Random Thoughts: Myanmar loses, no matter who wins.

Tweets from February, 2021:

• 2021-02-01: On one side, there's a coup by people claiming election fraud. Sound familiar? On the other, there's Myanmar's detained leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who defended Burmese military against allegations of genocide against the Rohingya people. Myanmar loses, no matter who wins.
• 2021-02-01: Headline: "10 GOP senators want deal." Assuming they are sincere, this still implies 40 GOP senators don't want any deal. What does that say about our democracy's legislative process? Without deal-making, there is no unity, which is what the GOP professes to want.
• 2021-02-02: Big Little Lies - Seasons 1-2 (TV 2017-2019): Five women with kids in a wealthy Monterrey private school deal with bullying, spousal abuse, infidelity, bankruptcy, rape. At heart it's a dark soap opera, but it's fun watching these great actresses work with each other. A-
• 2021-02-05: QOP: not all of them are anti-democracy, but on balance, it's now the party of QAnon.
• 2021-02-05: No longer needing to woo the GOP's base is freeing. "Mitt Romney Has a Child Allowance Plan (and It's Better Than Biden's)"

After the jump, more random thoughts.

POTD: Entrance to Nefertari's Temple

From 2019 11 20 Abu Simbel

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the entrance to the temple of Nefertari, the wife of Ramsesses the Great, in Abu Simbel, south of Aswan, Egypt. The temple is located about 100 meters from the temple to Ramesses the Great.

Bonus photo from inside the temple after the jump.

Of Bonds and Taxes

The Richardson ISD is asking voters to approve a bond issue for capital projects. The subject is confusing enough without people using confusing language to talk about the bond. And by people I mean both the state legislature and school board candidates themselves.

The Lady and the Dale (TV 2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Lady and the Dale (TV 2021): Documentary about a con artist who claims to be the next Henry Ford, launching a 3-wheeled car with fatal design flaws. Oh, and she's a transgender woman. How did I never hear this story? Movie never finds the right balance to the many angles. B-

POTD: Panorama of Abu Simbel Temples

From 2019 11 20 Abu Simbel

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Abu Simbel south of Aswan, Egypt. It's a panoramic view of the two temples there, one to Pharaoh Ramesses the Great and the other to his consort Nefertari. The "cliffs" they are set into were articially constructed in the 1960s when the temples were moved from their original locations due to rising waters caused by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

I Care a Lot (2021)

Rotten Tomatoes

I Care a Lot (2021): Rosamund Pike is a scam artist who preys on seniors. She accidentally crosses Peter Dinklage, a Russian drug dealer. The fight between them grows deadly. The plot is full of holes. Many dumb decisions are made by supposedly smart people. Still, watchable. C+

When it Rains, It Pours

When I tried to get some sympathy from my family for my plight with the Great Freeze of 2021, I received this response from my son living in tropical Jakarta, Indonesia:

"Meanwhile I'm in shelter at a friend's house due to massive flooding in Jakarta. I'm fine but will likely have to spend a day or so here for the water to clear. I wasn't at home when the flood happened. I had to walk through waist deep water to get to my friend's apartment and he graciously put us up until the water goes down. There are multiple cars stranded and barely visible above the water. Can't drive on the roads at all now."

So, yeah, there's that.