Colder This Night

46 degrees?! It was colder this night than it was last night. If I had known that, I would have let the cats in. Ash wanted to. She was at the door. But I was so damn tired; I didn't want to fuck with the noise and interruption. I thought the night was warmer. Well, it's not like it was a freeze. But still.

Elvis, 1973

After being strongly pressured by Elvis to get a hitman to kill Mike Stone, Red West talks with Robert Conrad. I make this note because I was a fan of Conrad’s in my childhood TV days. “The Wild, Wild West” was a fantastic show for me.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Conrad spoke to Red with the calm expected of him. “Look, man, don’t get into it. Don’t go near it. Stay well away. I’ve seen guys act like that before, just flip out. I’ve seen it as a reaction to pills or shots. Just go along with what they say and just keep putting them off until they calm down and realize what they are asking. He will come to his senses and will forget all about it … we hope.”

-- “Elvis: What Happened?” by Steve Dunleavy

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

( Pics )

4D Movies?

'Iron Man 3' is to be screened in the new '4DX' format in Japan, the first film to use the technology in the territory.

Movie-goers will experience the Robert Downey Jr actioner complete with titling and vibrating seats, blowing wind, fog and odour effects combined with what's going on on-screen.

The premium screens also have the facilities for raining bubbles down on an audience, and using lighting effects like strobes to heighten the cinematic experience.

-- ONTD

That actually sounds a little fun to me, but I still cannot see the third-dimension - more of a hardware problem in my head.

Fortress America

The United States is the only great power in the history of the world that has had the luxury of having nonpredatory neighbors to its north and south, and fish to its east and west. … Canadians, Mexicans, and fish. That trio of neighbors has given the United States an unprecedented degree of security, a huge margin for error in international affairs, and the luxury of largely unfettered development.

-- Aaron David Miller, "How Geography Explains the United States" at Foreign Policy

new ID card

I got my new ID card. They gave me the option to renew online. My only regret is that this means I am stuck with the same picture, which I think is my worst one yet. However, I don’t suppose I could have improved on it. It just gets worser and worser. An ugly that inspires pity. But no pity-fucks, alas.

It does not expire until 2019. A great convenience. I will be 54 then. Will I really still be here?? Of course, I doubted that I would need to renew my last ID, that I would see 48 (though, I still have a few weeks before I actually do, and so it’s not guaranteed). Hell, I didn’t think I’d see 40. But it is really hard to imagine Pop at 77 and still as vigorous as he is today. Nevertheless, I’ll take what I can, and let time take care of itself.