F1: The Movie (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

F1: The Movie (2025): Cocky, arrogant Formula 1 racer, played by Brad Pitt (of course), tries to reclaim glory 30 years after a bad accident. It's a sports movie. Enough said. What did I learn about F1 racing? The win goes to the car with the best tires. Or at least the driver who knows how to get the most out of them. B-

AppleTV

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025): A murder mystery where the crime is just an excuse to explore irreconcilable views of religious faith, with Benoit Blanc's lack of faith also on view. As for the murder plot, it has too many elements that lack credibility. B+

Netflix

TIL: More Offensive Words

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer.

I first wrote about the loss of values in American politics in 2011, with "Civility: What's Not To Like?". But "civility" was not the first word to transform from being a value to being offensive. I wrote in 2017: For me, "it started with 'tolerance'. Long ago, I was surprised to learn that tolerance is not universally considered to be a virtue. (Tolerance was imagined to be synonymous with approval - approval of gays, of Muslims, of sin.) Then, I learned that 'compromise' is not universally considered to be a virtue, either. (Compromise was imagined to require a surrender of principle.)" That article was called, "Now Kindness is a Dirty Word, Too".

Now in 2025, I learned a whole bunch of other words that have transformed from being values to being offensive. Also, I learned an explanation of what's behind it.

POTD: Umbrella Factory

From 2025 03 23 Chiang Mai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at an umbrella factory in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Beautiful. That is all.

Bonus photos are after the jump.

POTD: Among the Elephants

From 2025 03 23 Chiang Mai

Today's photo-of-the-day was taken at an Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Think of it as a retirement home for elephants who age out of being worked in the logging industry, in circuses, in zoos. Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Camp 6 is an internationally accredited elephant camp with recognized welfare standards. It falls into the category of ethical tourism-funded sanctuaries. Tourists still interact with the elephants, feeding them, petting them, bathing them. It's probably a good middle ground that generates income for animal welfare. Anyway, that's our story and we're sticking with it.

Bonus photos are after the jump.