Sherlock Ramblings

Oh finally I'm able to log on! The past couple of days the computer has been plagued with slow windows updates, and when I opened the browser, it keep crashing over and over. Took me 3 hours to get a functioning browser. Due to the computer issues, I wasn't able to get any writing done lately, even on my chronology. I did discover that some Sherlockians including Zeisler were using Whitaker's Almanack for their weather data. But don't almanacs just give weather predictions for the upcoming year? Not data on actual history? You can certainly predict moon phases, tides, and sunrise/sunsets, but not actual weather like rain and snowfall. What were they thinking?

I did a rewatch of the Guy Ritchie sequel Game of Shadows and still ache for a 3rd film in the series. Although I'm still annoyed at how RDJ's Holmes treats Mrs. Hudson. There's not even the excuse that he's jealous of her, like how he's jealous of Mary Morstan. I just need to see Jude Law's Watson again and see if they bring back Moran, or do a totally different revival story.

I also rewatched the Granada TV version of "Speckled Band" with Jeremy Brett. I'm still annoyed at various changes they did to the story text, like cut the "very sorry to knock you up" remark in the bedroom, and make the Stoner sisters not twins, and make the Roylott manor house too pretty. It should be a crumbling ruin, and should have two wings, like the claws of a crab, per the story. More forgivably, they give Watson some of Holmes's dialogue and have him investigate Roylott's history in India instead of Helen Stoner disclosing the death of the butler.

Disappointing

I forgot about the Emmys, but I did hear that The Muppet Show special won four Emmys, and they mentioned that Sabrina Carpenter was executive producer, along with Seth Rogan. Then Deadline reported that Disney execs are stupid as hell, not renewing the show because they don't know what the premise is. Stupid fuckers. Just like the James Bond people were stuck about how to resurrect him after the death in the last Daniel Craig movie. These studio people don't have any common sense, or know what the audience wants.

Meanwhile, Macklemore said "Free Palestine" and other things at a concert, so rightwing billionaires got him kicked off Ed Sheeran's tour, and then all the other acts quit the tour in solidarity. I'm upset that Pink spoke against Macklemore and seems to saying as a Jewish person, she's defending Israel. Israel does not represent all Jews around the world, and in fact it's bad for Jews that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians and war crimes against humanitarian aid workers in Gaza. It's creating righteous outrage and fury, just like Trump's evil administration is ruining the reputation of America for generations. I don't even know anything about Macklemore's music, but I support his effort to speak out on the genocide.

Also I just found out that The Proclaimers are saying transphobic things. Fuck them. I loved their "500 Miles" song and thought it was great for The Sheep Detectives movie. Now the song is ruined. Ugghh.

Still as hot as summer

Mid-September already? I worked through Labor Day and ignored the yucky GOP Convention in Dallas. There are more political ads on TV lately, as Abbott and Paxton try to say they will do things to address affordability, but all they are talking about are tax credits and deductions, not solutions for the everyday pocketbook. Abbott even runs an ad saying that local districts are the ones doing the property tax increases on people. Yes, but that's because the State of Texas is not funding services, so local cities have to make up the difference somehow. Stopping cities and counties from raising funds is going to make things worse, not better! Fucking Republicans acting like they care about poor working people!

The election is coming soon. I periodically check my voter registration as everyone warns me. No problems so far, but I am pissed off about Tarrant County cutting polling locations. That reminds me that Tim O'Hare is now running ads claiming that he's "bipartisan" in cutting "wasteful spending". Fuck him.

Meanwhile, I realized that Barnes & Noble no longer allows me to download ebooks from my account. Yes I can still read the books I've purchased on my tablet and phone, but if I sign into the website on a computer and go to my library, it just opens the book directly on the BN website; no download to my desktop available. So there's no way for me to test whether I can convert anything to another format on Calibre. Oh well. First world problems. (Though we're certainly sliding into 2nd or 3rd world status lately...)

Tragic

How terrible to hear of the deadly floods in Nepal and Tibet, from the melting Himalayan glacier. If this were a normal administration, we'd already be helping to rescue people and sending financial aid. Maybe some of the ships in Hormuz can leave for an Indian port now, and maybe the exhausted sailors can get sent home afterward. This fucking endless war... plus the dumb trade wars with Canada and other allies.

Meanwhile, Dolly Parton and Tim Curry died this week. So sad. I was only into country music for a few years, but I have several Dolly songs that I still love. Her duet with Miley Cyrus on "Wrecking Ball/I Will Always Love You" was great too. Dolly's philanthropy and her love of the LGBT+ community was so genuine and openhearted. I saw a righteous rant by a guy about how she could have been a billionaire, but instead she spent millions of dollars on helping people. We need less evil billionaires and more Dollys in the world.

Of course, Tim Curry has been fabulous in many things. I had just rewatched Clue the other day and have been on a quest to put together a cosplay Miss Scarlet costume lately, though I can't find a coat to match hers. It must have been custom, like the green dress. Anyway, RIP to him and Dolly.

Staycation

I'm on vacation for a week, though I'll have to take of care of errands like doctor appointments and house chores. I tried to buy a bookshelf for my Closetmaid corner thing, but it's too small. Apparently they don't sell the size I need.

Barnes and Noble is having a sale on their tablets, but I don't need a new LCD tablet. I wanted a new e-reader, preferably with color E-ink, but B&N only added Teal color to the case this year. (It's like their old Nook Color that only had color on the case, not on the E-ink screen.) If they were coming out with color E-ink this year, they should have released it by now for back to school season. I can only hope for next year maybe.

On the other hand, Kobo Reader has color E ink for $175 and apparently are selling at Best Buy now. I'm tempted, but I have to know if I can convert my current ebooks to upload to the Kobo reader. I read a review online claiming it can be done with Calibre software, but I'm not sure I know how to do it. I guess I can try downloading something on my computer and converting it.

Chronology part 19

Chronology of these short stories.

• SIXN - June 1900
• PRIO - May 16, 1901

Now we come to SIXN, first published in April 1904. Watson informs us that Inspector Lestrade is now a friend who sometimes drops by Baker Street just to chat in the evening. One such night, Holmes prods him to talk about his latest case. Lestrade laughs, then tells them, "Although it is trivial, it is undoubtedly queer, and I know that you have a taste for all that is out of the common." Lately there is a burglar who breaks in to places and smashes busts of Napoleon Bonaparte. Watson suggests that the vandal suffers from an obsessive hatred of Napoleon, but Holmes can see that the criminal has a method to his madness. It's another charming tale like BLUE, where a trivial incident leads to a serious crime.