Prospect Park Ablaze and Memage

[shadowkat]

Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York was on fire this morning. I woke up at 3 AM, and my apartment smelled of smoke (like leaves or trees burning). I thought it was New Jersey. Nope, Prospect Park. Brush Fire. Took out 2 acres at NevermindMeadow Ravine. (I don't know where that is in the park, just that it was nearby. I live about two miles from the Park.

There were two apparently. One that burned all during the night on Friday, and a Second One today before the Mayor banned all grilling in the park for the foreseeable future. (It's November - they shouldn't be grilling in November anyhow.) We're in a drought. The trees are still full of leaves. And rain has not fallen since September. And there still isn't any in the forecast.

I posted on Twitter:

"Prospect Park is on Fire. Rafael is barrelling towards Texas. A blizzard is barrelling towards Denver. Prospect Park is on fire, apartment smelled of smoke. NJ on fire. Rafael is barreling towards Texas. Blizzard is barreling to Denver. Climate change. Also Mother Nature is pissed off at America."

Some evil marketing bots responded (they are either marketing bots or nitwits..) that I was lying (I have proof), that I was mentally ill for posting it (well, maybe considering I did hope his house would be knocked out by an errant tornado - I really should stop wishing tornadoes on folks), or they'd be okay because toxic masculinity would put it out. (I blocked the others but I left that last one alone, because honestly I wasn't sure what to make of it.)

People are crazy.

Oh according to NY1 it was mainly latinos who voted for the Boogeyman in NYC. (I decided Darth Vadar and Voldmort were too flattering, so the Boogeyman.) He picked up a lot of their vote? Why? Economic reasons mainly - the idiots are convinced he'll give them better opportunities to get ahead. They are idiots - because he's raising tariffs, removing regulations, and cutting taxes on the wealthy - and that only trickles down in a nasty way. The only folks benefitting from the Boogeyman are folks making seven figures a year and above. You might do well if you are making 250K and above, but I honestly think it's 800K and above. These latinos are going to be worse off in four years, at least now they have health care options and aren't having their relatives deported. Stupid people.


****

Memage

12. What’s the best view out of a window of your home? Care to share a photo?

My Living Room window...everything else looks out on walls.



13. Gold or silver jewellery – do you have a preference?

Not really? I tend towards gold because silver tarnishes quickly, but I like the color silver better.

At any rate - I don't like to wear jewelry (it gets in my way and irritates my skin), and rarely wear it - so...

14. In 2006 Daniel Craig became the 7th actor to play James Bond in Casino Royale. Who is your favourite James Bond actor (if you have one?)?

Tie between Daniel Craig and Scean Connery. I liked the more lethal version, but I also read the books. In the books - Bond is a lot like Daniel Craig and Connery - moves like a big cat, and is a killer. I sensed that lethal energy with those two actors, no one else.


15. What’s the first thing you do when you walk through the door after a day out of the house?

Put down my bag and go to the bathroom. Sometimes it is drop the bag and rush to the bathroom.


16. In 1974 ABBA began their first tour of Europe outside of Sweden. What is the first song you think of when you think of ABBA?

Dancing Queen - it always comes into my head first. I blame grocery stores, discos, radios, and elevators for that.

17. Today, in 1798, a five-day New England blizzard began that covered thousands of houses and killed hundreds of people. What’s the deepest snow you’ve ever experienced in one continuous snowfall?

I don't know. I lived in Pennsylvania, New York, Kansas, and Colorado. They kind of all had serious snowfalls. I think the last one I remember was back in January or February of 2021? I remember that was a huge snowfall and being relieved I didn't have to go to work. Usually when it happens it shuts down the city. This one - was during the pandemic - so the city was kind of already shut down for the most part. People swore they saw a Mountain Lion during it. (Unlikely - probably a bocat or big dog.)

Comments

[threemeninaboat]

We're supposed to have blizzards in Denver. It's been nice, we don't have to interact with other humans. Just doing a puzzle and making pizza.

[shadowkat]

True, but this time in November? I think it was usually later in December? No, the global warming is having a drought in NY and unseasonably warm temperatures. Also, a hurricane barralleling towards Texas or Mexico.

Unless of course you don't believe in climate change?

[threemeninaboat]

First blizzard can be as early as the first week of September, it's usually the week before Halloween. This is our first one of the year. The climate change part is how late it is.

[shadowkat]

Similar to the fact that NYC still has green leaves on its trees, and temperatures in the 60s, 70s, and 50s.

So it's not that you are having a blizzard, but that you haven't had it until now.

[jesuswasbatman]

"Toxic masculinity put it out" - that's right-wingers who claim that left-wingers believe that any form of traditional admirable masculinity (eg the fire department) is "toxic".

[shadowkat]

Thanks. Is it just me or are right-wingers incomprehensible on social media? I can't figure out what they are trying to say half of the time.

I muted them. I'll stay on Twitter until I lose the ability to mute and block folks - which may be until December or January.

Then I retweeted a bunch of women's art as mosquito repellent.

[jesuswasbatman]

It's funny, they claim that leftists use incomprehensible jargon and can't community with ordinary people, and then half the things they say are incomprehensible to people outside their cliques.

[shadowkat]

The right-wing is kind of dumb for the most part, and hasn't been educated well. I've met them in person - they skipped over subjects such as History, Music, Art, Literature, Philosophy, Political Science, Social Studies, Psychology, World Affairs, Physics - and jumped over to math, engineering portion of the sciences, finance, business, computer science, physical education, and pre-med or pre-law.

They can't think for themselves and lack the critical thinking skills to do anything more complex than take a multiple choice test.

[tellshannon815]

I think the biggest I can remember over here was the Beast from the East in March 2018. We did have some in January/February 2021, but the only reason I really remember it was because my hometown hit the news when a dustbin man kicked over a snowman and the parents of the child who made it chose to sell the story to the tabloids and it got way out of hand. (What can I say, lockdown, not a lot else going on.)

Tabloids keep trying to say there's a big snow on the way. They do this every week. I just laugh now.

[yourlibrarian]

Yikes to the fire. I agree, why would you be grilling at this time of year, especially in windy conditions?

[trepkos]

Have to agree on Bond. I think Craig edges it because his character does fall in love - as the original did. Can't see Connery's Bond having genuine feelings for a woman.

[shadowkat]

I agree. I actually prefer Craig's to Connery's, even if Connery is more classically handsome. Craig brings a sensitivity and vulnerability to the character that was lacking in Connery's portrayal. Also Craig's version believably falls in love.

Craig hated the character - found the character to be "misogynistic" and "sexist". Which I thought was interesting.

[trepkos]

Well, good for him, I guess? At least he took the rough edges off that aspect.