Kurt's Thoughts

“He who blames others has a long way to go on their journey.
He who blames himself is half way there.
He who blames no one has arrived.”

– The 36 Stratagems in Ancient China War: 三十六计
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/9993888-he-who-blames-others-has-a-long-way-to-go

#quotes

There’s a thread on Mastodon talking about how folks should add “quote” marks and “commas” to their passwords to fuck up the .CSV files that they’ll be dumped to when the service you use is inevitably hacked, owned & exfiltrated of user account data.

Someone posted this & I’ve been chuckling all morning at the ingenuity of some folk in the InfoSec scene:

We can at least hope that the world’s children have teachers who are patient enough to share — and be allowed to share — clear and fact-based historical knowledge.

Kids: History matters.

The 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey was conducted online via Qualtrics from November 15 to December 31, 2023.

The survey is a poll of historians, social science experts in presidential politics and authors of relevant peer-reviewed academic research.

News articles/posts about the Qualtrics/Brandon Rottinghaus survey:

• USA Today: Historians rank Joe Biden as 14th-greatest US president; Lincoln in 1st, Trump in last
• Newsweek
  • Newsweek: Donald Trump Places Last in New ‘Presidential Greatness’ Rankings
  • Newsweek: Biden Campaign Slams Trump for Ranking Last in ‘Presidential Greatness’
• NPR: In historians’ Presidents Day survey, Biden vs. Trump is not a close cal`l
• LA Times: Opinion: We know how voters feel about Trump and Biden. But how do the experts rank their presidencies?
• Rolling Stone: Trump Ranks Dead Last (Again) in Poll of Presidential Greatness

Full report here:
http://www.brandonrottinghaus.com/uploads/
1/0/8/7/108798321/presidential_greatness_white_paper_2024.pdf

What’s on your Mount Rushmore of Sci-fi TV series? I’m gonna go with:
✅ Mr. Robot
✅ Battlestar Galactica (Remake)
✅ The Expanse
✅ Star Wars: Andor

Honorable Mentions:
☑️ Marvel Studios: Loki
☑️ Westworld
☑️ Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
☑️ Twilight Zone (any)
☑️ Star Wars: The Mandalorian

#tvseries #scifi #MtRushmore

Ranking of my most-to-least favorite live action Star Wars content. (Feel free to follow or unfollow based on your delight or anger with my preferences 😜)

BEST
S1: Andor
M1: Rogue One
E4: A New Hope
S1: The Mandolorian (All)
E5: Empire Strikes Back
E7: The Force Awakens
E6: Return of the Jedi  
S1: Obi-Wan
M2: Solo
S1: Ahsoka
E2 Attack of the Clones
E1: The Phantom Menace
E3: Revenge of the Sith
E9: The Rise of Skywalker
E8: The Last Jedi
S1: The Book of Boba Fett
WORST

Interestingly, I’ve noticed that the 3 pivot points for EVERYONE are:
✅where the Prequels rank
✅where Andor/Rogue One ranks
✅where The Last Jedi ranks

Generally, it seems everyone hates Book of Boba Fett & The Rise of Skywalker… and has Empire & New Hope very high.

BTW: For those still on the haterade for JJ Abrams & The Rise of Skywalker, have you gone through Trevorrow’s original “Duel of the Fates” script? Holy crap, what the hell was that?

I think if more people saw what was almost on the horizon with Trevorrow, they might think more kindly of JJ Abrams. As I tell people who I have this conversation about TROS & Abrams:
“Welp… HE TRIED. He had a crap script, a ton of executive notes from Iger on down, no time & something like 12 rewrites.”

✅(12min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_mLIVoIXM4&t=12s

✅ (1hr 30min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGkVzHuEz00

#ranking #StarWars

A lotta new coming out of Boradcom/VMware:

• “Broadcom to divest VMware’s EUC and Carbon Black units” – The Register
  https://www.theregister.com/2023/12/07/broadcom_q4_2023/
• “VMware customers face uncertain future as Broadcom ends VMware partner programs” – Ars Technica
  https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/01/broadcom-killing-vmware-partner-program-could-disrupt-thousands-of-businesses/

Mike Schur (Creator of The Office, Parks & Rec, The Good Place, Brooklyn 99) on the #Rodgers/ #McAfee/ #Kimmel controversy:

“Every year here, a lawyer comes to talk to you to explain ‘this is what you can do, this is what you can’t do’ & not a joke, the #1 example of a thing you CAN’T do is assert someone is a pedophile if they’re not a pedophile. It’s the #1 example the lawyers use.”

There’s a lotta things you can get away with insinuating… BUT YOU CANNOT SAY SOMEONE’S A PEDOPHILE.”

It’s absolutely verboten. And that’s why #Kimmel isn’t making jokes about this: This isn’t a joke. This is essentially the worst thing you can say about someone.

So I don’t care how much “power” #PatMcAfee has, I don’t care how much #AaronRodgers talks about freedom of speech (which, like most things, he doesn’t seem to really understand)…

YOU CAN’T DO THAT.

So this is going to end. I’d be shocked if this had legs from Aaron’s or Pat’s side becauseyou’re exposing yourself to not just legal liability but all sorts of things if you claim what he is claiming.

And I don’t know that they’re going to walk it back necessarily because those two guys aren’t rly in the walk-it-back-business as far as I know…

BUT THIS IS NOT GOING TO GO ANY FURTHER.

Because it would be the height of stupidity to try to turn this into some kind of freedom fight.

And BTW, yeah McAfee could leave… but I don’t think he’d leave & have Rodgers on to talk about this more because then he’s personally liable for whatever happens after that…

… so I think this is going to be over very quickly, not just because of the corporate dynamics at play but because the thing Rodgers did was abiut the STUPIDEST POSSIBLE THING you can do as an individual.

Epilogue: Mike Schur’s theory on Aaron Rodgers:

“My theory is, I think Aaron Rodgers thinks that maybe his career should have gone better & that he should have more Super Bowl victories & he’s just sad it’s ending.

And I honestly think that if Mike McCarthy had been a slightly better coach or if Ted Thompson had been a slightly better GM, none of this would be happening.

Like if Aaron Rodgers had 3 Super Bowl rings, none of this would be happening.”

🔥OMG🔥

#disney #espn #patmcafee #kimmel #aaronrodgers

Steve Ballmer could buy another NBA team w/ just his annual dividends from $MSFT.

But instead the Ballmer Group’s invested in:
✅ $425M to support children’s mental health research
✅ $300M to help communities of color fight injustice in Detroit (Steve’s hometown)
✅ $217M to fight climate change
✅ $50M for low income children
✅ $42M for Black-led non-profits
… and much more.

“Former Microsoft CEO #SteveBallmer is on pace to earn $1 billion in dividends annually from his massive stake in the software company”
https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/steve-ballmer-annual-microsoft-stock-dividend-payments-one-billion-msft-2023-12

Here’s a story that not many know:

Our community rec center needed to redo the damaged hardwood of the basketball court so we went to #SteveBallmer (owner of the #NBA Los Angeles Clippers & major supporter of children) w/ hat in hand.

“How much?”
“Well, $10k but it serves a community of 25k with…
[sternly holds up a finger]
“How much for all of them?”
“Excuse me?”
“How much for ALL the community centers in LA?”

And folks, that’s why every community center court in the City of #LosAngeles is emblazoned w/ the #Clippers logo.

It’s funny cuz it’s true. Have you looked into a mirror lately, MAGA?

Any Craig Ferguson fans out there?

I was a MASSIVE fan of the Late Late Show. I had a newborn back then & took the evening & late night shift. I had the same routine every night:
✅ Eat Bay Cities Deli sandwich
✅ Feed, burp, change & rock baby
✅ Watch Craig Ferguson

It was one of the happiest times of my life. Now watch Craig talk about how he got the show.

Craig Ferguson Is Not That Angry | What A Joke | Netflix Is A Joke
https://youtube.com/watch?v=RxqAeyRCUq8&si=_uDNmpL_wBFV15Nu

#craigferguson #latelateshow #worldwidepants

What if Qui Gonn, Obi Wan & Vader sat down on a couch to watch the Star Wars Holiday Special for Life Day?

“Vader roasts the star wars christmas special” – Charlie Hopkinson
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Q7kj3qbIH2o&si=hbLFzr3anDKmxVP4

#StarWars #starwarsholidayspecial #deepfakes #lifeday

When fighting fascism & tyranny…

Remember this: TRY.

A quick clip from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
on “How successful companies continue to be successful”:

It’s true. At Microsoft, we genuinely advocate for new ideas. Not all work but the culture under Satya is there to shield employees from “not invented here” syndrome.

#Microsoft #msftadvocate #satyanadella

Mariah Carey destroys everything.

I saw it. And now you do too.

An important mini-documentary & public service announcement about talking to your kids about Star Wars.

Enjoy.

This video is surprisingly emotional for me.

“How to spot an idiot” – as told by Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker during his 2023 commencement speech at Northwestern University.

More on this here:
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/the-graduation-speech-that-is-winning-the-internet-how-to-spot-an-idiot-4162620

“Every character in Andor has their own Rebellion and that’s arguably the thematic core of Andor.

Until people realize that they are fighting the same battles as the person next to them, large-scale change can’t be achieved.

A unified force can change the world but until we look past the things that seem to divide us we’ll continue to struggle alone.”

Why Andor’s Dialogue is SO Much Better – Star Wars: Andor
https://youtube.com/watch?v=4ExQnDYwsfo&feature=shared

Here’s some additional post-Andor viewing: 😁
✅ Andor: Banality of Evil
https://youtu.be/LXVj2cDP1Gg
✅ Andor: Anti-fascist Art
https://youtu.be/2gnKDSPBcb8
✅ Honest Trailers: Andor
https://youtu.be/b6_5fjY54oQ
✅ Andor: Things You Missed
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4xEo4XxrSJaryY0PGyGRvyo5Uigh6xqE
✅ Andor: More than y’think
https://youtu.be/0olCJWnqyq8
✅ Andor Easter Eggs
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDVUo0d8uHhfDXcs0NNq3w269zDOWXY6u
✅ Everything I ❤️ about Andor
https://youtu.be/B4AEWKiPDew
✅ A 1978 Star Wars Masterpiece https://youtu.be/rDzv250fEaE
✅ Andor vs ObiWan https://youtu.be/3NJsSa-RPf4

And aome of the monologues & moments in “Andor”:
✅ Andor | Luthen Rael’s Monologue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3RCme2zZRY
✅ Andor | Kino Loy’s Monologue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKB67KzjO4A
✅ Andor | Maarva Andor’s Monologue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaKrm5txGCQ
✅ Andor | Karis Nemik’s Manifesto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-asb8zTiuZ4
✅ Inside Look of Episodes 1-3 | Andor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y05Q3SGZwc
✅ Inside Look of Episodes 4-6 | Andor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ-fhJ4aBhE
✅ Andor | Inside Look at Narkina 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh2jC-Cwa1I

#andor #starwars #disneyplus

Ketamine is a helluva drug.

Kate Conger and Remy Tumin, The New York Times:

Although Mr. Musk acknowledged that an extended boycott could bankrupt X, he suggested that the public would blame the brands rather than him for its collapse.

He’s purely delusional. (Gift link.) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/29/business/dealbook/elon-musk-advertisers-blackmail-iger.html?unlocked_article_code=1.CU0.M30Z.l_-8B-weNJwE&smid=url-share

In case this is confusing to y’all, Elmo self-medicates with Ketamine, which he announced several months ago.

Ketamine, historically an animal tranquilizer, has a laundry list of psychological effects. Here’s a post from someone who knows Ketamine intimately:

• “Elon Musk Loves Ketamine, And Now Everything Makes Sense To Me” – Medium
• https://archive.ph/hDdX0