The Compleat Billy Chronicles (thanks to Zenpatista)

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

Yes, is it OK?
I'm guessing it must be if you could binge watched it without doing this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTn2kSKA0b8

[Doktor Howl]

Thoughts?

The first 10 minutes of season 1, episode 1 were some of the worst dialogue I've ever seen.  Bear in mind, I have seen Lost in Translation when I say that.

THAT BEING SAID:  After that (so far, we watched eps 1-4 today), the rest of it is fucking awesome.  Granted, giant space tardigrade and mushroom-driven stardrives are kind of a stretch, but so is the basis of all the Star Treks, really.

The retcon on the Klingons was interesting.  My son was blowing the raspberry at that, until I pointed out what's happened to Western civilization in 3 years, and they had a hundred years to fuck it all up.

1,000,000 BONUS EMPEROR POINTS FOR HAVING A SHIP COVERED IN COFFINS.

[Cain]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I'd agree with all of that. There was nothing too egregiously bad in it (putting aside the first 10 minutes), and the bits that are are definitely no worse than any other Trek. Once the main outline of the season story becomes clearer, it gets noticeably better, too.

And I think you'll really dig season 2, once you get to it. No spoilers, but Anson Mount was pretty much perfect in his role.

[Doktor Howl]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I'd agree with all of that. There was nothing too egregiously bad in it (putting aside the first 10 minutes), and the bits that are are definitely no worse than any other Trek. Once the main outline of the season story becomes clearer, it gets noticeably better, too.

And I think you'll really dig season 2, once you get to it. No spoilers, but Anson Mount was pretty much perfect in his role.

I'm looking forward to it.  We finish season one tomorrow.

So far, it's already tied with Enterprise as my favorite Trek.

[Doktor Howl]

Today, at work:

Norton:  "Why did we buy $1.1 Mn of something we don't actually have a product for yet?"

Me:  "Because the purchasing mob's key process indicators involve lowering cost per unit.  The less they pay for something, the bigger their bonus."

Norton:  "But this is something we don't need."

Me:  "That's not part of their KPI.  It's just cost per unit."

Norton:  "That's stupid."

Me:  "Not if you're sitting in their seat.  Now, if it were me setting this sort of thing up, I would insist that a person get KPIs that conflict with each other, which might force them to think things through, rather than KPIs that conflict with the company's interest."

Norton:  "Well, yeah."

Me:  "But it isn't me.  My job is to move fast and break things.  I think I have the better deal."

Norton:  "What are my KPIs?"

Me:  "Find better ways to build things that move fast and break things."

Norton:  "What are your KPIs?"

Me:  "I don't have any.  I don't even have to be revenue-neutral.  My job is to maintain the level of amorality that keeps the company as a whole profitable."

Norton:  "Doing well by doing whatever?"

Me:  "Spot on.  You know, in the movies, I would be the bad guy.  I would be the dumbass exec that can't see past the next ten minutes.  And then I'd be eaten by aliens."

Norton:  "That doesn't sound like a very good deal."

Me:  "Rubbish.  If you watch the movie, everyone gets eaten by aliens.  The difference is, before we all get eaten, I get better food and I dress much nicer than marines do."

Norton:  "That seems a little bit short-sighted."

Me:  "Here for a good time, Norton, not for a long time."

[Doktor Howl]

Norton had his two girlfriends come by for a tour of the plant (the part that they're allowed to see) this morning.

So.

Norton is a chemistry grad student, who can apparently even dance well.  His two (2) girlfriends are also grad students, who seem to have been abducted from a Victoria's Secret photo shoot, who ALSO seem to have no trouble whatsoever with this whole poly thing.  And Norton is smart enough to realize that he isn't the dominant partner in the organization...That would be Laurie, who is made out of muscle and sheer charisma.  Renee is the tiny one, who smiles like she just cut you with a straight razor.

It occurs to me that I hate Norton.  All right-thinking people should hate Norton.  Not because of the poly thing, of course, but because he's doing it too well, and on TOP of all of this, Norton is one of those bastards that has never had a zit in his life. 

So if you're wondering where your share of the fun went, now you know.  You can hate Norton, too.

Just don't do it front of Renee, because she's terrifying.

[Doktor Howl]

Sometimes, my job delivers on its promises.

We have a seemingly easy but actually VERY difficult technical problem to address, and it's something that nobody ever got around to doing before.

I'm so happy.

[chaotic neutral observer]

So if you're wondering where your share of the fun went, now you know.  You can hate Norton, too.

[Juana]

I'm mad jealous of Norton, despite not being emotionally wired for polyamory. But at least he recognizes his place in the pecking order.

[Doktor Howl]

I have never claimed to be a genius, or even particularly intelligent.

But this week, I just sort of SAW the solutions to a few problems that were stumping us.  It was like being able to see three moves ahead in chess.  In fact, the solutions were so obvious that I felt stupid for not seeing those solutions 5 months ago.

And then, to my surprise, over the last 3 days, I implemented those solutions...And they worked.

So, for like 72 hours, I think I understand how Oppenheimer must have felt, back in the day.

And one of the solutions was so BLOODY OBVIOUS that I can't believe nobody has seen it since the technology that made it possible was invented 37 years ago.

And now, after the paperwork slog is over, I'll have my name on a patent for something useful.

Then today, it struck me:  I have completed my bucket list.  That bucket list consisted of:

1.  Write a book. (2009)
2.  Invent something worthy of patenting. (Now)
3.  Jump out of a plane. (1987)
4.  Watch my children graduate. (2011 & 2014)
5.  Spend some time in Europe as a civilian. (2008-2011)

Now I have run out of the things.  And I have probably 45 years left, if my family history means anything.  So now I need a new list.  Something bigger than the old list, of course.  You don't downgrade your challenges when you level up.  So the list has to be grotesque.

This bears thinking about.

[The Johnny]

One of the things i've learnt, is that -you'll probably disagree, but bear with me- people are far more inteligent than we give them credit for. I'll give that people act like retards, or primitive man, but for the most part that's inertia and the path of least resistance.

But to the related thing to all that, which is my main point is that: people with the cognitive mental whatever tools to do great things, are held back by emotional short-circuits or whatever similar analogy/metaphor.

So I wonder if you've been at a better mental place when you achieved those things... focused drive without background emotional "static" interfering, having periods of a type of calm, happiness or idk?

[The Wizard Joseph]

Some suggestions for your new bucket list, realistic or otherwise. Some are just natural extensions of your stated bucket list.

Start a political movement / religious cult, complete with articles of incorporation and all other documents in order necessary to be recognized as "real" legally and see it through until it gains influence and notoriety in the popular culture. Do not play for traditional power, but recognition only.

Jump out of a flying airplane into another flying airplane.

Establish communion with the Divine, you may need a God helmet, and punch it in the dick.

Invent something worthy of hiding from the rest of humanity at all cost.

Watch your children's children's children graduate.

Spend some time in North Korea as a civilian "consultant".

Send emails to 25 influential public figures that you sincerely admire in earnest attempt to establish rapport, but with your usual brutal honesty. Never fail to reply as long as they do.

Learn a new language and become a student of its native literature.

REDACTED

[altered]

It occurs to me that I need to offer Dok my condolences.

Whether through misfortune or through insufficient forward thinking, he has doubtlessly improved the lives of dozens of primates at the very least. In the most extreme case, he might have fundamentally changed life for the better for all these stinking apes, however unlikely that may be.

While this has happened in the past, such as when he introduced recreational cannibalism to popular culture, this is not a case of unintended consequences or public misinterpretation. No, Hamish has no one to blame but himself for helping improve the lives of definitely some hairless monkeys. There is no one else to blame.

So I would just like to say: I'm sorry, and it will get worse again soon. It ALWAYS does. Promise.





(Also, NICE. This is awesome. Congrats!)

[Doktor Howl]

It occurs to me that I need to offer Dok my condolences.

Whether through misfortune or through insufficient forward thinking, he has doubtlessly improved the lives of dozens of primates at the very least. In the most extreme case, he might have fundamentally changed life for the better for all these stinking apes, however unlikely that may be.

While this has happened in the past, such as when he introduced recreational cannibalism to popular culture, this is not a case of unintended consequences or public misinterpretation. No, Hamish has no one to blame but himself for helping improve the lives of definitely some hairless monkeys. There is no one else to blame.

So I would just like to say: I'm sorry, and it will get worse again soon. It ALWAYS does. Promise.





(Also, NICE. This is awesome. Congrats!)

It will actually help drive lots of things.  Maybe even quality of life.  Maybe.  But it moves me closer to MY goal in the process.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

It occurs to me that I need to offer Dok my condolences.

Whether through misfortune or through insufficient forward thinking, he has doubtlessly improved the lives of dozens of primates at the very least. In the most extreme case, he might have fundamentally changed life for the better for all these stinking apes, however unlikely that may be.

While this has happened in the past, such as when he introduced recreational cannibalism to popular culture, this is not a case of unintended consequences or public misinterpretation. No, Hamish has no one to blame but himself for helping improve the lives of definitely some hairless monkeys. There is no one else to blame.

So I would just like to say: I'm sorry, and it will get worse again soon. It ALWAYS does. Promise.





(Also, NICE. This is awesome. Congrats!)

It will actually help drive lots of things.  Maybe even quality of life.  Maybe.  But it moves me closer to MY goal in the process.

I have hair.
I still want my recreational cannibalism, DAMNIT.