Author: Jeff Milner

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Shooting near the Bowen Ranch

I’ve been following this story of alleged attempted murder in southern California as it has been unfolding over the last couple weeks. From what I understand, the Bowen Ranch used to have a campground for folks making day trips to the nearby Deep Creek Hot Springs. A couple years ago the ranch shut down their campground and a new campground opened up nearby. A fellow named Mike Castro lives on the Bowen Ranch and Brent Gaddes is one of the people that helps runs the new campground. Apparently there have been ongoing issues between the two.

I’ve written about our trip to the Deep Creek Hot Springs but our adventures have never taken us to the Bowen Ranch or the new campground. There have been plenty of posts by “Jobe” complaining about Mike being an unhinged maniac but having no idea who these people are, enjoy the story and take everything here with a grain of salt.

More after the jump:
Continue reading “Shooting near the Bowen Ranch”

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Vaccine Skeptic Eric Clapton Claims ‘Subliminal Messages’ Manipulating People

Eric Clapton says he was duped into getting the CoViD-19 vaccine by subliminal messaging on YouTube. The infamous guitarist got at least some of his vaccination shots but has declared he regrets that decision after suffering “disastrous” side effects. Billboard.com has the story:

After months of railing against COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccines, and refusing to play shows that require vaccination proof, Eric Clapton has seemingly embraced a controversial theory claiming that secret messages are allegedly being hidden inside YouTube videos with the goal of driving mass compliance with COVID precautions. The 76-year-old rock icon pointed to the theory as an explanation for his divisive views on the global pandemic that has killed more than 5.6 million people worldwide.

“[I thought], ‘What’s going on here?’ I didn’t get the memo. Whatever the memo was, it hadn’t reached me,” Clapton told YouTube channel the Real Music Observer about why he decided to team up with his old friend — and fellow lockdown opponent Van Morrison — for the anti-lockdown screed “Stand and Deliver,” as well as releasing his own similar take, “This Has Gotta Stop.”

Remember kids, even if there were something conspiratorial going on — which there isn’t — subliminal messages don’t work.

(via Cynical-C)

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I Have Covid

The dreaded unstoppable covid arrived in my family over the weekend (probably) and was confirmed for each of us today in positive test after test. Andrea lucked out and hers came back negative but for the rest of us, it’s COVID-19!

The youngest of the family has taken the worst of it. He didn’t sleep much last night and what little shut-eye he got, he did it in our bed breathing directly into my face.

Although I haven’t been terribly ill, I could tell I wasn’t well enough to go to school so I took a medical day and I’m glad I did. Now it turns out I’ll be home for the rest of the week (5 days for fully vaccinated Canadians) while my son and daughter are each expected to quarantine for a full 14 days because of their unvaccinated status.

The testing was not popular in our house.

“You hurt me Mom!” accused Ian, the two year old, after having the probe sent up his nose. His sister (13 months older) screamed and twisted as I held her down so we could get a sample. Ian tried to assure her — now emboldened by his status as one done testing — but it had the opposite effect, “It’s hurts a little bit. It’s a little bit.” (O.M.G. that kid is cute). She revved up the squirming to full kicking.

Anyway, as the test stripes started to appear Andrea didn’t need the full 15 minutes to declare my positive result. In the end the stripe was faint but Ian’s was darker purple than the control.

Covid Tests - 3 positive 1 negative

As I’m about to wrap this up, Andrea mentions to me that she thinks she feels a sore throat developing. It’s going to get us all eventually.

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The Bad Review Revue

Don’t Look Up: “McKay’s contempt for pop culture is frequently tiresome; he just doesn’t know how to let people enjoy things — even if it is their own destruction.” — Luke Goodsell, ABC News (Australia)

The Unforgivable: “Compressing a TV series down into cinema is the greatest crime here; The Unforgivable’s countless structural problems make that case without even trying.” — Andy Crump, Paste Magazine

Clifford the Big Red Dog: “My viewing experience was only enhanced by the child behind me, who is the film’s target demographic, yelling, ‘I don’t want to watch this! This is not a good movie!'” — Jonathon Sim, ComingSoon.net

Red Notice: “[H]its all the notes of an action blockbuster, but each note rings just a bit false. And as those false notes pile up, things get cacophonous…Red Notice might be a heist movie, but in the end, the most valuable thing stolen might be your time.” — Allen Adams, The Maine Edge

Last Shoot Out: “The genre cliches almost outnumber the bullets in this uninspired low-budget Western.” — Todd Jorgenson, Cinemalogue

Apex: “‘Apex’ should have been called ‘Nadir.'” — Tom Meek, Cambridge Day

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Don’t Look Up

I just watched “Don’t Look Up”. I’m glad I heard the mixed reviews because I went into it knowing that it’s not a comedy per se. It’s a humorous movie but ultimately a tragedy. I highly recommend it.

I read a review from Dave Winer a couple of days ago that convinced me to watch it despite the bad reviews. He said:

I didn’t watch a lot of movies this year, but my favorite, hands-down, was (of course) Don’t Look Up. It’s more than a movie, it’s an anthem, identifying the conclusion of our civilization one way or the other. We either overcome our need to be told simple bedtime stories and thus transform into something else, or we self-destruct. Either way, the past is not a template for the future. And they deliver the message in such an entertaining way! Maybe it’s the last fun movie our species will ever create? People who judge the movie on its ability to entertain alone are totally missing the point. We have not only hit the wall, but it destroyed us. Now it’s time to pick up the pieces, the best we can. As Dr Mindy says at the end, “We really did have everything.” Note the past tense, and it’s very true, in the movie and in our lives. The times of having everything is over. Now what can we salvage from the wreckage of our civilization?

When I came to bed afterward I was just reeling from the movie. It’s not about a meteor at all, and I think we’re already past the point of recovery, but some people most people don’t want to know.

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One Second Everyday 2021

Having a three year old and a two year old brings its share of ups and downs but the ups are super fun. We didn’t travel a whole lot however we found fun things to do here in Lethbridge and on the occasional trip to see the grandparents.

Here’s a look at one second of each of my days during 2021.

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Paper Craft Delorean

Back to the future DeLorean time travel machine made of paper

The DeLorean is a two-door, two-passenger, rear-engine powered sports car manufactured and marketed by John DeLorean’s DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) and was sold in the United States from 1981 until 1983. Although it was a commercial failure, it captured the public’s imagination when it was featured as the vehicle Doc Brown used to make a time machine in Back to the Future.

Here’s a paper craft project for fans of the Back to the Future DeLorean, (you’ll find each pdf has a different version — one for each movie).

Translated from the archived source, the author describes them as such:

Tomo is a work designed for children, which can be assembled by simply inserting it without gluing for a certain presentation. I made four types that appeared in the movie, but the flight type was impossible.

I used glue on the ones I put together. I’m not sure how it would have worked otherwise.

DELOREANpart1
DELOREANpart2
DELOREANpart3
DELOREANpart3R
parts

Although the original plans are gone from the source site, they have been replaced with updated designs. Check out the pop-up style Delorean with an accompanying YouTube video.