compensation! Call the law firm of Stidham, Wilson, DiNucci and Nix for your free consultation today!"

And Bo Nix might very well have been available later ... but after watching five quarterbacks go in the first 11 picks - including the aforementioned Michael Penix Jr. - if that's the guy you want, can you really take that chance? I don't know how much draft day grades really mean. Ask me again this time next year.

The Broncos get Bo Nix at #12. I expect there are a lot of happy people in Donkeyland right now. It's been an interesting draft so far. Six quarterbacks taken in the first 12 picks, and zero defensive players. Says something about the state of the league right now, I suppose. Now, who will the Raiders get...?

Fare thee well, Master of the Mellotron. Moody Blues Cofounder Mike Pinder, Last Surviving Original Member of Band, Dies at 82

I refuse to believe we don't have free will—even if it's only because I'm predestined not to believe that.

I saw a mock draft earlier today in which Denver trades down with the Eagles and still ends up with Bo Nix. That wouldn't be a horrible outcome, I suppose. Except for Ben DiNucci, who would then be on the next plane out of town for the UFL. This same mock draft has Penix Jr. falling to the Seahawks.

So I see that the Los Angeles Rams are choosing 19th in the draft tonight. This will be their first first-round pick since 2016. Crazy.

Orchestras are just 18th century cover bands.

If it doesn't have Tim Curry and three different endings, I'm not interested.

"You don't find Cathy attractive?" "No, I don't." (to the camera) "No, I'm not going to tell my nine months pregnant wife that I find her replacement objectively attractive. Just like I'm not going to tell my 2-year-old daughter that violent video games are objectively more fun. It's true, but it doesn't help anybody."

I think my favorite boy band of all time is probably The Beatles.

There's a Young Sheldon spin-off? Isn't Young Sheldon a spin-off itself?

For a song called "Piano Man", the guy with the harmonica won't shut the **** up.