What you're watching

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

So I started watching "The Old Man", and find it's pretty good. I have to wonder who their technical advisor is - parts are pretty damned right on the money, eerily so, while other parts are pure fantasy, I suspect in the vein of "artistic license" to make it more dramatic. For example, the scene where cargo planes drop the 4 crates of sniper rifles into Afghanistan under Soviet occupation would never have happened. The US was jittery about "international incidents" and "direct confrontations" that would have heated up a Cold War considerably, so no US cargo overflights of Afghanistan  in those days. Everything was smuggled across the border, either on donkey back or in dilapidated trucks not worth noticing through the Khyber Pass and internally through Muj held places like the Salang Pass.

I have to admit, a massive cargo plane flying low and kicking parachute equipped crates out of the cargo hold on an overflight is far more visually dramatic on film than a crate-laden donkey bouncing it's ass up a mountain trail is.

A running theme of the show seems to be an examination of the age-old question: "what's in a name?", something I can identify with.

Fascinating, and very entertaining.

.

Yea, after 6 episodes I'm digging that show.

Christopher Huttleston - CIA consultant. LOL, blank slate IMDB bio.

Christopher Huttleston and Jeff Bridges attend The Old Man" Season 1 NYC Tastemaker Event at MOMA on June 14, 2022 in New York City.


Getty Images

How to Build the Ultimate Bug-Out Bag

"Your kit should be no heavier than what you can carry comfortably," says Christopher Huttleston, a retired CIA officer who spent more than two decades doing intelligence work before he was brought on as a technical consultant for The Old Man. He helped inform key pieces of the plot, as well the scene in which Bridges's character grabs his own bug-out bag and hits the road in a hurry.

Huttleston also suggests having a regimented, consistent way of packing--and knowing exactly what's in the bag at any given time.

Jack Tomarchio - Former Army Judge Advocate General (JAG) Attorney, and Deputy Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Operations at Dept. of Homeland Security. Bio

Siddiq Barmak - Subject Matter Expert on Afghan Affairs.

Or you can go commando like "Reacher". 

Then all you need is a toothbrush.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

I remember most of those, well the reruns anyhow. A few of my favs as a kid was Miami Vice, CHiPs, MacGyver,
Airwolf, The A-Team, Knight Rider, Magnum, P.I., The Dukes of Hazzard.

Oh yeah, I liked MacGyver... at least the pilot episode.


(On a different note, I was trying to find the artwork you placed on a thread here with no avail... the with the man
floating in a vat and a tall lady walking away)

Sorry for late reply...my source was this vid thumbnail:

“One track. Two different vibes. The symbiotic contrast between the beautiful melodies and the darkness surrounding the synths and basslines. Mesmerizing vocals. Countless sensations.”

This is what defines my brand new single Honey Trap. With this track, my goal is to reinforce my artistic identity, in an attempt to enter another orbit of creativity and to break the rules that existed before, in order to elevate even more the Melodark – that many of you already know as my musical style.

Let’s dig into it so you can have a better understanding about the backgrounds of this song.

WHERE DOES THE TITLE AND ARTWORK COME FROM?

Inspiration can come literally from anywhere. I remember that the day before I started producing this track, I was watching a documentary series – Spycraft – that talked about a spy stratagem in which an attractive person entices another person into revealing information or doing something unwise, called “honey trap”. I guess I liked the term and said to myself that one day I would produce a track with that name, inspired by this spy technique. At some point, I say in the song “I surrendered to your beauty, in my naïveté. And I fell, on the honey trap”. That sentence is the literal explanation of this song’s artwork, where someone seduce me to get something from me. In this case, something very important like my mask. Therefore, I fell into the honey trap.

Honey Trap: The Most Desired Track And Its Story

[Ninurta]

...

Yea, after 6 episodes I'm digging that show.

Christopher Huttleston - CIA consultant. LOL, blank slate IMDB bio.

Christopher Huttleston and Jeff Bridges attend The Old Man" Season 1 NYC Tastemaker Event at MOMA on June 14, 2022 in New York City.


Getty Images

He must've been a field agent, Analysts don't mind telling you they clipped newspaper articles for a living.  

Siddiq is a fairly common name over there. There is a Siddiqui family name that claims direct descent from al-Siddiq, one of the Companions of Mohammed. I had a friend named Siddiqi who went on vacation to "visit home", and spent about a month in the Swat Valley in Pakistan. when he came back, the first thing he asked me was if I would help him set up a shooting range. I asked him what the hell he wanted a shooting range for, and he said so that he and his sons could practice.

Not on a fucking dare, bro. Not on a fucking dare. Not right after a month long visit to the Swat valley.

What I told him was that I didn't think it was a good idea with what the political climate over here was at the time. I told him Muslims with a dedicated shooting range on backwoods property was bad juju, and would most certainly attract unwanted attention from some good ol' boys...

... and they had guns, too.

.

[MisterSpock]

Just watched "Father Stu", alittle late to the party on that one.

Really good film, good story and great acting. I don't care how crazy mel went, he's still a good actor(same for ol screaming on a couch tom). Just because you are a nutbag doesn't change that you are great on a screen.

I'd usually be doing a drunken "MisterSpock movie review...." on this, but, well, I'm sure nobody misses them.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

Just watched "Father Stu", alittle late to the party on that one.

Really good film, good story and great acting. I don't care how crazy mel went, he's still a good actor(same for ol screaming on a couch tom). Just because you are a nutbag doesn't change that you are great on a screen.

I'd usually be doing a drunken "MisterSpock movie review...." on this, but, well, I'm sure nobody misses them.

Had to look it, I had not heard of it. 

It sounds interesting, I will put it on my list of movies to watch.

Thanks.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

I was in that kind of a mood, so I rewatched "Childhood's End".

I didn't realize how much I missed, or forgot from the first watching. I still think it is a great series.

It gives you a lot to think about.

[BIAD]

A movie I've always recommended was from my teenage years, The Parallax View.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

A movie I've always recommended was from my teenage years, The Parallax View.

Thanks.

Another for the movie to watch list.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

A movie I've always recommended was from my teenage years, The Parallax View.

I watched that [docu] one for the first time a few months ago. Blew my mind.




LA Times 1974 paper clipping...



...with Dr. Jolly West reference of LSD/MKULTRA hypno-programmed assassins fame.


100+ Parapolitical Films To Make You Paranoid

[EndtheMadnessNow]

Just watched "Father Stu", alittle late to the party on that one.

Really good film, good story and great acting. I don't care how crazy mel went, he's still a good actor(same for ol screaming on a couch tom). Just because you are a nutbag doesn't change that you are great on a screen.

I'd usually be doing a drunken "MisterSpock movie review...." on this, but, well, I'm sure nobody misses them.

Well, well Mark Wahlberg playing a priest role.    I'll check it.


Meanwhile, have you seen...

[MisterSpock]

Started a rewatch of Banshee, it's been long enough that I think it will seem pretty fresh.

I remember why/when I got hooked on this show, great premise. Just finished episode 3 in the first season, that fight scene was awesome. Those people got their money's worth.

Funny, now that I rewatch it I realize this is the same guy from The Boys.

Banshee is a great watch.

[MisterSpock]

Something about an ex con, steeling the identity of a sheriff and pretending to be said sheriff and he's actually the good guy?

Would you like your small town sheriff to deal with rapists who beat women like this?



Honestly, seems like a nice place to live.

Dude found out what a real fight was, not all those rules. It went prison style pretty fast and I was laughing the whole time after the finger break.

[Ninurta]

Something about an ex con, steeling the identity of a sheriff and pretending to be said sheriff and he's actually the good guy?

Would you like your small town sheriff to deal with rapists who beat women like this?



Honestly, seems like a nice place to live.

Dude found out what a real fight was, not all those rules. It went prison style pretty fast and I was laughing the whole time after the finger break.

When the dude hollered "Hood! ENOUGH!", I'd have told his slack ass that I'll tell HIM when it's enough - he don't tell ME. His pansy ass wasn't the one throwin' Schmitties, now was it?

One thing my Dear Old Dad always drilled into my head was that you NEVER let them tell you when it's enough. If you do, they'll just keep coming back 'cause they know how to holler uncle. You teach them that hollering uncle ain't gonna do them no damn good, that you're gonna hurt them badly whatever is said every time they try you. He said "you don't beat the bastards until THEY'RE happy, you beat 'em until YOU'RE happy. Plus an additional 10% for interest".

Looks like a decent show. Might have to look it up.

.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

Just watched "Father Stu", alittle late to the party on that one.

Really good film, good story and great acting. I don't care how crazy mel went, he's still a good actor(same for ol screaming on a couch tom). Just because you are a nutbag doesn't change that you are great on a screen.

I'd usually be doing a drunken "MisterSpock movie review...." on this, but, well, I'm sure nobody misses them.

I'll +1 your recommendation. Watched it last night. If you need/want inspiration, watch this film.

Stuart Long: (Wahlberg)- Teaching priests to rat on suffering men, they're getting closer to Judas than Jesus. We both know how that story ends. Don't we?

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

Just finished watching "Belfast".

Belfast

Belfast, 15 August 1969. Surrounded by sporadic violence and growing danger, nine-year-old Buddy finds himhself confronted with the ugly reality of sectarian conflict. And, as the suffocating stranglehold of increasing turmoil tightens around his once-peaceful working-class neighbourhood, Buddy tries his best to understand The Troubles--after all, someone must be responsible for forcing people to flee their homes. Now, Buddy's family must come face to face with a nearly impossible, life-altering decision: stay or start packing? —Nick Riganas

I remembered that time. Living in the US, I had no way of knowing the amount of horror the people faced on a regular basis.

Watching this and seeing what people can do to each other, over being Catholic or Protestant. Imagine the hell we can cause each other over race, color, and nationality.

Heartbreaking, but worth seeing.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

Just watched "Father Stu", alittle late to the party on that one.

Really good film, good story and great acting. I don't care how crazy mel went, he's still a good actor(same for ol screaming on a couch tom). Just because you are a nutbag doesn't change that you are great on a screen.

I'd usually be doing a drunken "MisterSpock movie review...." on this, but, well, I'm sure nobody misses them.

Just finished watching this.

Thank you for the suggestion. I truly enjoyed this movie.

I grew up Catholic, and knew a few spicy nuns and priest when growing up. None quite as spicy as Father Stu.

[MisterSpock]

Just watched the latest episode(9, domino) of The Orville.

Was fantastic. Amazing what you get when you have someone who's a talented writer, a vast knowledge of television and movies spanning decades and more importantly is a huge fan of a genre.

This IS star trek, if Seth keeps this up, The Orville will be ranking in the top three alongside TOS and TNG.

I can't believe for one minute that HULU won't announce that they are going forward with atleast 2, if not 3 or 4 more seasons, but I guess that is up to Seth if he feels he can keep expanding the universe enough.

Has to be their highest viewed show by far.

Solid recommendation from me, especially for old scifi fans.

[BIAD]

A movie I've always recommended was from my teenage years, The Parallax View.

I watched that [docu] one for the first time a few months ago. Blew my mind...

(Off topic, sorry!)
I enjoyed your links, thanks.
One of the comments mentioned in the archive link was:

"...At the trial, West maintained that Shaver had suffered a bout of temporary insanity on the night of Chere Jo Horton’s killing,
but he argued that Shaver was “quite sane now.” In the courtroom, Shaver didn’t look that way. One newspaper account said he
“sat through the strenuous sessions like a man in a trance,” saying nothing, never rising to stretch or smoke, though he was a
known chain-smoker..."

That's a hell of a addictive habit to just drop because of Shaver's situation.
........................................

And your second link advertises 'The Conversation', another great movie. What made me smile in that film was the equipment
conference where a seller of spyware shows how a telephone can become a listening device without the phone's owner knowing.
The Conversation was from 1974, imagine what they can do now!

Finally, 'Wag The Dog', a humorous look at something that is very real and often beyond many folk's belief. Switch out Albania for
the Ukraine and you see the similarities in political distraction, media corruption and a more realistic interpretation of 'a matrix'!

Cheers.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

A movie I've always recommended was from my teenage years, The Parallax View.

I watched that [docu] one for the first time a few months ago. Blew my mind...

(Off topic, sorry!)
I enjoyed your links, thanks.
One of the comments mentioned in the archive link was:

"...At the trial, West maintained that Shaver had suffered a bout of temporary insanity on the night of Chere Jo Horton’s killing,
but he argued that Shaver was “quite sane now.” In the courtroom, Shaver didn’t look that way. One newspaper account said he
“sat through the strenuous sessions like a man in a trance,” saying nothing, never rising to stretch or smoke, though he was a
known chain-smoker..."

That's a hell of a addictive habit to just drop because of Shaver's situation.
........................................

And your second link advertises 'The Conversation', another great movie. What made me smile in that film was the equipment
conference where a seller of spyware shows how a telephone can become a listening device without the phone's owner knowing.
The Conversation was from 1974, imagine what they can do now!

Finally, 'Wag The Dog', a humorous look at something that is very real and often beyond many folk's belief. Switch out Albania for
the Ukraine and you see the similarities in political distraction, media corruption and a more realistic interpretation of 'a matrix'!

Cheers.

It is frustrating that we are shown the mechanism of our brainwashing and conditioning all day every day, and we continue to ignore the truths while embracing the lies.

We are so conditioned to believe and respond at the drop of a buzz word, or the meme of the day, that we can't help ourselves, even when we know that we are being treated and used like bait dogs.

[EndtheMadnessNow]

Started watching Slow Horses and it's entertaining with British humor and a good cast of characters. Follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve as a dumping ground department of MI5 due to their career-ending mistakes. Stars Gary Oldman.





"Strange Game" is the theme track to AppleTV+ series.