Otokichi

I ran across the "3 games that are better than 'No Man's Sky" post and looked for a recent play through of "The Long Dark." Since it's Springtime, but "social distancing" is in force, it's time to return to Winter in Canada. There's something growling outside this derelict cabin... Speaking of the new and improved "No Man's Sky"...

Submitted for your disapproval, a mad scenario of epic nuclear devastation by the Time Ghost history team on YouTube. Aside from turning Paris into a smoking crater, take a look at Nukemap and see what various sizes of nuclear bombs would do to your city/town/region. I "dropped" a 1 Megaton Nuke on/over Ford Island at Pearl Harbor and witnessed the end of Honolulu in a flash. Since I live some miles from Honolulu, the book, "Alas Babylon" came to mind.

A song about a Player amd a guy who's being played. Watch out boy, she's a maneater!;)

Long before the Discovery channel got "Naked and Afraid," Les Stroud outdid "Bear Grylls" in the "surviving in remote places" for seven days, ALONE. Here he is again, to tempt fate far from city water and te comforts of home. "127 Hours"? Les has done that and still has all his limbs. "These boots are made for walking..."

According to Wikipedia, "Portal" was unleashed on the computer gaming world in 2007 and is "the best game ever made." Is ther life after "Subnautica" or "Animal Crossing"? Just listen to the "computer lady" and play the game.

Have you seen oh-so-chic/Hip electronics in clear plastic cases? You have? OK buddy, where did your serve time at? "Techmoan" presents a lesser-known reason for clear plastic cassette tapes and cases when music CDs were tops of the Pops. In addition, there was a reason for "Skeleton"/clear plastic cases for radios, cassette tape players, and TV sets, as well. Get on the bus to Shawshank Prison, you're about to find all about Prison Tech...

Submitted for your approval, The Ushanka Show does a "Try" segment. Will American teens like Soviet soft drinks? It's Spring, toss your old Ushanka into the air!;)

How's this for a-non-April-Fool! post? H.G. Welles' most celebrated fictional British warship, "engineered into existence" by naval warship fan, Drachinifel.

"Jacksepticeye" has dug his way out of the dungeon to...Meme Time!

Submitted for your approval, The Right Way To Wash Your Hands and When To Wash Your Hands. (According to the World Health Organization.)

And now for something completely (!) different. I was searching YouTube to see what Neebs Gaming was doing besides "GTA 5," and came across this. It's got music and video game action, but isn't a game, unless you've ever wondered if you could do something else (MOD!) a video game. Start this playlist if you dare, or else go back to Grand Theft Auto.

Battles and conflicts labelled a "David vs. Goliath" contest have been told around campfires and bars for years. Submitted for your approval, a World War II naval battle that pitted escort and infantry support ships against a fleet of enemy battleships, cruisers, and destroyers bent on destroying the foothold in the Philippines. Get to your battle station, sailor, it's time for "Taffy 3" to face down the Imperial Japanese Navy's Northern Force...

I saw this on CNN this morning, and it ranks with other "remote performances" by others on YouTube. "Weird Al" Yankovic: "Classical Gas" Paul Simon: "American Tune" remote & live Chic Endor: "Keep Your Sunny Side Up"

Submitted for your approval, an epic tale from Dr. Mark Felton's "War Stories" series. April, 1943, Belgium: Nazi-commandeered transport trains have been taking Jews, Roma, and other "Untermenschen" to Germany to serve as slave labor or worse. An informal cell of three Belgian resistance fighters hatch a plan to stop Transport 20 and free the captives. Armed only with DIY materials and ONE pistol, it's time to Stop The Train!

Submitted for your approval, a "deserted island adventure"! Set your part of the world, your game name, and your appearance before going to your destination. Got your hunter-gatherer instincts packed? Answer the questions posed by the squeaky-voiced staff and you'll be on your way...

Submitted for your approval, a video dispatch from "Techmoan," safely esconced in his decrepit, er, classic tech bunker for the next 3 months. Have you ever seen a 10.5 inch reel open reel tape recorder spooling out incredible sound in, say, the mid 1970's at an "Audio Center"-like electronics tech store? (Or at the home of "the coolest kids in the neighborhood"?) I recall seeing these "monster tape reel" units at such high tech stores and remember magazine ads for ReVox tape recorders, showing off their "play all day/night" capabilities. Here is a tour of a much-used Sony open reel tape recorder destined for a "tapehead" on a budget who asked Matt to put out a "BOLO" for such a beast. Keep the Cabin Fever at bay for a bit, and see what $1250 might buy in the middle 1970's.;)

A simple song for a complicated world this Friday evening...

Submitted for your vicarious nihilism, Grand Theft Auto 5, for people who "drive like maniacs" and use guns whenever possible. (A European's fantasy driving game?) I'm curious to see what Songfacts folk do in Los Santos.

Submitted for your approval, a "piece of backpacker's kit." Does LifeStraw work as advertised? Grab your microscope and see what lurks in "still water.";)

This past week's Turner Classic Movies foreign (language) film was "The Big City." Life in the city revolves around the bank officer husband, who is chronically short of money. His parents live with his family, which strains the budget down to a remaining handful of coins. His wife wonders aloud if she should look for a job, which everyone disapproves of completely. She gets a job that brings much needed cash to the family, much to the dismay of older (and one younger) family members. Intrigue at her job and disaster at his creates a crisis. What will this family do?

Submitted for your approval/amazement, "The Last Bacon" takes a look at the animal and mechanical technology of "Subnautica." This is of interest to fans of the game, because not all play through gamers find or interact with all Biones. So, get ready to "get wet" and learn a lot about what lurks in the depths of Planet 4246B.

Do you have a full load of "Irish Luck"? Then head for Dublin and prepare to search for "a legendary spirit" that's on the loose, freely creating mayhem...

"Benny & Joon" had been on my "I'll see it someday" movies because of it's offbeat subject. As the opening song for the movie, it sounded a bit strange. So here are some scenes from "Benny & Joon" which "make the movie and song." Then it popped up as the last song on the 3/15/2020 "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist" episode in marching and serenade tempi. Priceless. "I'm Gonna Be" (500 Miles) performed by Skylar Astin

Submitted for your approval, a film about a mother and daughter in the Philippines. Insiang is verbally abused by her resentful mother, who "robs the cradle" for her next boyfriend. Warning! The first scene of the movie sets the bar for a tale of young love, betrayal, and revenge.

When I saw the title, I thought it was going to be about a "princely lover." The lyrics got me to turn on "closed captioning" to see if what I'd heard was right. Is this a song about a lover, or "liquid courage" that makes her "wake up on the wrong side of the bed?";)