Deploy. || Disgorge. (h/t, Matthew) || Luna Lee does Game of Thrones. || Neural network attempts to finish the Game of Thrones saga for George R. R. Martin. It’s a mixed bag. || Giant gummy squid kit. || Gyroscopic balancing buses. (h/t, Things) || ‘X-ray’ maps of New York subway stations. || “The wall stabilised East Germany’s economy, by preventing its workforce from leaving.” || The decline and fall of the Walnut Whip. || Title sequence of note. || Signage of note. (h/t, dicentra) || Today’s word is prang. || Their flower parade is better than yours. || Mixing mercury and aluminium. || Harsh. || This. || How Siri’s voice has changed. || Colouring and activity books for David Lynch’s Dune. || Furnishings of note. (h/t, Julia) || And finally, a secret VIP rave hidden inside a toilet.
Do pussy hat wearers sit on those sofas?
Posted by: Pogonip | September 01, 2017 at 00:12
Neural network attempts to finish the Game of Thrones saga for George R. R. Martin. It’s a mixed bag.
Well, while waiting for things to stabilize, quite highly recommended.
Posted by: Hal | September 01, 2017 at 00:16
Today’s word is prang.
Today's phrase is;
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Today's reroute.
Posted by: Hal | September 01, 2017 at 00:19
Did someone have to explain the sofa thing to David?
Posted by: PiperPaul | September 01, 2017 at 00:22
Colouring and activity books for David Lynch’s Dune.
As even the article comments, . . . audiences had to read glossaries before the first screenings.
And that was even before the DVD got dumped on the market and as I recall, was shipped with prolly that same glossary . . .
Posted by: Hal | September 01, 2017 at 00:29
And finally, a secret VIP rave hidden inside a toilet.
. . . I was thinking it was a bar in London, but apparently it was Moscow when David asked a bit back Can you spot the speakeasy?
Posted by: Hal | September 01, 2017 at 00:54
"The wall stabilised East Germany’s economy, by preventing its workforce from leaving."
College know-it-all commies assured me that the wall stabilised West Germany's economy by preventing it from being overwhelmed by refugees. Yeah, right, the West Germany that successfully absorbed millions of Germans expelled from other parts of Europe, and that imported numerous non-German guest workers from Southern Europe and Turkey, could not have made good use of a few million already-German workers from the East.
Posted by: pst314 | September 01, 2017 at 02:44
"Ferrero Rocher for the aspirational working class".
I'd never hear of a Walnut Whip before today.
Posted by: R. Sherman | September 01, 2017 at 03:09
Sounds kinky.
Posted by: Pogonip | September 01, 2017 at 03:28
Today’s word is prang.
Oh, but that's an oldie. WWII RAF fighter pilot slang for cracking up one's aircraft, typically on landing:
"Oh, bloody hell! Sgt Pilot Smith has pranged his kite."
Posted by: Spiny Norman | September 01, 2017 at 03:46
“Gyroscopic balancing buses.”
Um. Yeeeaaah...
(The fire engine wouldn't actually be a bad idea, mind you. If it works.)
“The decline and fall of the Walnut Whip.”
That's rather sad. On the other hand, I think in all my 46-and-a-bit years I've only ever eaten one, so I can't really say I miss them.
“And finally, a secret VIP rave hidden inside a toilet.”
Apparently shot in Kinemacolor, for some reason.
Posted by: Sam Duncan | September 01, 2017 at 03:55
But that's different, because shut up!
/college know-it-all commies
Posted by: Spiny Norman | September 01, 2017 at 04:00
I’d never heard of a Walnut Whip before today.
I vaguely recall that as a child they had a certain upmarket cachet. They definitely fell into the “special treat at Christmas” category. Which made the actual experience of eating one quite disappointing.
Did someone have to explain the sofa thing to David?
Heh. I read, thank you very much.
Posted by: David | September 01, 2017 at 06:41
Found at the other end of the rabbit hole.
https://twitter.com/bechillcomedian/status/888448344896544768
Posted by: Daniel Ream | September 01, 2017 at 06:49
Wait, you can make gummy things? At home? I thought that took alchemy, or something dangerous...
Posted by: JuliaM | September 01, 2017 at 06:51
Found at the other end of the rabbit hole.
[ Sounds of chortling. ]
Posted by: David | September 01, 2017 at 06:54
David reads, AND he subscribes to "Silly Hat Quarterly." So he knew all about it.
Posted by: Pogonip | September 01, 2017 at 07:10
audiences had to read glossaries before the first screenings.
Because when you venture across town to the cinema, with the family in tow, in the hope of having fun, what you really want is homework. But then as a teenager I never managed to get even halfway through the book. It struck me as massively padded and of gratuitous length. (See also, George R. R. Martin.)
Posted by: David | September 01, 2017 at 07:32
And finally, a secret VIP rave hidden inside a toilet.
It's not much of a rave.
Posted by: [+] | September 01, 2017 at 07:42
I'm sure I'd get into some sort of bother if I tried this..
https://twitter.com/SteveBlogs1/status/903297705975402498
Posted by: Sergeant Fluffylumps | September 01, 2017 at 07:58
It’s not much of a rave.
No, it’s all rather genteel, as raving goes, or went. (Do people still rave?) It needs a lot more debauchery and dilated pupils. It’s not really a rave unless you’re inhaling the perspiration of at least 500 strangers.
Posted by: David | September 01, 2017 at 07:58
Found at the other end of the rabbit hole.
Oh, My, that is well done!
Just let me staple the vicar!
---Reminds me of an occasion of a theatre show warmup song that we of the cast would do, where I realize that something's gotten mangled since then, but that's not what the memory has . . .
Sur le pont D'Avignon,
Hare Krishna,
Hare Krishna,
Sur le pont D'Avignon,
Hare Krishna,
Tout l'arond.
Posted by: Hal | September 01, 2017 at 09:10
Gyroscopic balancing buses
Nice idea, but what happens when the earth does not stop to rotate? I remember reading a SciFi novel long time ago, in which all people owned little gyroscopic stabilized monowheel cars, and the first thing was always to right them up before entering them.
Everybody who ever experimented with a gyroscope knows what this is all about!
Posted by: Spruance | September 01, 2017 at 09:36
Some political humourist with a conservativish viewpoint whose name I can't recall said, the only thing you need to know about communism is that it made Germans unproductive.
Posted by: Tom | September 01, 2017 at 10:32
"The wall stabilised East Germany’s economy, by preventing its workforce from leaving."
I thought it interesting that the earlier blockade necessitating the Berlin Airlift did not get a mention.
Posted by: TDK | September 01, 2017 at 10:40
A rather unique first world problem.
Posted by: Farnsworth M Muldoon | September 01, 2017 at 12:39
Also, this.
Posted by: David | September 01, 2017 at 12:44
Mobile robot fridge.
https://twitter.com/MartynLandi/status/903594437451886592
(I don't know why.)
Posted by: Joan | September 01, 2017 at 14:15
Mobile robot fridge. (I don’t know why.)
Heh. I assume the idea is to buy one in order to show it off to friends, possibly while drunk, or to any neighbours you don’t like. (“Oh, don’t you have one of these?”)
I wonder how it’ll cope with deep shag.
Posted by: David | September 01, 2017 at 14:24
deep shag
Band name?
Posted by: Jen | September 01, 2017 at 14:57
Goth Ravers, re-tuned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ToZBopL1q0
And an ad for Millenials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ToZBopL1q0
H/T: Bookworm Room
Posted by: jabrwok | September 01, 2017 at 15:12
Austin Powers technique.
Oh, Baby!
I'll get me coat...
Posted by: Tom | September 01, 2017 at 15:51
Abi Wilkinson, a Guardian contributor, airs her brains on Twitter.
You may remember Ms Wilkinson from this.
Posted by: David | September 01, 2017 at 16:03
They chose poorly.
Posted by: Darleen | September 01, 2017 at 17:18
They chose poorly.
A feel-good story.
I was a little distracted by the (unrelated) mugshot slideshow in the middle of the article. Facial tattoos seem to be a common giveaway. I can’t help thinking Possible Boyfriend #1 has made quite a few really bad decisions before being photographed by the police.
Posted by: David | September 01, 2017 at 17:26
...made quite a few really bad decisions before being photographed by the police.
What the hell is all that on his face supposed to be? A pirate treasure map?
Posted by: Spiny Norman | September 01, 2017 at 17:48
Abi Wilkinson, a Guardian contributor, airs her brains on Twitter.
Funny, but at least 75% of the time when I click on links from here, either twitter is taking "too long to load" or the page does not exist, or I am "not authorized to view these tweets."
Posted by: Wh00ps | September 01, 2017 at 17:58
It struck me as massively padded and of gratuitous length.
I'll concede your point on Martin, but disagree on Dune. I think it's a classic and one of the best novels ever, let alone best SF novels.
Unlike a lot of SF novels, it's not space opera or pulp adventure; it's sweeping sociohistorical narrative in the vein of Clavell or Michener. Informationally it's very dense.
If that's not to your taste, of course, then it matters not one whit to the price of tea in China. But I think "padded and of gratuitous length" is unfair.
Then again my standard for that is Jean M. Auel novels, which take 20 pages to describe the flowers in a field the protagonists are travelling through.
Posted by: Daniel Ream | September 01, 2017 at 19:39
But I think “padded and of gratuitous length” is unfair.
Well, possibly. That was my impression when reading it as a teenager, so it’s not a hill to die on. But increasingly I’ve come to appreciate economy in fiction, insofar as I bother with it at all any more.
Posted by: David | September 01, 2017 at 19:49
I started to read Dune last year. It zipped right along till Paul met a girl, when it came to a screeching halt. Ain't that always the way?
Posted by: Pogonip | September 01, 2017 at 20:02
Gyroscopic balancing buses.
Pffft. South Park did that like 15 years ago. (Apologies for terrible clip quality.)
Posted by: Dr. Toboggan | September 01, 2017 at 20:32
Usually don't criticize people's looks, but Lynn Yaeger merits it, because she deliberately looks like a fucking homeless crazy bag lady. Only leftist fashion creeps would tolerate this kind of "edgy" "out of the box" bullshit "fashion statement." It is so hard to get people to take fashion at all seriously, and I sympathize when a publication like Vogue pays this kind of demented twat to write the dumbassery she does. Revolting.
Posted by: Quint and Jessel | September 01, 2017 at 21:56
Between people like Lynn Yaeger and the insane love fashionistas professed for the hagfish Michelle Obama, and the unreasonable hatred for Mrs. Trump, I have had a rough decade. Every stupid getup Michelle wore was allegedly wonderful, even when one's eyes could see she looked ridiculous. The Empress had bad clothes, and the sycophants drooled all over them.
Posted by: Quint and Jessel | September 01, 2017 at 22:03
As readers are aware, we Australians are having a dinky di time 'debating' same sex marriage. Piers Akerman pretty much nails it with his article.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/piers-akerman-the-thought-police-work-overtime-on-the-same-sex-marriage-debate/news-story/a6418520e2f90f7c962bb3417956421d
Posted by: Black Ball | September 02, 2017 at 00:22
Pffft. South Park did that like 15 years ago.
Still snickering for 15 years at this effort.
Posted by: Black Ball | September 02, 2017 at 00:27
"Prang" is a great word. And if you're going to talk about prangs, may I suggest:
11 Foot 8
The compilations are especially good.
Posted by: Monty James | September 02, 2017 at 01:40
Black Ball
What the heck is wrong with Australia?
Posted by: Darleen | September 02, 2017 at 06:48
But increasingly I’ve come to appreciate economy in fiction
Then let me suggest anything by Roger Zelazny, especially the Chronicles of Amber and Lord of Light. The man is a master of understatement; he can say more by implication in a sentence than some authors can in a page of text.
What may help you appreciate Dune is that it's an allegory both for the rise of Muhammad in the 7th century and the political situation in the Middle East c. the 1960's, especially with regards to control of the oil supply by OPEC. Prescient, too, as it predicted the embargo some years in advance.
Posted by: Daniel Ream | September 02, 2017 at 06:51
Darleen, that link you shared probably sums up Australia nicely. Led by yellow striped clowns, this issue has become the lead story of many a news bulletin, despite the efforts of North Korea's leader to grab slice of the action. The priorities are askew somewhat.
Posted by: Black Ball | September 02, 2017 at 08:12
Thanks, Daniel.
Posted by: David | September 02, 2017 at 08:21
Speaking of choosing poorly, there is never a meteor around when you need one.
Posted by: Farnsworth M Muldoon | September 02, 2017 at 11:05
How to clear a room:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSwbxOnMmRA
Cheers
Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs | September 04, 2017 at 05:46
Oh, but that's an oldie. WWII RAF fighter pilot slang for cracking up one's aircraft, typically on landing:
"Oh, bloody hell! Sgt Pilot Smith has pranged his kite."
Currently doing some reading on assorted actors, including Ralph Richardson and Larry Olivier.
Posted by: Hal | September 04, 2017 at 09:08
Hal: working material
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myIB1TrPpTE
Cheers
Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs | September 05, 2017 at 04:51
Hal: working material
Yes, that one is good.
I've been doing a bit of VHS research and recovery recently, and while doing that also ran across Parrot Sketch Not Included, and Life of Python, both of which look very interesting . . .
Posted by: Hal | September 05, 2017 at 20:07