Falcon9 or Man In Space!

Civilians have entered the space race!  The successful launch of the Falcon9 rocket with its Dragon capsule carrying a payload for the International Space Station is tremendous.

It looks like the entrepreneurs will lead us because that's where the money is.  I am simply amazed that so many governments don't understand that, especially conservative governments and parties.  I suppose it's because when they think of space they think of Buck Rogers not asteroid mining.  They have no foresight, only ever narrowing tunnel vision.

Gesink wins Tour of California

Anybody who has any interest in cycling knows by now that Robert Gesink has won the Tour of California.

He's a tall, skinny cyclist (6' 2" and 150 lbs) from the Netherlands, born in Gelderland (which sounds like a country from the film The Princess Bride).  I would have like to have watched the podiums but had to go to bed since Monday is one of my early days and I needed to get up by 0400. Congratulations!!

Amgen - Tour of California

American cycling at its best, and, unfortunately racing at the same time as the Giro D'Italia (Italy's version of the Tour de France).  I was surprised last evening when NBC Sports (formerly Versus) stuck with the race when it went over time instead of cutting to the hockey play offs.  Could it be cycling in America is becoming more of a spectator sport?  I can only hope.

Avengers!

I saw this yesterday and now know what all of the buzz is about.  I liked it... a lot, or very much (take your choice)! I wish they could have gotten Edward Norton to play the Hulk, not that Mark Ruffalo does a bad job, he's a good actor, I just think Norton's Banner is better.  Will there be a sequel?  Well, that's a stupid question no one's been asking.  Of course, I am now and will always be a fan of Captain America.

I'm a little confused as to who is making the LIONS share of the money.  An analyst on CNBC said it was Disney (whose stock has started to rise) but Paramount released it.  Maybe Disney owns Marvel, don't know, will have to check that out.

Child Rearing & Tootsie

I saw a commercial for some child rearing plan in which difficult children are managed, or something to that effect.  It seems to be some sort of P90X regime geared solely for the parents of ill-behaved children.  The fact that there are parents who need to be told how to raise children gives one pause to wonder if they really should have had children in the first place.  What was even more surprising was the woman in the commercial looked like Tootsie.  Does everybody remember Tootsie?  Dustin Hoffman in drag? He received an Oscar nomination for his performance.  In case you've forgotten.

This is Janet Lehman

And here's Tootsie (ie Dustin Hoffman) with Jessica Lange.

So, now we know what Tootsie looks like as an older woman.

NEED TO SEE AVENGERS

Well, not quite.  Oh, I'll go see it, but I'm not one of those individuals who needs to see it opening night, or opening weekend.  I'll wait two or three weeks, by then the crowds will have died down and I will not have to deal with chatty kids who see going to movies as a social event.

Still, millions will go opening weekend simply because they've been trained to believe "they need to see it."  If their friends, or work associates see it first, well, then they will be left out.  The film industry depends upon this, so does the music industry, in fact all of the ephemeral arts need a big opening to make their budget; and they are ephemeral arts.  Three years from now other films will have created just as big a stir and The Avengers, while not forgotten, will have become irrelevant.  Look at Jurassic Park, everybody in the world wanted to see that film and now it's passe.  So, I will wait.  I mean, it's not like they're going to rewrite and recut it in the next two weeks.  It will be the same movie then as it is today.

p90 & Mass Effect

Still doing the P90.  One thing I've learned is middle aged men need to take it slower.  I usually ed up doing half the disc workou, thoug each time I run through it I last longer.

I took 2 days off from Mass Effect, and took a look on line to see what I need to do to kill that damn reaper.  Evidently quite a number of people have been having difficulties.  I am so damn glad I am not alone.

Will have to get a shot of my Shepard.  I am so glad we can peronalize our heroes!