John Drake

It did get better as it went on. The 1980 original, however, is better. First, in the role of Mariko, the stunningly beautiful Yoko Shimada with the anime eyes is so much better than squint-eyed robo-cheeks Anna Sawai. And it's so much more enjoyable to watch Richard Chamberlain, a real actor, master his role, instead of the grunts coming out of Cosmo Jarvis. The original Shogun, too, was shot in Japan. The photography makes use of high contrast color, instead of the low contrast grayscaling in the new Shogun, where every day in Japan is made to look cloudy or rainy just like Canada where it was shot. I'll not go into storytelling other than to note that the TV and filmmakers of 40-50 years ago realized that every scene, shot, and line had one purpose--advance the plot--instead of quizzically drawn out shots that wallow around for no purpose.

We going to get this or not???

From Iran: Meanwhile, at the same time:

He's thinking.

She went down like a sack of potatoes.

What I find silly is the overnight low I see in western Bangkok every night is 28. But you better enjoy it fast. Because as near as I can tell, it's only 28 for about five minutes or so before it climbs higher. Anyway, I suppose it's psychologically effective to think you're getting 28, even if it's gone in a flash.

I do wonder if it is Willis Carrier who has had the greatest impact on the world. Maybe more than the Wright Brothers, Philo T. Farnsworth, or Robert Goddard???

This is why these terrorist supporters need to go on the No Fly List. They are a threat to public safety.

At the beginning of the heat wave, I saw some days with the humidity in the 30s. That can make even a 40 degree day bearable. But it's shifting into the 50s now, and that is dangerous. And when I wake up to run the stairs in the morning, it's always 80 or 90ish. I'd rather run in the heat of the day at 39 than 34 and 80 percent humidity. The good thing is that this year seems to have at least gone back on schedule. Last year was uncommonly cool for my area into the first week of April. And then the heat blower came on and lasted throughout June. I'm hoping for a cool down this June.

It's undeniable. And it's the trend wherever they go in sufficient numbers. How I miss the Cold War when they were locked up behind their Iron Curtain.

Started here in Bangkok during the last week of March, and my ten day extended forecast is actually showing an increase in the daily high to 41 going on into May.

Humidity can be okay. If you get cloud cover and some rain. Especially in the afternoon, when even a brief rain shower will cool off the roof of the house and thus make it less like an oven going into the night.

Fallout. Medium to slightly interesting, only because Goggins is so good.

I've decided. There is a particularly dangerous pedestrian x-ing at the top of Phutthamonthon Sai 3 and Borom. Almost impossible to get across during the day going south. There's also a police station there. I'm going to start going into the police station and asking for an escort to get me across the road. Otherwise, impassable.

Why is it when I see a headline with "Clinton" in it, it's always Hillary yacking about something and never Bill? Where's Bill?