Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 196

June 2, 2020: An Impromptu Mailbag

Quantum Mechanics writes: “I wish you’d consider making a show about aliens who help people instead of trying to harm them as all the rest of TV and movies portray aliens.”

Answer: One of the main characters in the TimEscape series I’m developing is a helpful alien.  Well, an alien with the best of intentions anyway.

Drea writes: “Maybe, start with 3-4 smaller, but stable, tech or retail, safer bet, technologies

without making any initial huge investments in any?”

Answer: Makes senes.  But do I invest now or wait for the bottom to fall out of the markets again?

K.C. writes: “please also consider taking Suji to a specialist in veterinary ophthalmology services.”

Answer: Thanks for this.  We’re looking into it.

DP: “This suppression of competing currencies made cryptocurrency necessary.”

Answer: Oh, I understand this and, like I said, conceptually I get it.  But from a practical standpoint, it’s hard to trust.

John writes: “Crypto-currencies that are not backed up by real assets, like a nations GDP, are just speculative gambling.”

Answer: So what do you think of stablecoins like Tether that are pegged to fiat currencies or exchange-traded commodities?

Karl writes: “Cryptocurrencies are the digital-equivalent of ponzi schemes. My advice is to stay away from all of them. Invest in something more stable, like Dutch tulip futures.”

Answer: Love this – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulip_mania

Line Noise writes: “Alas, I failed to jump on the Bitcoin bandwagon when I first heard about it in the early days. A work colleague was one of the early adopters and had thousands of coins which would have made him a multi-multi-multi-millionaire today . . . if he hadn’t sold them to buy a new computer monitor when he was in school.”

Answer: Ah, timing is everything, no?  Early in my career, I worked at an animation company that gifted us stock one year.  Our receptionist cashed out six months after receiving the stock – only to watch it climb to some ten times its original worth.  Many of her co-workers considered her crazy for not having been more patient – until the company collapsed two years later, rendering the stock almost worthless.

arctic goddess asks: “When you do your next Q&A, what happened to that cool car Sheppard was driving in Vegas? Did it belong to someone? Was it sold?”

Answer: We bought the car for the episode and then sold it after wrap.

Today’s movie-themed question:

What was a movie you thought you'd love that you ended up hating?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/3R4iSQy7db

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) June 3, 2020

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June 1, 2020: The secret ingredient is…gabapentin! The wheels are turning!

I think Akemi may have slipped something into my food today.  Hear me out.  For lunch today, I had a giant cheeseburger with avocado, tomato, wild leek chimichurri, and La Bomba spicy Calabrese pepper spread.  I was feeling perfectly fine and lay down for a couple of seconds.  Next thing I know, it’s 2 hours later!  2 hours!  I suspect a couple of Suji’s gabapentin may have found their way into my patty.  No solid proof because I unwittingly ate all of the evidence, but I’m on my guard.

Came across this interesting article today –

7 Books About the Possible Future of Space Exploration

Strategy meeting tomorrow morning with regard to TimEscape with my production partners, then another one later in the week with my reps.  The wheels have started turning again on it and several other projects.  Also, last night, I dreamt that I was starting production on yet another project that is picking up steam.  Prescient?  Probably!

Yesterday’s movie-themed question:

What is, in your opinion, the greatest opening scene in a movie?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/rXibHRpHeY

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 31, 2020

Today’s movie-themed question:

What's a movie you expected to hate but you ended up loving?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/A2zd4ohAas

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) June 1, 2020

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May 31, 2020: Suji Sunday!

Thanks for all the well-wishes.  Suji is doing fine although, as I pointed out last Sunday, markedly slower on her walks.  We’re cycling collagen into her meals and are looking into CBD oil for her as well.  Her hindquarters have been cramping up a bit lately, something that happened a lot when we first adopted her but abated over time.  Something else to keep an eye on.

Still, appetite is great!  She continues to be very vocal about getting treats, table snacks, and going to bed as early as possible so that she can get her goodnight treat.

And she’s always excited at the prospect of a walk.

Crankiness levels remain encouragingly high.

Stay safe out there!

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May 30, 2020: The Final Word on Crypto?

A review of the responses from yesterday’s blog entry suggests that the “Each State’s Favorite Fast Food” map I posted was…well…grossly inaccurate.  OR commissioned by the suspiciously popular Mod Pizza to drum up sales.  So, I’d love to know what YOU consider your state’s favorite fast food.  Here in Ontario, I think it’s the rather staid Tim Hortons.  Coffee. Donuts.  Run of the mill wraps.  I would, of course, cast my vote for Toronto’s very own Burger’s Priest.

Thanks for the feedback to yesterday’s digital currency-related post.  As most of you have pointed out, it does feel like a pyramid scheme in which the early buyers are the ones to profit.  And the further research I did would seem to bear that out.  The prices are incredibly volatile because the scale of transactions in these coins is highly manipulable.  Turns out the actual volume of buying and selling is somewhat lower than the stated volume.  How much somewhat lower?  Well, in the case of bitcoin, it was 95%!  The lionshare of these transactions are what’s referred to as wash trading which is designed to create artificial market activity.

Guess I’ll just stick to nice conservative investments I can actually understand.  Like comic books.

Today’s film-related question…

What's a fantastic underappreciated horror movie?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/y1sUIWeXQt

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 30, 2020

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May 29, 2020: Let’s talk crypto currencies!

I mean, wut?  Alaskas favorite fast food restaurant is Tim Hortons?  Hawaii’s is Popeyes?  Also – what’s Mod?  And why is it so popular?

I mentioned yesterday that our former VFX Supervisor on SG-1, James Tichenor, recommended we invest in Netflix.  Back in 2004.  Netflix?  The movie rental company?  James was quite insistent that streaming was the way of the future – but I’d been hearing about it forever and it seemed like streaming was exclusively the venue of people pirating off bit torrent.  Oh, how wrong I was.

Fast-forward, oh, eleven years later and Akemi was telling me I should invest in this thing called bitcoin.  Although I found the idea of digital currency interesting, I also found it altogether baffling, from the manner coins are “mined” to the bewildering means by which they are purchased and stored.  Five years later, things are slightly less puzzling on that front, but I’m still on the fence.  On the one hand, I think that, conceptually, it makes perfect sense and should be the currency of the future.  On the other hand, how far into that future are we talking about because, at the moment, the coin has no applicable practical value beyond its theoretical prospectus.  I mean, sure, some places will allow you to pay using bitcoin, but how many?  And how many people actually do pay with bitcoin?  At present, not very many, rendering bitcoin a purely speculative investment.  Which is fine, I suppose, but opens it up to significant volatility.  Also, I hear transaction times lag and the fees are high.

I was looking into the other digital currency, but I ultimately know even less about these coins beyond…

Ethereum: The second most popular alt coin – although a distant second – that, apparently, may suffer from security issues.

Ripple: Doesn’t require mining like other digital currency, but the fact that the majority of its coins are owned by Ripple makes the risk of manipulated inflation/deflation a concern.

Litecoin: Referred to by some as the silver to bitcoin’s gold, it offers faster transactions but is really just a bitcoin clone.

Tether: One of the more popular stable coins, so called because its market value is tied to a currency.  It was hacked to the tune of 30 million in tokens a few years ago, which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

Monero: Really, all I know about this one is that its private, untraceable, and perfect for drug dealers and terrorists.

EOS: The relatively new kid on the blockchain.  Introduced in 2018, it offers fast transactions but confusing in its application.

And there are plenty more – Binance Coin, Bitcoin SV, Bitcoin Cash, Cardano, and Facebook’s yet to be released Libra.  Like I said, all very interesting but also confounding and potentially unstable.

Would love to hear hear from you crypto experts.  Have you invested?  If so, which digital currency do you prefer.  More importantly, which digital currency do you steer clear of and why?

Yesterday’s movie-themed question:

What is a great comedy that not enough people have seen?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/RV76LxvMRV

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 28, 2020

And tonight’s movie-themed question:

What's a fantastic action movie that not enough people have seen?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/s2tJ5zwOac

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 29, 2020

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May 29, 2020: Breakfast cereal and haggis ice cream. But not together, because that would be gross.

I couldn’t resist.  I was in the cereal aisle of my local supermarket today (in my masks and gloves of course) and decided to pick up these two boxes.  I’m more of a steel cut Irish oatmeal type of guy, but was inspired by Gabe over Cereal Time TV.  In truth the last time I had this type of “kids” cereal was maybe give years ago – and only because I was experimenting with ice cream flavors derived from cereal-flavored milk (Cap’n Crunch was the big winner).  Before that it was, uh, much longer, back when I was a kid watching Saturday morning cartoons like The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour, Scooby-Doo Where Are You?, and the hallucinogenic Ralph Bakshi Spider-Man.

This was my first time eating Chex.  I think I avoided them as a kid because I recall them being a lot better for you back then.  While this may still hold true in the general sense, I’m pleased to report this version did NOT taste healthy.  And it retained a nice crispy texture in milk.

The smell of maple syrup this you the second you spent the package, but not in an unpleasant way.  Suffice it today, it smelled sweet.  And it delivered.  Like the Chex, the mini Eggos also retained a nice crispy texture sitting in milk.

While Akemi preferred the texture of the Eggos, she preferred the favor of the Chex.  I enjoyed them equally and look forward to working Cocoa Puffs into the rotation at at later date.

Hey!  Haggis Ice Cream?  Yes or No?

This ice cream is haggis-flavored

May 27, 2020: Worst snack ever!

Just tried Doritos Dinamita for the first time.
Haven't checked the packaging, but I'm pretty sure the main ingredient is recycled cigarette filters. pic.twitter.com/9rSUgR9La3

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 27, 2020

Seriously.  It was like eating a pack of Newports.

Today’s movie-themed question –

What was the greatest remake in movie history?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/7d51dLyrA1

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 27, 2020

This one a close second for me… pic.twitter.com/FCLBB9abSO

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 27, 2020

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May 26, 2020: My accomplishments pale to Akemi’s!

Well, time to take my supplements!

So, that’s what I accomplished this week.  Akemi, on the other hand, in addition to the gardening and the baking, has been making gyoza…

I, of course, have been doing my part and supporting her by eating them.

Today’s movie-themed question…

What is the saddest moment in cinematic history?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/ermvMqOORE

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 26, 2020

Received some sad news today.  Beloved french bulldog Stewie passed away yesterday at age 11.  He was a 30 lb bundle of energy and I will always fondly remember how he would greet me whenever I would visit – by charging down the hall and launching himself, full force, into my stomach.

I leave you with my favorite video of the handsome boy.

 

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May 25, 2020: Results, a recommendation, and a couple of movie-themed questions!

Thank you to all those who weighed in with suggestions for Suji.  We’re going to try introducing collagen supplements and CBD oil into her routine.  Hopefully we see some improvement in the next few weeks.

Also, in the next few weeks, I look forward to seeing the results of our grand social experiment.  Either many are correct and the worst is over with regard to the virus so these mass gatherings will be perfectly fine – OR a bunch of people are going to be truly fucked.  Oh well.  I guess time will tell.

So after watching a collection of positively horrifying videos revealing the amount of bugs in your average strawberry, I decided to put my recent purchase to the test.  I soaked five strawberries for five minutes in a bowl of cold water, salt, and apple cider vinegar.  The findings?  No discernible insects.  And strawberries that taste of salt and vinegar.

Watched a couple of horror movies today.  I highly recommend this one:

Yesterday’s movie-themed question:

What was the Holy Shit scariest reveal in a horror movie?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/5oRFNASclX

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 25, 2020

Today’s movie-themed question:

What movie scene made you laugh the hardest?
Answer with a gif. pic.twitter.com/gGwkY5iRgm

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) May 25, 2020

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May 24, 2020: Suji Sunday!

Suji seems to be slowing down.  It’s as if someone flipped a switch on her birthday.  Whereas once she was a determined and tireless walker, lately she has been slow and given to lengthy stoppages. It reminds of a similar situation with my pug, Jelly, who would just quit partway through her walks, taking a seat in the grass and refusing to budge.  I would later discover that she suffered from hip dysplasia and the lengthy walks made her uncomfortable.  I wonder if it’s something similar with Suji.  I do know that she suffers from some hip dysplasia as well, but it’s never slowed her before.  She’s been taking krill oil/MSM/glucosamine (for her joints), monthly cartrophen injections (for her arthritis), and rimadyl (a non steroidal anti-flammatory) – and that has seemed to help.

She’s also been taking tacrolimus to address the keratitis on her eyes – and I’m wondering if that might not be it as well.  She seems to be having trouble seeing as evidenced by her wayward walking pattern and her recent propensity for walking into things.  She can see me hunker down to offer her a treat from 12 feet away but often, if I’m holding the treat just inches from her face, she won’t even notice.  I wonder if it’s an issue with her peripheral vision that has made her more cautious and uncertain in her walking.

Otherwise, her appetite is good.  She’s still as vocal and cantankerous as ever if breakfast or dinner are delayed, or she wants to go to bed so she can get her good night treat.  Still, there has been a noticeable change.  We’ve started giving her a small dose of gabapentin for pain whenever she seems uncomfortable, and plan to bring her in to get checked out by our local vet.  Hopefully, it’s something we can address.

Yes, 15 is old for a dog.  But she was perfectly fine up until recently, and the sudden change has been surprising.

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