Raithe

Condolences Tale.

They won't do that, because product placement. Remember, the Bond films practically invented it back in the day.

Idris would make a good Bond, but he would have worked better 5 years or so ago. I think he's generally considered too "old" to take a position like that on a franchise movie. He's hitting the age where actors have stopped playing Bond, so they'd get him for a film, maybe two, but then they'd be recasting once again. They need to get an actor who can be there for that 5-10 year process of making a handful of films.

Huh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0pwXLtvt2w

And James Purefoy gets to delivery some wonderfully snarky lines as a bad guy in it.

Okay, not strictly military ... but.. amusing...

Whatever side you're on, this is kind of amusing:

Just to give your brains a little ache...

Posted by a friend on some social media :

I think that's the key point. It doesn't matter what the benefits or losses are.. it should matter whether I actually get to enjoy a democratic say in my government. Which, it distinctly feels like I won't if the EU carries on as it is. And note, when I say "my government" I don't mean Britain, so not on that pure sovereignty/independence. If a group gets to pass laws that say what I can or cannot do, establish taxes that I have to pay, and in general acts to control the society around me.. I really, really want a way to vote on that group that's actually meaningful. Not a "vote for some vague personage who just seems to be there for PR purposes, while the work and legislation is handled by other people entirely and don't rely on whether I want them there or not". Getting a pat on the head with "You'll be better off economically, and you'll be able to travel within Europe better. Don't worry, we know what you want, we're the smart people here, you can trust us to have your best interests at heart. Honest. We just won't tell you who we are or how we reach our decisions." is not something I'm all that comfortable with.

See, everyone seems to worry about the economic issues of this, but no-ones really talking about the actual EU governmental process. That's the bit that sticks in my craw at the moment. It pretty much feels as if the average person doesn't actually have any representation in what or how the laws of the EU are made and implemented.

The Takei 'Trump Analogy'

Spent some time on the latest episode of Hitman. Once again, the level itself is rather brilliant, the mechanics of the gameplay are sweet, the open nature and all the possibilities to try to complete it are great. But storywise, apart from a few bits hidden around the level itself, the only story you get is another 30 second cinematic at the end. Okay, maybe a little longer than 30 seconds but.... So far, this has basically come down to 2 training levels, 3 actual game levels, and about 5 minutes of cinematics telling a story. All of which is mysterious, clouded, and pretty much suggesting there's someone being a puppetmaster and using the agency and Agent 47 as a catspaw against some vast conspiracy group. But nothing direct with Agent 47. So in a lot of ways, 47 isn't really the protagonist of this plot. As far as you are concerned as 47, nothing you've done so far is connected together in any way. Each episode is a random, one shot mission. In the grand meta-scheme of it all, you're aware that they are all tied in some way to this conspiracy group and the guy manipulating events..but nothing solid. So yes. Mechanically fun to play in, but sadly lacking the spirit of the Hitman story at the moment.

Memorial Day sand castle on Omaha beach..

Why R2 was non-functional all that time?