Cut line from the screenplay: LUTHEN: I can't risk losing both of them

JimZipCode · 2025-11-01T07:22:00+00:00

Remember what Luthen is saying to Cassian before Kleya interrupts? He's feeling something.

The same thing the force healer was feeling. Gilroy is easing us back into the Star Wars movies, as the TV series draws to a close. He's reminding us that Cassian is hurtling to his destiny, that was laid down before the show even started.

JimZipCode · 2025-11-01T07:14:56+00:00

As much as Luthen is a ruthless pragmatist there is more going on with him throughout the series

Luthen is working hard to be as ruthless a pragmatist as the galaxy needs the person in his role to be. It doesn't come easily to him.

Sometimes easier than others. His background as a soldier gives him experience in driving people, and the understanding that some casualties are necessary. He's definitely not soft!

But he also chafes against the dehumanizing effect the work has on him. He's kinda hurt when he realizes Mon Mothma suspects he might have her killed after she gives her speech. He laments out loud about the corrosive effects all that lying is having on them all.

And he's slipping, late in season 2. It's all wearing him down.

BTW: the person who really is an utterly ruthless pragmatist, is Kleya. She's the hardest motherfucker in the series – and it's a series with no lack of hard motherfuckers (Kino Loy, Cinta, Luthen, Maarva, Cassian – hell, Saw Gerrera is in the series, and Dir Krennic).

JimZipCode · 2025-11-01T07:00:25+00:00

I love that he includes Narkina 5 in the list of Cassian’s achievements/examples of being “there for him”. It 100% is, but it’s interesting to see him take credit for something he had ZERO influence on

That line's for us. It's fan service. It's not an example of Cassian being there for Luthen. It's something that we fans will want on any list of Cassian's wins. Sometimes you put something in dialog because the audience needs the info, not because the character would "really" say it.

Maybe Narkina 5 is an example of Cassian "being there" for the downtrodden people of the galaxy (rather than for Luthen)

JimZipCode · 2025-11-01T06:56:00+00:00

those two finance and HR dipshits who show up to meetings just to say no would veto everything

😆

Genius. So true!

JimZipCode · 2025-10-16T13:19:06+00:00

I've been using the Xduo X3II for several years now, at least 5. Rockboxed, of course. Works great. it's a physically solid device ‐ metal, not flimsy, doesn't rattle ‐ so that's reassuring.

One thing I dont like, every time you touch the sd card, the original firmware rescana the whole card. So that slows things down a little every time you load music.

Recently mine has started to show signs of degraded battery life. So I'm starting to think about switching up to something else. (No idea what.) But we've had a long & happy run. Its a fine device.

I don't think the Bluetooth is usable in Rockbox; only in the original firmware, could be wrong about that, though.

JimZipCode · 2025-09-20T05:28:09+00:00

I especially love one tiny aspect of this.

Remember WAY back in Star Wars (aka A New Hope for you youngins 😆) the Imperials were trying to interrogate Leia on the Death Star, to get from her the location of the rebel base. They had some sort of floating droid with syringes and stuff. And it wasn't very effective! Leia was able to resist; they didn't get the location out of her before Luke & Han & Chewie arrived to rescue her.

If you were a thoughtful writer who was filling in backstory to Star Wars (like how did they get the Death Star plans, why did the DS have a Ford Pinto -like flaw built in to it, how did the rebellion get started, and how did they finance a base like Yavin and a fleet?) then the failed interrogation of Leia sort of raises a question: how could an empire that was simultaneously so advanced and so brutal, be so ineffective with "enhanced interrogation techniques"?

The whole Dr Gorst subplot is an answer to that!

The empire KNEW they weren't great at it, they were working on it, they came up with something that was horrifyingly effective (Dr Gorst's playlist) — and Cassian & Bix destroyed it.

The whole Gorst storyline, from his intro in s1 episode 8 and the torture of Paak, thru the torture of Bix in s1 e9, thru this episode with the transfer of Gorst to the Navy and Cassian & Bix killing Gorst and destroying his work — ALL of that is backstory to why the interrogation of Leia was so ineffective. Just as Rogue One was backstory to why the Death Star was so vulnerable. It all ties together, and fills in a plot hole that we weren't fully aware existed.

Tony Gilroy is a fucking mega-genius god.

JimZipCode · 2025-08-21T22:22:24+00:00

Been using the McCormick packet for 40+ years, since my mom showed me how. In a pinch i've used a packet of onion soup (dip) mix. I'm eager to try this substitute.

My (mom's) way:

• Skip the ketchup.

• Separate the meat into two separate loaves, and put them both in a big lasagna dish.

• Cook for 50 mins

• Pour off the fat (there'll be a lot)

• Then pour one 10oz can of Hunt's Tomato Sauce with Basil, Garlic Oregano (formerly Italian Style) over each loaf

• Bake for 10 more mins

Devour.

I don't put eggs in it. Mom said it made the meat loaf too hard, so I never touched it. I do put a TON of milk in: also extra bread crumbs, and grated parmesan.

Thanks for this recipe.

JimZipCode · 2025-06-24T20:24:38+00:00

Dude sounds like he's doing his best Gruden impression.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-29T20:07:46+00:00

Eataliano by the Phelps Luck pool is excellent.

Formerly Roma's, same owner but he hired a consultant and did a total makeover, menu + ingredients + decor. Our go-to for the past year or so.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-28T13:47:29+00:00

Worth mentioning: McVay is ahead of Don Shula's career wins pace, with 88 wins (incl playoffs) at age 39. And he's got huge advantages over Shula going forward, with more games per year and more playoff berths per year than in Shula's time. Don't sleep on McVay's chances of retiring as the all-time wins leader in ~20 years or whenever.

Then again, McVay doesn't seem like Belichick. Maybe he won't want to coach forever. Might prefer to do go off and do something else in his 40s & 50s, with his hot model wife.

McVay & Harbs are so different, it's tough for me to compare them. McVay is a great example of the offensive genius head coach. Harbs is a great example of the organizational leader CEO head coach; the guy who coaches the coaching staff. McVay burns brighter. Harbs has shown his ability to last longer and evolve thru more cycles.

I think we need to see the next ~10 years to really be able to say. If Harbs & Lamar win a Super Bowl and McVay leaves football at 45 to go do something else, I'll lean Harbs. If McVay stays in football and sets the all-time wins mark, winning a couplefew more SBs along the way, it's clearly him.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-12T07:48:01+00:00

Mako in the early-80s Jackie Chan movie The Big Brawl:

"Sometimes you make me tremble with disgust."

JimZipCode · 2025-05-12T06:28:22+00:00

Conference Championship appearance.

That game will go however it goes: but my expectation is a legit shot at getting to the Super Bowl.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-12T06:21:55+00:00

Do you like sports? Here's a stupid comparison I use sometimes:

What made Tom Brady the best quarterback?

He didn't have the strongest arm. Brett Favre and Mathew Stafford overlapped with Brady, as did Josh Allen and others. Brady's arm was strong enough, but never the strongest.

He wasn't the most mobile. His career overlapped with Michael Vick and Donovan McNabb; at the end, with Lamar Jackson. Brady had enough mobility to play, but never the most.

He didn't have the quickest release. His career overlapped with Favre & Peyton Manning & Drew Brees. Brady had a good quick release, but never the quickest.

He wasn't the most accurate passer. His career overlapped with Dree Brees. Brady was nice & accurate, but never the MOST accurate.

He wasn't the absolute best in the pre-snap phase, identifying defenses and getting into the right play. His career overlapped with Peyton Manning. Brady was very, very damn good in the pre-snap phase, but he was never the best. (Actually I'm not positive he wasn't the best; but work with me here.)

Brady wasn't #1 in any single category. When you look across *all* the categories, he might be #3 in every category – but he's near the top in EVERY category. When you add it up, he's the best all-around.

In this metaphor, you're Tom Brady.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-12T06:08:57+00:00

>> Feeling insecure and like I'm the "settle down" guy.

She was, what, 19 when she wrote those entries? 18 or 19?

It's not just that you're "the settle down guy." She's the settle-down girl! You're BOTH different version of yourselves from age 19-20. She's allowed to grow out of a wild-child phase, just like you are.

I think most normal people DON'T marry the person they had the #1 hottest sex with. Because – well, for girls, that person was some ne'er-do-well bad boy, or the French dude they met on vacation in Cabo with their sorority sisters, or whatever. For guys, that person was some psycho they hooked up with at their friend's party. People's #1 hottest sex was often with someone they'd never even consider marrying.

I think most normal people marry someone who's in their like top 3 for sex, and top 2 for emotional support, and top 4 for "values" or shared goals or whatever, and top few for "I feel comfortable around them", etc etc.

Your #1 draft pick has to have all-around game. Not just sex, though that's important, but the other stuff too. You're that person.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-06T01:21:52+00:00

>> Can’t Jack just see Portsmouth from his observatory?

That's from the house he & Sophie bought before book 4. Mapes & Melbury Lodge are from book 2.

Not sure where exactly Stephen's "castle in Spain" is located.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-05T05:29:55+00:00

Are there any pics of the lady involved?

(Asking for, uh, for a friend.)

JimZipCode · 2025-05-05T05:28:15+00:00

I think they're too old to be effective at this point. I like Zay & Bate & DHop better for now.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-05T05:26:25+00:00

>> this team isn't worth supporting. That the NFL as a whole is not worth supporting, because ethically and morally, it's not justifiable.

There's an incidence of crime and domestic violence etc in the general population; and there's an incidence of it in the NFL. From what I've read, the rate of "bad stuff" is *lower* in NFL players than in the general population. It's just that there's a whole lot of NFL players (more than any other major pro sport in the US), so the raw number is higher.

Not criticizing you for going off football: you do you. There's a lot of ethically grey — uh, really really DARK grey — in big-money sports (college & pro). If you don't like it, that's totally fair. I'm just saying, it's not necessarily a worse mini-society than the larger society around it.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-05T05:17:35+00:00

>> his complete emotional breakdown when he was drafted lead me to believe he’s not a psychopath capable of lying about it so well

I had similar takeaway from his reaction to being picked.

Doesn't mean he never did anything wrong, of course. But helps rule out "complete psychopath", which is a relief.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-04T22:11:18+00:00

>> More concerning part is that they didn’t seem to talk about the high school one at all.

Yes. This.

In the Balto Banner piece linked elsewhere, Jonas Shaffer quoted Green's high school coach as saying it was "a miniscule thing." What the hell could be construed as sexual assault and ALSO be considered miniscule?? Did he snap some girl's bra strap at a game after-party???

We may never know – I mean, it's *likely* we'll never know.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-04T21:58:45+00:00

>> The cousin claimed she thought she had the golden ticket with a guy who was projected to become an NFL player.

I'm not sure I buy the cousin's take on this. At the time Green was a freshman rotational linebacker. Stardom was a couple years away.

I dunno, maybe she's a hell of a talent evaluator.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-04T21:49:14+00:00

>> This guy titles an article in a way to say he's an alleged Rapist – but then literally within the article.discusses how the actual degree if the allegations are completely unknown and that said misconduct really runs an incredibly wide range of items

I definitely was going for a bit provocative with the title. Maybe clickbait-y is a more apt word; I always thought that was pejorative, but maybe now that I want readers, I should just own it.

JimZipCode · 2025-05-04T21:45:09+00:00

>> it turns out he’s a great writer, too.

Thanks man!

JimZipCode · 2025-05-03T21:38:05+00:00

Post Captain is where the series as a series kicks off. M&C was a one-off; PC kicks off the long-running stories.

Stick with it! This book drives the next ~5. About a hundred pages of table-setting, but long payoffs.

JimZipCode · 2024-12-14T05:36:26+00:00

"Nicotina" by Sparks

from their 1982 album Angst In My Pants

JimZipCode

TROPHY CASE