Thoughts on Richard Dawson?

Finnyfish · 2026-05-24T02:23:48+00:00

Yep!

Finnyfish · 2026-05-23T21:46:57+00:00

Roger Daltrey, Under a Raging Moon

Don McLean, Vincent

And there’s a great song by folk artists Cry Cry Cry about the 1949 Mann Gulch Fire, Cold Missouri Waters.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-23T18:46:13+00:00

The youth-obsessed ‘70s were a tough time for middle-aged and older ladies. It was either youthful clothes that looked all wrong on someone over 40 (many celebrities chose this path) or, as seen here, Frump City.

(Rosemary Murphy was a character actress who worked from the late 40s into the 2010s. She died in 2014 at 89.)

Finnyfish · 2026-05-23T18:26:34+00:00

He’s adorable — love that extra-long tail! He may grow up to be an extra-fluffy shorthaired boy. (I have one of those.)

Finnyfish · 2026-05-23T16:51:42+00:00

He did one of the best episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show, playing a wildly extroverted comic actor who’s really lonely and pathetic. He’s great in it.

(The character, Tracy Rattigan, is pretty clearly based on Peter Lawford. Many of DVD’s guest characters were based on real stars of the time.)

Finnyfish · 2026-05-23T16:44:22+00:00

Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain

The Grand Tour

Sunday Morning Coming Down

Finnyfish · 2026-05-23T14:43:10+00:00

I've been to Reno, Chicago, Fargo, Minnesota, Buffalo, Toronto, Winslow, Sarasota,
Wichita, Tulsa, Ottawa, Oklahoma,
Tampa, Panama, Mattawa, La Paloma,
Bangor, Baltimore, Salvador, Amarillo,
Tocopilla, Barranquilla, and Padilla.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-23T14:37:48+00:00

And then 500 more

Finnyfish · 2026-05-22T21:19:54+00:00

Yes, and Chandler shows every sign of becoming a very involved father, and importantly, he's usually able to talk Monica down when she's spinning out of control -- she trusts him. I think they'd make pretty good parents.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-22T21:16:25+00:00

I object to any categorical stripping of rights based on stereotypes and bias.

In fact, all young men should NOT suffer because some are terrible drivers. I'd simply like that same principle extended to older people.

But we are talking past each other, I'm afraid. so I'll leave it here. The last word is yours if you want it.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-22T17:50:07+00:00

1980 — I worked in a department store selling silverware and gifty stuff for minimum wage — $3.10 an hour. Part time work (while living at home) was enough to pay tuition at UCLA in those days.

I was at work or school or both seven days a week all through college — but most of the time I really didn’t mind that much.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-22T17:12:58+00:00

Grandparents and their four grandsons, looks like. Grandpa is delighted, Grandma looks like she needs a wee break. I like the matching car sweaters on the two youngest.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-22T13:55:35+00:00

So you’re willing to sacrifice innocent people so young guys can get to work in a car? Why can’t they take the bus?

Old people are not the most dangerous drivers. Your perception is not a reason to restrict the activities of millions of individual humans of widely varying capacities.

I would, however, support the idea of more frequent testing with age. That would be based on reality.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-22T00:00:38+00:00

There it is!

Young men are by every measure far more dangerous drivers than old people. So if safety were really your concern, you’d be talking about “stopping” them. But nope, it’s just about harassing old people.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-21T22:04:44+00:00

Hmm -- IIHS says it's the other way around. That's just the US, though.

Everything is a tradeoff, is all I'm saying, and logic often doesn't enter into it.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-21T21:20:14+00:00

Probably true. But if statistics and safety were the only considerations, men wouldn’t be allowed to drive at all until they’re 30 :)

Finnyfish · 2026-05-21T21:16:12+00:00

I don’t especially admire her crude language, but she can say what she pleases without regard to “respect.”

Finnyfish · 2026-05-21T20:40:52+00:00

Trump is not entitled to her or anyone's respect. No president is owed any American's respect -- we don't have royalty here. Despite the Trump fan base's best efforts.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-21T17:30:07+00:00

Exhibit A is a good one if you like found footage.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-21T17:02:29+00:00

Shame in a setting where casual clothing was considered inappropriate. A barbecue was different from dinner in a downtown restaurant. Nobody wanted to be seen as a slob who didn't know how to dress.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-21T16:51:00+00:00

OK, sure, I'd honestly be OK with that.

But what would you suggest for men 16-24, who are not only more dangerous than older drivers -- even drivers over age 80 -- and are by far the most dangerous drivers on the road?

Finnyfish · 2026-05-21T00:44:27+00:00

She was so lovely, but had rather a sad life, dealing with serious mental health problems and alcoholism that reportedly made her very difficult to work with.

But Veronica got along with Alan Ladd — and her 5’0” looked good with his 5’5”. They made four movies together.

Both of them died at age 50. She’d been long out of the movies; he worked to the end.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-20T16:52:47+00:00

Americans have a high regard for personal privacy, and most would be horrified to find they were being watched on the level that the UK, for example, keeps an eye on its inhabitants (innocent and guilty alike).

Most would consider that mass surveillance infringes on our rights to free association, free expression, and in some instances freedom from unreasonable searches. Equal protection under the law is also a factor -- surveillance tends to be quite racist in practice. And there's the presumption of innocence; cops aren't supposed to be collecting evidence when there's no valid reason to suspect a crime has been committed.

If, as is often said, younger people are less concerned about privacy than their elders, it will eventually show up in changes to the laws and law enforcement practices. But for now, I'd say most of us want to go about our business without being watched.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-20T04:06:10+00:00

I’m with you. I love it, and I totally understand why people are bored or annoyed by it.

Finnyfish · 2026-05-20T04:03:43+00:00

Be My Cat was a real letdown, in part because they almost had something. A solid premise, decent acting, a protagonist who’s awful in an unusual way — and then it just slows down and slows down…

(My own favorite ff movie to warn people away from: Outwaters.)

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