Hanging onto promises and songs of yesterday
The Cylon model is finally here. The NWOB Vintage Battlestar Galactica Cylon Centurian Action Figure that I purchased online 15 days ago reached me via post this afternoon. I opened it up and here are some pics of the model.
In honour of that great Galactica 1980 episode and an awesome friendship that still inspires, I shall call him Cy.
What kind of sleeper are you? Do you drop off like a stone and awaken refreshed, or do you need pitch black and silence to drift off to dream?
I think it kinda depends on the day I have had and how tired I am. Mostly I do need to feel really tired and sleepy to just lie in bed with the lights off and close my eyes and I will be off to la la land. There are nights that I have had those. All I need to do is take off my clothes (I like to sleep naked in my bed) and switch off the lights and slip in between the sheets and I go zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Other nights I take a while. I am a thinker and I dream of a lot of stuff too but mostly its the fantasies that I create in my head. Of a better, more exciting and super awesome life. In science fiction glory. With spaceships and lazers and fighting evil aliens on alien planets. You know? And sometimes I even drift off while thinking of a nice cozy log cabin in the mountains with just a couple of pets and a hot woman by my side. Cozy up by the fire with some hot cocoa and some marshmellows and deciding what movie to watch that lazy afternoon.
Good dreams. So if I am not too tired, I tend to like to lie in the silence and the dark and think about nice things and let sleep take it’s natural course. And if I am lucky those thoughts replicate it-selves in my dreams too. Which means for a really good night.
Prompt from The Daily Post at WordPress.com
From the 1965 Film of THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Charmaine Carr who played the oldest daughter in Sound Of Music has died. She was 73. The Chicago, Illinois, second child of vaudeville actress Rita Oehmen and musician Brian Farnon, was best American actress and singer best known for her role as Liesl, the eldest Von Trapp daughter in the film. While a student at San Fernando High School, Carr was a cheerleader and played basketball and volleyball. Carr was attending San Fernando Valley State College, studying speech therapy and philosophy, and working for a doctor, when her mother arranged for her to audition for a role in The Sound of Music.
She won the role of Liesl over Geraldine Chaplin, Patty Duke, Mia Farrow, Lesley Ann Warren and Sharon Tate. Carr appeared in Evening Primrose, a one-hour musical written by Stephen Sondheim, which aired on ABC Stage 67 in 1966. The male lead was Anthony Perkins. Carr worked with Van Johnson on a pilot for a television program, Take Her, She’s Mine. She wrote two books, Forever Liesl and Letters to Liesl. She reunited with many of her co-stars from The Sound of Music on The Oprah Winfrey Show in October 2010 to celebrate the film’s 45th anniversary. In 2014, Carr recorded “Edelweiss” with the great-grandchildren of the von Trapps on the album “Dream a Little Dream” by the Von Trapps and Pink Martini.
he owned and operated an interior design firm, Charmian Carr Designs, in Encino, California. Her clients included Ernest Lehman, screenwriter for The Sound of Music; Michael Jackson, who hired her because he was a fan of the film; and other cast members from the film. Carr married a dentist, Jay Brent, and left show business. She and Jay had two daughters, Jennifer and Emily. Later on she became the grandmother of two grandchildren: Emma and Derek. Carr died in Los Angeles on September 17, 2016, from complications related to dementia.
Chilli Pork from Velocity Bar & Wine Parlour
Alexis Sanchez scored twice and missed a penalty as Arsenal comfortably beat 10-man Hull City in the Premier League. Sanchez put Arsenal ahead when he got a touch on Alex Iwobi’s shot, but failed from the spot after Jake Livermore handled and was sent off. Theo Walcott added a second after the break before Robert Snodgrass pulled one back for the hosts with a penalty. Sanchez stroked a third into an empty net before Granit Xhaka’s spectacular shot rounded off the scoring.
Sanchez’s first goal owed much to fortune rather than brilliance as Iwobi arrived at the back post and saw his effort deflect in off the Chile international. Livermore was shown a straight red card five minutes before half-time when he blocked Iwobi’s goal-bound effort with his hands. Sanchez took responsibility for the penalty ahead of recent regular taker Santi Cazorla only to see his low effort saved by Hull goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic. It was a decision which also mystified Wenger who revealed it was “not planned for Sanchez to take it” and that he wants “to know what happened and for it not to happen again”. Walcott notched a second goal shortly before the hour mark when he got on the end of Iwobi’s clever flick with Hull defender Harry Maguire helping the ball into the net with his head. Snodgrass gave Hull a glimmer of hope when he converted from the spot after Petr Cech had brought down Dieumerci Mbokani, but Arsenal’s response was emphatic.
Sanchez struck after Jakupovic had blocked Walcott’s initial shot, before substitute Switzerland international Xhaka – a £35m summer signing from Borussia Monchengladbach – applied the gloss with the pick of the goals from distance. After three consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since last Christmas, Arsenal’s season now feels properly up and running. Hull made Arsenal work for this victory but the quality in Arsene Wenger’s side shone through. Even when he has an off day Sanchez can be a match-winner. These were not particularly classy strikes from the Chilean, but he got the job done. Wenger, in a season when the pressure is on him to deliver silverware, will likely feel there is plenty to build on from this performance.
Both teams have away trips in the third round of the EFL Cup during the week. Arsenal face Championship Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Tuesday while Hull benefit from a extra day of rest before they travel to the Potteries to play Stoke. Arsenal have won six games at the KCOM Stadium in all competitions – more than any other away side. Hull have lost back-to-back home league games for the first time since May 2015. Sanchez has been involved in eight goals in his five games against Hull in all competitions (six goals, two assists). Sanchez’s penalty miss means he is the only Arsenal player to take more than one Premier League penalty and fail to score with any of them. Arsene Wenger’s side have not lost any of their past 26 Premier League games against newly promoted sides (W22 D4).
Where were you last night at midnight? Would you have wanted to be somewhere else?
I was at work last night at midnight. I think I was hard at work on some audits and then at 12:30 am I went to get a refreshment with a colleague. We went to the cafeteria and drank a lemonade each instead of the usual coffee that we tend to get at that time of night to keep ourselves awake.
Where would I have wanted to be at that time instead? At home in my bed, naked between the sheets and having a gorgeous naked woman in bed with me. And ofcourse doing all the stuff that would make a child blush! Oh what the hell, we’d be making hot, passionate love. That’s where I’d rather be and what I’d rather be doing. A woman! LOL, instead I was sitting with a few really young girls who are cute but I am too old.
Anyways, back to reality!
Prompt from The Daily Post at WordPress.com
Remember those lovely genies who grant wishes? Well, you’re one and you’ve just been emancipated from your restrictive lamp. You can give your three wishes to whomever you want. Who do you give your three wishes to, and why?
Well I’m a Genie in a bottle, rub me the right way and I will grant you three wishes ;) Who will I give it to?
I will give the three wishes to someone who deserves it the most and will choose wisely and will choose the best options possible. And it will be totally worth it. Who is that person?
Why me ofcourse? Genie me will grant those three wishes to the real human me. I deserve them. I will make three grand wishes for me and for you and you and you and you. Don’t worry, you will all get what’s coming to you!
That wasn’t meant to be threatening. I really mean that you will all get what I believe we need. And those three wishes will be awesome. So let me get those wishes.
Prompt from The Daily Post at WordPress.com
A direct sequel set 1 year after the event of the first film, Now You See Me 2 is a 2016 American heist thriller film directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Ed Solomon. The film stars anensemble cast that includes Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Daniel Radcliffe, Lizzy Caplan, Jay Chou, Sanaa Lathan, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. Caplan replaces Isla Fisher in the film as Fisher was pregnant at the time of filming and couldn’t appear.
Ok, I did like the first one a lot more because it was fun and entertaining for the most part. This sequel tries to do the same things but adding a more dangerous element with revenge being at the forefront of things but in the end they did the twist thing once too many times. In the end of the last film we find out that the guy who was chasing the four horsemen, FBI agent Rhodes is also the guy who recruited them and brought them together to get them to join The Eye society. One year later the horsemen, who have been told to lay low by Rhodes are getting restless, especially Atlas who goes on his own, having grown tired of waiting for a mission, and seeks out The Eye himself. His search leads him to an underground tunnel in which he hears a voice that tells him that his wait may be coming to an end.
At his apartment he finds another magician, illusionist Lula May in his apartment. Thwarting his attempts to bind her, she escapes after saying that she is fascinated with the horsemen. Later when Atlas, McKinney & Wilder meet up with Rhodes, he finds Lula there and Rhodes introduces her at the replacement for former member Henley Reeves. He gives them a new mission to exposing corrupt businessman Owen Case (Ben Lamb), whose new software secretly steals data on its users for Case’s benefit. However things go wrong at the hijack the launch party for the new software, leading the FBI to their location. The show is unexpectedly interrupted by a mysterious individual who reveals to the world that Wilder, believed to be dead, is actually alive, and that Rhodes is their mole, forcing Dylan to evade his new boss Natalie Austin. While escaping, the Horsemen enter their escape tube on a roof, but instead of taking them to their truck, they emerge in Macau, where they are captured by mercenaries led by Merritt’s vain twin brother, Chase McKinney and brought before Chase’s employer, technology prodigy Walter Mabry, Case’s former business partner who faked his death after Case stole Walter’s company.
Mabry conscripts the Horsemen into stealing the data-mining device developed by Case from a secure facility, to prevent Case from using it. The chip allows the user to decrypt and access any electronic device around the world. Atlas agrees to steal the device, despite the others’ expressing loyalty to Rhodes, and leads them to a renowned Macau magic shop run by Li and his grandmother Bu Bu, who makes them the equipment needed to pull off the heist. Atlas contacts The Eye to arrange the device handover once stolen. Rhodes, now a fugitive from the law, forced to spring his rival Thaddeus Bradley whom Rhodes blames for the death of his father, out of jail to help him expose the mastermind behind the conspiracy. Arriving in Macau, they seek Li for information where it is revealed that Rhodes’s father was a customer who had commissioned a watch along with the safe used in the stunt that had killed him. As Rhodes thanks Li for the watch, Bradley steps into a trick sarcophagus and escapes Rhodes’ custody, revealing that he anticipated Rhodes would free him if exposed.
In an amazing sequence the Horsmen steal the chip Atlas waits in a marketplace in order to give the chip to the Eye. He is then confronted by Mabry and his men, Mabry revealing that Atlas had been fooled into thinking that Mabry was The Eye. Mabry had cloned his cellphone in the tunnel providing all the information needed to plot their capture. Rhodes intervenes and pretends to retrieve the device, slipping the device back into Atlas’ jacket and fights off Mabry’s men, but gets distracted by Chase and is captured by Mabry’s forces. He is taken to a nearby yacht where he learns Mabry is acting on behalf of his father, Arthur Tressler, the businessman whom Rhodes employed the Horsemen to expose in revenge for Tressler’s company denying his mother’s insurance claims after Shrike died in a stunt gone wrong. Having secured the device, Tressler reveals Bradley as his associate and places Rhodes in a replica of the same safe that his father died in and leaves him to drown, but Rhodes now understands how his father had planned to escape and manages to open the safe door. He’s helped to the surface by Atlas as the Horsemen had traced him after Tressler and Mabry had left. After the rescue they find that the chip they had stolen appears to be a fake.
Rhodes and the Horsemen reunite with Bu Bu and Li, who are revealed to be true representatives of The Eye society and determine that Mabry’s and Tressler’s principal fears are exposure which they should exploit. They announce their performances in London performing a series of tricks live on the streets. Mabry, Tressler and Chase notice a pattern in their appearances, discover that Rhodes is still alive, and locate the location of their finale, capturing the five and bringing them aboard their private plane. Mabry takes the chip card from them and Rhodes along with the other Horsemen are thrown out of the plane in flight. However, Tressler finds that the plane has never taken off, and instead they were tricked into boarding a plane on a barge in the middle of the River Thames, their criminal activities being broadcast live to the world by the Horsemen in the process. Mabry, Tressler and Chase are arrested by the FBI, and Rhodes entrusts the information they’ve gathered on the real criminals’ activities to Austin, who allows him a head start to escape.
Rhodes and the Horsemen are then taken by Li to a secret library in Greenwich observatory where they are reunited with Bradley, who reveals himself to be senior in the Eye’s leadership and Lionel Shrike’s partner, having masqueraded as his rival as part of their mutual act. Bradley compliments Rhodes on the magician he’s become and explains that the Horsemen have completed their training. Before Bradley leaves he asks Rhodes to be his successor in the Eye. He points out a curtain and tells them to ignore whatever is behind it. Rhodes and the Horsemen find a door behind the curtain and enter a spiral staircase. As the movie ends, the camera pans out and the staircase is revealed to form the shape of the Society’s eye symbol.
That last twist of Bradley being the leader in The Eye and actually Shrike’s partner was one twist too many. I found it boring to say the least. The movie failed to ignite the same sense of awe and mystique if you ask me. It’s not a bad film but it was like seeing a rehash to be honest. There are some cool scenes but Woody Harrelson as the twin was terrible. 7 outta 10!
The Knock Out Jab Wheat Ale with light fruity flavours and Cobra Punch Dark Ale a dark ale brewed with dark hops & malts are from the Soi7 Brewery & Pub DLF Cyber Mall in Gurgaon. This are two video reviews I thought I had lost in March – turns out I accidentally saved it in another folder. Here you go, watch the videos.
Alexis Sanchez salvaged a point for Arsenal from their limp Champions League opener at Paris St-Germain. Edinson Cavani glanced PSG ahead after 42 seconds and should have had a hat-trick before half-time, firing wide after rounding David Ospina before slipping to fluff a simple finish. Sanchez rifled in the rebound from Arsenal’s first shot on target. Alex Iwobi might have had a late Arsenal winner before Olivier Giroud and PSG’s Marco Verratti were sent off.
Substitute Giroud was brought on to enliven a tame attacking display and picked up two yellow cards in his 27 minutes, the second for an altercation in which Italian midfielder Verratti also picked up a second yellow. The Gunners were often exposed by the pace of Cavani, Angel di Maria and Serge Aurier and relied on their Colombian goalkeeper Ospina – preferred to Petr Cech – to keep them in it. Iwobi’s low shot was tipped away by Alphonse Areola after Sanchez’s equaliser, while PSG would have had a 94th-minute winner had defender Marquinhos not wastefully headed wide from close range.
Anything more than a point for Arsenal would have been harsh on PSG, who outperformed their Premier League opponents but failed to take their chances. Arsenal produced some slick interplay in front of goal but failed to produce many dangerous moments and looked shaky at the back. By the time Sanchez brought them level by firing home after Iwobi’s shot was parried out, they could easily have been two or three behind. Cech was dropped for Ospina in Arsenal’s first two Champions League games last season but was reinstated after the Colombian scored an own goal from a corner in a 3-2 home defeat by Olympiakos. In the first half Ospina made a brilliant recovery to tip over as Angel di Maria’s corner momentarily threatened a repeat of that calamitous moment, but he had little chance of stopping Cavani’s deft, glancing header.
Well back to work for a day then a day off for Onam. Yesterday was a holiday and hence I enjoyed a nice long weekend but today it’s back to work. However with tomorrow being Onam and a state holiday, I will be at home. I have to go to the office in about an hour’s time and will leave the office by 12:30 am.
I enjoy long gaps from work but 3 days just isn’t enough. I need a bigger break of maybe 2 weeks at a stretch. Hopefully I will be able to do that sometime next year because it doesn’t look likely that it will happen in 2016. All I managed was a 6 day vacation.
Anyways, tomorrow will be a sadhya and payasam and some plantain chips and a long nap while I try to watch a movie in the middle of the afternoon I suppose.
A Closer Look at The Nausicaan Raider *Star Trek Starships Collection*
On September 8th 2016 Star Trek turned 50! 726 episodes, 13 movies, 100s of books and comics make up the Trek universe and every Trekkie/Trekker has their own reasons for being one.
Why not have a go at the challenge below and share it with your Trek friends and help Trek celebrate the big 5-0?
What/who is your favourite…
1. OVERALL SERIES: Star Trek The Next Generation / Star Trek Deep Space Nine
2. OVERALL EPISODE: Hard to pick just one
3. MIRROR EPISODE: Mirror, Mirror (TOS) / In A Mirror, Darkly (Enterprise)
4. TIME-TRAVEL EPISODE: The Trouble With Tribbles (DS9)
5. FEDERATION STARSHIP: USS Thunderchild, Akira class (cannon) / USS Insignia, Insignia class (from STO)
6. STARSHIP CLASS: The same as the above
7. SMALL SPACECRAFT (SHUTTLE/RUNABOUT): Delta Flyer (Voyager)
8. NON-FEDERATION STARSHIP: Klingon Bird of Prey
9. KLINGON: Kor or Martok
10. ROMULAN: Commander Donatra
11. VULCAN: Sarek
12. FERENGI: Quark
13. BAJORAN: Sha’kaar or Kira Nerys
14. ANDORIAN: Shraan
15. PLANET: Risa
16. CAPTAIN: James T Kirk (the original)
17. FIRST OFFICER: Spock (the original)
18. HELMSMAN: Lt. Tom Paris
19. SCIENCE OFFICER: Spock (the original)
20. CHIEF ENGINEER: Lt. Cmdr. Geordi LaForge
21. DOCTOR: Dr. Julian Bashir
22. SECURITY CHIEF: Lt. Worf
23. COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: Ensign Hoshi Sato
24. TOS EPISODE: Space Seed
25. TNG EPISODE: Best Of Both Worlds
26. DS9 EPISODE: Trials & Tribulations
27. VOY EPISODE: Distant Origin
28. ENT EPISODE: Regeneration
29. UNIFORM: Grey Uniform (last 3 TNG movies and late DS9 era)
30. QUOTE: “If I were human I believe my response would be “go to hell.”… If I were human.” – Spock
31. DRINK: Romulan ale
32. THEME TUNE: Star Trek Deep Space Nine
33. MOVIE: Wrath of Khan / First Contact
34. SOUNDTRACK: Star Trek TMP
35. ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE: William Shatner
36. ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE: Marina Sirtis
37. SUPPORTING ACTOR: Bruce Greenwood
38. SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Persis Khambatta
39. FEDERATION WEAPON: Phasers
40. NON-FEDERATION WEAPON: Klingon Disruptors (Enterprise era)
41. FEDERATION TECHNOLOGY: Replicators
42. NON-FEDERATION TECHNOLOGY: Romulan Cloaking device
43. KELVIN TIMELINE MOVIE: Star Trek Beyond
44. KELVIN TIMELINE CHARACTER: Captain / Admiral Christoper Pike
45. BATTLE SCENE: Battle of Wolf 359
46. BOOK (STORY): None
47. BOOK (TECH): None
48. COMIC: None
49. AUTHOR: None
50. CELEBRITY ENCOUNTER: None yet
MarryBrown’s Tower Burger & Crunchy Chicken – beef & chicken patties with cheese, lettuce and onions. On the side is a piece of crispy chicken and a cold coffee.
Been a lazy couple of days. Too tired to go out but I was supposed to go out with a couple of friends but that got cancelled. And since I slept very little on Thursday & Friday nights, I slept in a bit yesterday. The folks and I had some fried chicken and I enjoyed a beer for dinner last night. Today has been light – watched a movie and took it easy. Tomorrow I might go out.
I’m a bit disappointed that the meet with my friends did not happen. I guess thinks just didn’t work out but I hate when stuff like that happens and plans that were made a day ago gets blown out. But I guess that is life and you deal with it. Anyway, I would like some pizza and not the Dominos / Pizza Hut style but some really good, individual restaurant/pizzeria stuff. I am thinking of going to either Lulu Mall and take in a movie and get a pizza from Bloomsbury or go to either Elements or 360 Degree and get a pizza from them (never been to 360 yet) and take in a movie at Cinepolis. We’ll see how it goes.
Tomorrow will be day 3 of the long weekend and I guess two days sitting at home is enough laziness. Let’s go out and have some fun.
Santi Cazorla’s stoppage-time penalty gave Arsenal a dramatic victory over a determined Southampton side. Saints took the lead when Petr Cech tipped a Dusan Tadic free-kick onto the underside of the bar but the ball bounced in off the Gunners keeper. Laurent Koscielny equalised with a spectacular overhead kick after Cazorla’s corner was not cleared. The hosts toiled in attack but Cazorla won it for them after Jose Fonte was judged to have fouled Olivier Giroud. The result was harsh on Southampton, who were well-organised at the back and dangerous when they broke forward. Saints remain winless under new manager Claude Puel, while Arsenal are five points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City, who beat Manchester United earlier on Saturday.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger gave debuts to both his recent signings, £35m centre-back Shkodran Mustafi and £17m forward Lucas Perez. A World Cup winner with Germany, Mustafi instantly looked comfortable in his new surroundings, having more touches (94) and playing more passes (86) than anyone else on the pitch, frequently stepping up into the Saints half when he was on the ball. But Spaniard Perez had a much quieter debut, failing to have a shot of any kind in the first half. His only effort at goal after the break was blocked and he was taken off after 63 mostly ineffective minutes. Wenger threw on Giroud, Alexis Sanchez and, eventually, Alex Iwobu too, but his side continued to struggle in front of goal until Fonte tangled with France striker Giroud and referee Robert Madley pointed to the spot.
Southampton are in the bottom three after failing to win any of their first four games of the season, but they were unfortunate not to pick up at least a point in north London. Shane Long was left on the bench until half-time but had three good chances in the second half. Arsenal begin their Champions League campaign on Tuesday, with a trip to play French champions Paris St-Germain, before another away game, at Hull, in the Premier League next Saturday. Arsenal scored with both of their shots on target in this match, from 17 shots in total. Arsenal are unbeaten in their past 22 home league games against Southampton (W16 D6). Koscielny became the fifth Arsenal player to score a Premier League goal on their birthday (after Paul Merson, Robert Pires, Yossi Benayoun and Cazorla). Arsenal are at 6th on 7 points, level with Liverpool.