Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4-6-2017

Good lord … 

As I write … ?

As I write I know pine co-worker was off, last night.

As his wife was giving birth: to a daughter.

Congratulations to them … !

For me, that was some good news to hear.

When I got home, last night … ?

It was to the news that three men had driven a van down London Bridge, then got out and started stabbing people.

Six people were killed as a result.

What … the … actual … fuck … ?

How, on a night that sees something as simply beautiful as a birth happen, does a group of idiots manage to do something like this?

How, during Ramadan, which many in Britain are celebrating?

Does someone manage rationalise doing this?

How does someone manage to do this … ?

And manage — after the Manchester attacks —to interrupt British democracy and manage to cause at least one party to suspend campaigning.

How?

God knows.

I certainly don’t.

~≈Á≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 4-6-2016

You know, there’s very few times I cry.

Very few times.

But, frankly … ?   I’ve tears in my eyes, this morning.

I’ve woken, like many of us, to the news that Muhammad Ali — quite probably the greatest boxer ever born — has died.

Personally … ?   I always thought of him as something of a childhood hero: a man of words who could back up those words with both beliefs and abilities.

I can remember seeing an interview with Ali: conducted by Michael Parkinson, in Ali’s later years.

At one point?

Ali seemed to fall asleep.   Parky was understandably concerned, and was discreetly trying to catch the eye of one Ali’s family: to let them know the man was drowsing.

Until’s Ali — with the biggest grin you’ve seen — catch Parky’s eye … and said “I got ya … !”

Definitely the Greatest, even with rampaging Parkinson’s.

That mouth … ?

Got him in trouble over the years: but ALSO made perfectly plain his views.    The BBC’s news channel has aired one 1960s interview with him, in the wake of his refusing the draft to join the army.

Making the very good point that he was someone who — in two fights — made enough tax money to pay for three bombers … and that the US wanted him to join the army … !

~≈®≈~

Right now?   I’m thinking, as I have for many years, that the USA has only had two authentic heroes: at least in my lifetime.

One of those was Neil Armstrong: whose feat in landing on the moon are amazing.

The other hero … ?

Died today.

My thoughts, and condolences, go to Ali’s family.

They’ve lost a father and husband.

The rest of us?   Have only lost a legend.

RIP Muhammad Ali.

~≈®≈~

Silent Running: or The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Intergalactic Eco-warrior …

I’ve got to admit, at times like this, I really do miss cash.

Literally.

I actually had an invite to go out: but couldn’t afford it.

Kevin D’s birthday do, so you know.

A shame really, sound like the incriminating photos could well be interesting …

If nothing else, though … ?

If nothing else, it did give me the excuse to dig up something I know I’ve not actually watched for quite some time.

The 1972 film, Silent Running.

Which is definitely something, I know that … !

»»•««

Silent Running sees Bruce Dern — Laura Dern’s dad, in case you hadn’t worked that out — as Freeman Lowell, one of a handful of astronauts on the Valley Forge: an American Airlines spaceship in near Saturn orbit, that has the remains of much of Earth’s plant and animal life on board.

Until one day, the crew are ordered to jettison the pods that hold the assorted forests and return the freighters to commercial service.

Driving Lowell to kill one of his fellow crewmen in one of the pod: and get rid of the other two by jettisoning the dome — one of the two remaining domes — that they’re in.

Leaving Lowell in serious isolation: bar the ship’s three maintenance drones, or Huey, Dewey and Louis as Lowell dubs them.

»»•««

Now, I was saying that Silent Running was — indeed is — definitely something?

I’m definitely right, I think.

And while I may disagree with Mark Kermode calling it a “masterpiece”, I’m also pretty sure that when director Douglas Trumbull made Silent Running, he made a science fiction film that did something unusual for SF, back then.

Granted, it was a touch heavy handed with it’s eco-friendly message.

But in studying human reaction to extreme isolation, and how we deal with the world around us.

Made a film that is genuinely beautiful.

Silent Running.

★★★½☆