Categories
The Current Situation

John Oliver’s fantastic piece on COVID-19 vaccines

If you watch only one YouTube video today, make it Last Week Tonight’s piece on COVID-19 vaccines, or at the very least, follow the advice that John Oliver gives at the end:

In researching this pieces, experts repeatedly told us that the vaccine-hesitant generally don’t respond well to hearing from politicians, celebrities, or athletes telling them to get the vaccine.

…

I’m not going to be able to convince the people in your life who are hesitant. The person with the best chance of doing that is…you.

So if you know someone who is worried for whatever reason and you want to convince them otherwise, don’t show them this video. But maybe do show them some of the information inside it to tell them yourself.

And when you are trying to do that, don’t dismiss or judge them for having doubts.

I think we should also popularize Oliver’s very apt description of Tucker Carlson:

Here’s the video:

Categories
Florida Stranger than Fiction Tampa Bay

When you move into Florida, a little bit of Florida moves into you

Tom Brady wearing a black suit, black hat, white shirt, polka dotted black tie, and pocket handkerchief. Caption reads “Tom Brady is dressed like he’d going to kill Roger Rabbit and the rest of Toontown”.
Thanks to Jeannie Cool for the find! Tap to view at full size.

But go ahead, Tom, you’ve earned it.

Categories
Tampa Bay

Seminole Heights sights you might have missed: The 24-hour “Ice ATM”

Seminole Heights’ seal, which depicts a two-headed alligatorIf you’ve ever driven south on Florida Avenue past Trip’s Diner, you may have seen the structure pictured below on the south end of Trip’s parking lot:

The automated ice dispensing station on Florida Avenue, as seen from the sidewalk through some palm trees.
Tap to view at full size.

It’s the local “Twice the Ice” ice vending machine, run by Ice House America, which boasts a network of more than 3,500 ice vending machines around this world. It’s automated, open 24 hours, and a convenience that I’ve overlooked until recently.

This one is Seminole Heights’ very own, where you can buy filtered water for 25 cents per gallon (3.8 liters) or  dispenser, a five gallon (about 19 liters) bag of ice for a dollar, or fill your cooler with 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of ice for $1.75.

A closer look at the automated ice dispensing station on Florida Avenue, as seen from the sidewalk.
Tap to view at full size.

I moved to the neighborhood two years ago, and on the rare occasions that I’ve had to purchase ice, I’ve been paying way too much for too little at the gas station like a chump. Later this year, when it’s time to have guests over for cocktails, I’m going to have make use of this machine’s services.

Categories
The Current Situation

Happy “Hitler Dead” Day!

Front page of the U.S. Armed Forces newspaper, Stars and Stripes, on May 2, 1945. Photo by Jeff Nyveen. Click here to see the source.

On this day in 1945, Hitler did the best thing he ever did. He killed Hitler. In his basement.

It’s a pity I have to point this out to some people, but here goes: “Hitler Dead” is a good thing.

Categories
funny The Current Situation

How the “Trolley Problem” actually works in the real world

Thanks to Ramon Grajo for the find!

The moral of the story remains the same: BE RICH.

Categories
funny Geek

It’s April 30, 2021 — Happy Goblinization Day!

Banner, featuring ork: April 30, 2021 — According to “Shadowrun”, it’s Goblinization Day!

The future is here! According to Shadowrun, the role-playing game for nerds who don’t want to choose between Dungeons & Dragons and William Gibson, today is when Goblinization happens.

In the game, that’s the worldwide event when 10% of humanity, for no apparent reason, spontaneously transform into orks (that’s how you spell “orc” in the Shadowrun game system) and trolls.

Cover of 1989 rules for Shadowrun
The original 1989 cover for the Shadowrun rule book, back when it was published by FASA.
Tap to view at full size.

Back in 1989, when the rules for the fantasy-meets-cyberpunk world of Shadowrun were first published, 2021 seemed like a far-off time. Remember, this is when Intel’s 486 processor, Nintendo’s Game Boy, Corel DRAW!, and zip files were brand new things. 640K was considered to be a lot of RAM. We were so technologically backwards back then that if you wanted something like wifi in the Shadowrun game, you had to cast a spell. Arthur C. Clarke was right!

Shadowrun characters in a cyberpunk suspect lineupThanks to Reddit and social media, more than 10% of humanity has already been transformed into trolls — in fact, we had a troll president for the past four years!

No word on the orks just yet.

To close this post, I now request that you all please rise for the Cyberpunk National Anthem:

Categories
funny Tampa Bay

This sounds waaay more interesting than a mere “friend with benefits”

Seen in Tampa on Hillsborough Ave., just west of 275. Tap to view at full size.