The Gilded Age (TV 2022)

Rotten Tomatoes

The Gilded Age (TV 2022) ): Costume drama set in 1882 NYC, where the nouveau riche try to crash old-money society. If you loved Downton Abbey, you'll like this. Only Julian Fellowes can make a robber baron a sympathetic character. If you want history, balance this with PBS. B-

POTD: Richardson Homeowner Shows Solidarity with Ukraine

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Richardson, Texas. It shows one homeowner's solidarity with Ukraine. On the other side of the fence from the Ukrainian flag is a threatening pumpkin-headed skeleton. The homeowner says the placement is coincidence, but I really think the skeleton should have a sign labeled "Russia" around its neck.

POTD: Seat Belts Save Lives

No One Was Injured

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Richardson, Texas. The accident happened on Plano Rd at the entrance to the shopping center on the northeast corner of Plano and Belt Line. There were five passengers in the overturned car. The youngest was a three year old girl in a car seat who found herself hanging upside down. Richardson emergency responders had to help all five passengers exit the vehicle. Nobody in that car or the other car involved were injured. The two cars, on the other hand, were probably total losses. I noticed that the overturned car had a temporary license tag. You know what they say: a new car loses 20% of its value the minute you drive it off the dealer's lot.

POTD: Living Solar Panels

Living Solar Panels, by Ash Gardner

Trees can live for five thousand years.
The oldest ones saw the birth of Cleopatra.
The astronauts, the moon landings.
They are living solar panels.

No-one can speak to the sun.
We can't understand what it is saying.
It speaks in wavelengths we can't interpret.
But trees and corals will translate it for everyone.

Source: Living Solar Panels.

The Wheel Award for Excellence in Motion Pictures

The Academy Awards will be given out Sunday, March 27, 2022. I've seen all the nominees for Best Picture. That means my opinion means something. Right?

I've ranked the movies in order of my preference for "Best Picture." The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science uses ranked choice voting (RCV) to ensure that the winner has broad support throughout the Academy members. I wish US political elections used a similar system (or perhaps some form of proportional voting system).

My ranking of the Oscar nominees is based on the grades I gave the movies immediately after seeing them. In case of ties, I ordered them by my considered judgment today. Note this is not my prediction of which movie will win (cough, CODA), but for which I would vote, had I a vote.

The envelope please. The winner of "The Wheel Award for Excellence in Motion Pictures" goes to...