"Here's to plain speaking and clear understanding."

a satellite of triptych cryptic

Alert the Revenuers

I'm talkin' moonshine. Since moving from New England to the South I've been wondering where are the stills are at. I don't think I can fully assimilate until I've experienced the White Lightning. Finally, some bona fide homemade moonshine is coming my way. Can't wait to see what ol' Willie's band was fueling up with, what Uncle Jesse used to run through Hazzard County, and all those guys like George Jones sang about. I hope it comes in a jug with three Xs scrawled on it ...
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Fox readying U.S. version of 'Torchwood' (Time to Panic)

http://www.thrfeed.com/2010/01/fox-readying-us-version-of-torchwood-.html

No, no, no. You can't reboot a series that is hooked (however loosely) into another ongoing series. Fans of Dr. Who will have to ignore the new Torchwood in order for the Who continuity to make sense. Else we'd have to reject the Who continuity -- which ain't gonna happen. This article also mentions a possible US Who reboot ... How reliable is this madness? ... which is an even worse idea right now. US Who fans are watching the BBC Who and don't have room for a reboot. The only way either of these alleged reboots could work would be to move production of the current series to Fox. That would be like giving the keys to your brilliant new luxury hybrid sports concept car to your idiot neighbor's meth-head stepson his first day out of juvenile detention. Fox would kill the franchise and then Who fans would have to wait another 20 odd years for the series to revive. Who and Torchwood belong on the BBC where Who at least has a shot at running for several more years. If Fox needs a Who property to sully, give them one of the old companions to reboot: The Peri Chronicles or something. With no crossovers and no interference with the Whoniverse. It's strained enough already. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

FT.com / Reportage - Moscow’s stray dogs

Every so often, you would see one waiting on a metro platform. When the train pulled up, the dog would step in, scramble up to lie on a seat or sit on the floor if the carriage was crowded, and then exit a few stops later. There is even a website dedicated to the metro stray (www.metrodog.ru) on which passengers post photos and video clips taken with their mobile phones, documenting the ­savviest of the pack using the public transport system like any other Muscovite.
via ft.com

No Country for Old Men (2007) - Flickchart

On Your Flickchart

#400

Global Ranking

#35

via flickchart.com

Finally saw "No Country for Old Men" yesterday. I went in with mixed expectations. Love the Coen Bros. movies, don't have much patience for (source novel author) Cormac McBorings ponderous pondering. I haven't read the novel, and won't, but I have a feeling it's what's wrong with the movie. The performances were outstanding. Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem were all excellent. But the women in the movie weren't given much to do, and some of the dialogue was so painfully corndog I suspect it was straight from the book.

I'm glad I saw it, but if I'm ever faced with the choice of watching this or the other Coen Bros. set in Texas, "Blood Simple", the latter wins.

I Want the Geno Shirt!

Watching the Huskies go all Ben Grimm ("It's clobberin' time!") on Notre Dame, I'm a little nostalgic for the 2001 and 2002 teams: Svetlana Abrosimova, Shea Ralph, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams, Jessica Moore, Kelly Schumacher ... so many talented players it's unbelievable.  Taking nothing away from the current stars, Maya Moore & Tina Charles are clearly as talented as any of my old favorites; I just don't get to see this team or listen to the golden tones of Joe D'Ambrosio describing their exploits on the radio the way I could those teams, so these ESPN & CBS national games are my only chance to get to know today's players.  

I'd really like to get to the MLK Day game vs. Duke.  The thought of setting foot on that campus kind of skeeves me out though.  It would be fun to throw the gear on and glare at the Dukies though.

Priest charged with molesting boy :: WRAL.com

A priest at Catholic churches in Wayne and Duplin counties has been arrested and suspended from his job on allegations that he molested a boy in Brunswick County.

Rev. Edgar Sepulveda, 47, of 208 Cavenaugh St. in Beulaville, was arrested Friday on one count each of second-degree sexual offense and sexual battery. He was released on a $100,00 secured bond.

via wral.com

Wow. What shocking news. Again.

As a parent. I can't imagine what leads other people to believe their kids are safe with these guys? I mean, how many sexual abuse scandals does it take? If anything, the fact that these grown men have as their sole qualification for child care the fact that either they really believe in magical mumbo-jumbo, or can convincingly pretend that they do, ought to disqualify them from having any kind of contact with children.