The yawn at the start of the post is a bit of a clue.
But … ?
Well, frankly, I got home last night: wanting to unwind with a little TV.
Frankly?
I’m hoping to try and catch some episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, the spin off in the franchise.
And everything I’ve read? Tells me Discovery’s makers have seen the classic Star Trek episode, Balance of Terror as a major influence on their entry in the franchise.
It’s a fantastic little episode, with the sort of downbeat ending you don’t see in the many others.
It does something else, as well.
I think that, ever since Star Wars, we’re used to the idea of space battles as great big aerial dog fights.
Balace of Terror doesn’t.
Oh, no … !
It’s a tense, nail-biting, cat-and-mouse naval battle: with the Enterprise as a battleship, and it’s opposing Romulan ship as a submarine, diving and surfacing by using its cloaking device.
If you’ve seen the news, you’ve possibly noticed the situation in North Korea.
The build up of — so far — words between the US and North Korea: one that’s involved a lot of nuclear tests, a lot of military build up.
And North Korea’s claim that — effectively — the US has declared war on it: and that it will shot down US bombers, should they come anywhere near.
I know Donald Trump want’s to make America great again.
I hope he doesn’t.
I get the feeling that Kim Jong-un wants to be taken seriously as an international figure, and will follow through on his threat: a threat Trump seems likely to react to.
And possibly call on US NATO allies to help in a potential war.
With the possible repercussions that implies.
Personally?
Right now, I’m hoping this will blow over.
I’m hoping my country won’t get involved in another iffy US war.
I’m hoping people don’t get killed as a result of an young man trying to show his country’s strength, and an old man’s attempt to make his country look good.
I don’t know if you were aware, but, quite some time ago, news about potential security attacks on computers running the various iterations of OS X — or macOS, as it now is — hit the (Technology) headlines.
Hackers had managed to issue Mac specific malware: by sneaking spiked versions of popular utilities onto the utilities own download pages.
I, and most of the Mac users I know? Made sure we weren’t infected. And kept our eyes peeled for other similar attacks.
I think we can say they have. Between then and now, a major malware attack — aimed at Windows based PCs — took place: spread by spiked version of popular Ukrainian accounting software.
And, only a few days ago?
Another attack on Windows PCs was spread.
By attackers who spiked a version of Piriform’s popular CCleaner utility, and sneaked it onto Piriform’s own site.
I think the worry I and others had — about more malware for Macs — seems to not have happened.
I think that hackers have nicked the idea that was used: sneaking spiked software onto the official sites, in order to spread it.
I think if spiked versions of the big bits of software — Microsoft Office, iTunes, Adobe Acrobat, what have you — there’s going to be hell to pay.
Looks like it’s the last bit of (paid) annual leave, today.
Frankly?
I’m visiting family today.
After all, I’ve not seen my nephew for a while.
Although I don’t know how much chatting we’ll do.
Yep.
Uncle Paul’s been conscripted into building a rabbit hutch … !
~≈Ê≈~
In all this … ?
In all this, I have to admit I’ve caught three more episodes of series three — Coven — of American Horror Story.
In the midst of all this?
The thing’s looking good.
And features some incredible strong female characters.
Series regulars, Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson, doing well as mother and daughter, Fiona and Cordelia: and are joined by Kathy Bates as a 19th century society hostess, and Angela Bassett as a voodoo priestess.
I have to say: Bassett is one of the most sympathetic — and plausible — villains I’ve seen on TV fr a while.
I don’t know if I’m completely convinced, just yet. I still think English Electric was the better overall album: standing along side Dazzle Ships and Architecture and Morality as some of their better work.
Still … ? Robot Man and Precision and Decay are good.
Maybe not Scott’s recent best: I still think that’s a title that would go to The Martian.
But it’s as visually stunning as only a Ridley Scott film can be, is well written, beautifully acted — Fassbender, in the dual role of Walter and David, shines — and, while it’s got one heck of a telegraphed twist ending?
Is plotted well: and has a lot less holes than Prometheus.
I will say this, though: long term fans of the Alien might well go to see Alien Covenantexpecting
to see a grim, blood splattered, body horror type of film.
Certainly, there’s gore in there: this is, after all, an Alien film, so a certain amount of blood drenched mayhem is obligatory.
No Alien Covenant isn’t horror.
It’s a very grim, blood soaked, science fiction film.
One that says coming up with something helpful can have un-intended consequences.
That when we steal fire from the gods, our fingers can get burnt.
Or, at least could’ve been more of a pain … or less …
You’re wondering what I’m on about, aren’t you?
Frankly?
My router went down, last night: flashing up the by-now-familiar sequence of purple, orange and green flashing lights.
With a certain amount of resigned annoyance? That was something the got me phoning my Internet Service Provider, BT, to see what was going on.
The router … ?
Is now up and running, again, after a reset.
But, apparently?
There’s some sort of issue with the cabinet that distributes the signal to local homes: which, at least, they’ve told me will get seen to, by tomorrow.
Wouldn’t you know it.
~≈‰≈~
In OTHER news … ?
I note that Apple have released their new iPhone X: with the X, much like the X in OS X, standing for 10.
Frankly? It looks rather good, I have to say.
And, yes, before you ask …
I want one!
Although, to be honest?
The new Apple TV’s much more affordable: AND plays that suspicious pile of 4k videos I have.
If anyone wants to buy me something for Christmas …
I’ve got the radio on: or, at least, Radio 4 is on, on my digital TV.
The Today programme, so you know.
Of course, they’ve had a brief item on Le Carré’s latest work, A Legacy of Spies: the most recent, and possibly the last, to feature Le Carré’s most famous character.
That Bond? Is not a spy: he’s really a hired gun, an assassin.
Smiley, on the other, is something Britain is rather good at.
Being not a spy … but a wizard …
I’m not sure if they have a thought, there, or not: but the fact the character’s an old fashioned sort of spy, a wizard in the sense that his powers come from knowing that one extra fact?
Certainly made sense to me.
And matches very well wit Alec Guinness’s other well known role: of a wizard with a magic sword* …
Or 4th of September, if you’re that-away inclined.
It’s a Monday.
And my day off: the last one I’m due, this week, at least.
So I’ve enough hours to be going on with, to be frank.
I do know that, this time last week? Was a bank holiday Monday. And getting to was tricky.
The trains? Had been replaced by a bus service.
That bus service was delayed: as part of Warley Hill had been blocked off.
Someone had been attacked: and seriously injured in a late night brawl.
Sadly? That person has since died of his injuries.
Right now?
My thoughts are going to his family.
My thoughts are calling the two young men who attacked him, last week, a pair of idiots: for getting drunk enough — unintentionally, no doubt — to kill.
Their bank holiday weekend has turned them into killers.
Frankly? We throw the phrase ‘murder on the streets,’ around with such ease.
And then?
Something happens on our street.
~≈§≈~
Hmmm …
That’s not quite what I intended to tell you about.
Well …
Actually, yes, I did: but what I wanted to tell you?
Was that the chap had got out of hospital, alive, well … and relatively hole.
Instead, I can’t.
Personally? All I can say is that I’ve picked up an impression over the years.
That many of the men and woman in UK prisons of murder, are there for near enough the same reasons.
They’ve gone out for the evening … had maybe one beer too many … got into an argument …
And found themselves, in the morning, in a police cell: being told they’d inflicted life changing, or life threatening, injuries on someone.
Any one of us could be the victim: or the killer.
Murder on the streets, eh?
~≈§≈~
At any rate?
Most of my day has been spent feeling thoughtful about that unnamed victim, and his death.
In between that, and basic house work?
I really wanted to catch some TV: to occupy my thoughts with something lighter.
