WHERE I STAND ON CELLPHONE ETIQUETTE

We've all been annoyed or upset at some rude cellphoners. You know the kind, people who talk and talk and talk on their cellphones, with no regard to those unfortunates around them... including sales clerks who are trying to serve them.

A woman who works as a cashier at a Sainsbury's (the Loblaws of the U.K.) store in London refused to serve another woman, recently, who would not get off her cellphone for one bleedin' minute to transact courteously at the check-out counter. Good for the clerk! And shame on Sainsbury's for apologizing (apologizing?!) to the "customer". As it turns out, social media has sided with the bold actions of an employee of the evil empire. There has been a vocal "shame on Sainsbury's for siding with such a rude customer".

I've never worked the sales desk in title but I did work at a job where I would fill-in by manning the counter. You know what? I did the same thing one time, but the male cellphoner gave me no static after I said, calmly, "sir, I will serve you when you are finished with your call". Again, he was fine. What I executed, perfectly, is the "asking for it" method of client services, but he did not react in the way I expected, and was all too ready for; he simply -- and quickly -- finished his call and "properly" presented his credit card. Things were fine.

Maybe he reacted with no reaction because he saw, across the counter, one mean-looking bastard! (It may have been my Manchester United scarf which I've been known to wear, even inside, in order to show my colours. It takes a brave bloke to voluntarily tangle with a Man Utd supporter.)

Seriously, it's a skill -- one of the few I have.


Toronto Star...
Where do you stand on cellphone etiquette?
http://www.thestar.com/life/2013/07/04/where_do_you_stand_on_cellphone_etiquette.html

RATING STAR WARS FILMS IN ORDER

Rating films or putting them on a list is not my thing, not because I have anything against the process of ordering films, or anything for that matter, it's just that my brain does not work that way.

I either like the film, to various degrees, or I don't -- generally I don't. However, since my posting yesterday, GEORGE LUCAS DISSES EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, here, I gave some thought to the 'me' order of the Star Wars films.

And here's the result of my dangerous thought...

1. Star Wars

2. The Empire Strikes Back

3. Return of the Jedi

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Yes, I did rate the 'prequel' films, it's possible that your Internet browser won't go down far enough to see them; I mean, they are really low. They're there... somewhere.
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It does't matter, really.

I should catch you before I go: I say "Star Wars" when referring to the first SW film (no "A New Hope" for me, and that title wasn't on the print I saw back in the summer of 1977), and "Star Trek" for the first ST television series (no "TOS" designation for me, the first show is enough and all I need).

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO OUR NEIGHBOURS

"What do I see now? I'm not sure."

Former historian and freelance writer Paul Pirie has penned an Op-ed for the Washington Post titled, provocatively enough, "The American Revolution was a flop".

While the piece is not "anti-American", which some U.S. Patriots would scream or boil after seeing that headline, and some of them may even try to read it, there is a 'perspective' worth considering.

Mr. Pirie recites some sobering statistics ("more than 2 million people were incarcerated in 2011... the United States ranks first in the world in the number of prisoners per 100,000 residents") and notes, courtesy of a report co-authored by economist Jeffery Sachs, that for all the U.S.'s immense technological and economic progress over the past half century there don't appear to be matching gains in the "happiness of the citizenry". People of that great country are reportedly anxious, caught in a maelstrom of social and economic inequity, and lack confidence in their government. Keep in mind that "Americans" don't have the rights to these concerns, but traditionally they have considered themselves to be blessed and privileged.

The last two paragraphs from Paul Pirie's editorial are sobering, but, as far as I'm concerned, hopeful. Explore Founding Father Thomas Jefferson's declarations and visions for a nation above all; and a nation, above all.


The American Revolution was a flop
Ihttp://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-american-revolution-was-a-flop/2013/07/03/fd077db0-e02b-11e2-b2d4-ea6d8f477a01_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines

GEORGE LUCAS DISSES EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

A friend of mine popped around to my abode today and somehow -- probably by talking about movies that still look good decades later -- we got onto the subject of Star Wars; a subject of interest to my guest.

Anyway, he told me something which surprised me, after I told my friend that The Empire Strikes Back is probably the best Star Wars movie: "That's George Lucas' least favourite."

...and it continued with class.

"What? Is he insane?"

After reading Michael Kaminski's outstanding book "The Secret History of Star Wars" last year I realize it makes sense that G.W. Lucas would feel that way; in the book it is stated that the Star Wars' creator really just looked at the sequel film as a machine to make money for his pet project: "Skywalker Ranch." His attitude was that the movie should be done relatively cheaply and quickly in order to get it into the theatres as soon as possible.

Unfortunately for LucasVision, but fortunately for us, Empire director Irvin Kershner decided to spend more time, money, and care in order to make a great film.

(I'm not suggesting that spending lots of money makes a film great; but, you know what I mean.)

If I were a psychiatrist I would want to get George on my couch. I really want to know what makes that guy tick... off Star Wars fans. I'm not even a Star Wars fan, in the popular sense, but that man annoys me sometimes.

A RUSSIAN PROTON ROCKET BLAST

A Russian "Proton-M" rocket carrying three satellites exploded today less than a minute after launch from Kazakhstan. Although this has been a fairly rare event for this booster type, in years, there was another in August of 2012.

Toronto Star...
Russian rocket crashes shortly after launch; troubled space program under fire
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/07/02/russian_rocket_crashes_shortly_after_launch_troubled_space_program_under_fire.html

Initially designed by Vladimir Chelomey's design bureau OKB-52, the UR-500 booster rocket, of which the "M" model is a later variant, has for decades been a very dependable system, one which has made a lot of money for the Russian space industry.

However, the Proton was hardly a 'success story' in the first few years of its existence; many launches of the device had problems such as engines shutting down in mid-flight and fuel leaks. The state of affairs was so bad that many people in the Soviet space business were calling for the program to be suspended. Eventually things lined up properly in a row and a trusted payload delivery system was in place.

In the Toronto Star article, linked above, there is mention of a toxic cloud caused by the spilled burning fuel from today's failed launch. The Proton uses hypergolic fuels (in the UR-500's case, unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide) or "storable propellants". What this means is the fuel can sit in an idle rocket over some time and, unlike cryogenic-based engines (using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, for instance), an 'ignitor' is not needed -- the two fuels just have to touch each other to start the burning process. However, these chemicals are highly corrosive, and extremely toxic to carbon-based-units (humans; us!), which is why a vehicle like the Proton is not 'man rated'. (There have been exceptions: The American "Titan II" booster utilized storable propellants and it was used to launch astronauts as part of the Gemini Program.)

To launch humans into orbit, the highly reliable "Soyuz" rocket is used. That's a great machine. (Watch one blast-off!)

By the way, rockets do blow up, the odd time -- it's to be expected. A functioning rocket engine contains a controlled explosion, after all. But when the rate-of-failure starts to climb, then there is cause for some concern.


Here is one of many videos uploaded to Youtube on today's Proton-M failure...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWv4ZZArP-g

CREAM - DISRAELI GEARS DECADES LATER

A few weekends ago I watched a DVD on the making of the 1967 Cream album "Disraeli Gears". This disc is part of an outstanding series called "Great Albums". We are taken through the process of making songs and compiling an album, right down to the illustration of the cover. Weren't those covers awesome?

Since I know enough about that group to fill a sticky-note the information imparted in the vid was almost all news to me. While I have been more than familiar with some of the songs for years, I would not have been able to show off and say: "Great album."

One thing I did not know, or rather, I probably did but had forgotten over time, is that guitarist Eric Clapton was a member of Cream. He is one of the vid's interview subjects and the legendary musician is very articulate and informative about his experiences with the group and how he worked on the guitar parts for songs on "Disraeli Gears".

The other two members, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker, I was not familiar with by name, but through the fine efforts of the filmmakers, I understood them, their major contributions, and what they experienced: The social and political climate at the time; the state of pop/rock in general; and the characters.

Graphic artist Martin Sharp talks about his approach to the cover and its subsequent rendering. Being a bit of an artist myself, I appreciate the work and thought that goes into album covers, especially the ones that end up being as identifiable, perhaps, as the music itself. Often the artwork takes on a life all its own.


To the punchline: I listened to the complete album and enjoyed it very much as it was done in a period of music -- and a "sound" -- that I have a soft spot for. One thing that amused me was the fact that, starting in June of 1968, lyrics such as "I've been waiting so long, To be where I'm going" and "I found out today we're going wrong, We're going wrong" must have ended up being scratched into many a high school yearbook.

I AM A CANADIAN ANTHEM

On a continuing Canada Day theme here is a video of something I have never seen or even heard of; "I am Canadian Anthem" (Bill Shatner's in this).

MARTIAL ARTIST AND ACTOR JIM KELLY DIES

Before getting back to work here at home I thought I would check the Guardian newspaper's website...

Enter the Dragon star Jim Kelly dies aged 67
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/jul/01/enter-the-dragon-jim-kelly-dies

That is sad news to me. Jim Kelly was one cool dude, especially in 1973's Enter the Dragon (one of my favourite movies).

"When it [defeat] comes I won't even notice … I'll be too busy looking good."

And that you were, sir.

Mr. Kelly was first a martial artist, winning four tournaments in 1971 alone. This skill came in handy when it came time to play "Williams" opposite other cool men, Bruce Lee and John Saxon, in that classic fists-of-fury picture.

I'm balancing my rather tight schedule right now; especially considering that I have to fit-in a screening of Enter the Dragon....

CANADIAN DOMESTIC CATS IN STYLE

"Looks like a good place for me. Excellent!"

On a Canada Day theme, along with one of my favourite animals, the domestic Cat (yes, I know Canada's national symbol is the Domestic Beaver), I thought I would do a quick search on Canadian flags and small tigers.

Yep, one thing I admire about cats is their ability to know where to find the best places to inhabit.

HAPPY CANADA DAY 2013 STYLE

Last night, as I was cleaning, I found my Canadian flag; the Maple Leaf now hangs high with pride in "my place". I was not looking for the item, but obviously it was calling out to me.

Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians, and that includes 'new' Canadians. Something that gets forgotten by some is that we were all new at one time... our ancestors were, at least. Racism comes from ignorance.

Are "stubbies" still sold? I need to celebrate "like a true Canadian". (I used to work at Molson Breweries; I remember the squat-looking bottles very well -- I saw millions of them.)