Random Thoughts

joey con carne wrote:LOL I thoroughly enjoy them. I enjoy the unpredictable endings in court sometimes. The good guys don't always win. Of course, some of it is pretty lame with the convenient plot turns and the "Oh hey, look what I found on this tiny piece of footage that just so happened to be captured by a bystander during the crime" conveniences. And I always crack up at the "blow up that picture and enhance it. That's our guy!" because I think of Barry "Okay, blow it up. Now enhance it." "Uh... yea that's not possible."

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Reportedly Set to be Announced as Next James Bond

I’ve heard enough rumors about Aaron Taylor-Johnson becoming the next James Bond that I think it’s time to just write about it.

Taylor-Johnson had a secret screen test with Bond producer Barbara Broccoli at Pinewood studios in November, and it went so well that an announcement of his casting is in the works for the Spring of 2023.

Still a rumor, I guess, but who are we kidding here? There’s been no denial from Broccoli and company as word keeps spreading throughout the film world. As far as I’m concerned, it’s probably a done deal.

You can read the Bond/Taylor-Johnson stories here, here, here, here and here.

Taylor-Johnson would be succeeding Daniel Craig. I had my doubt about Craig’s casting but he surprisingly delivered two of the best movies of this five decade plus franchise: “Casino Royale” and “Skyfall.” I never had high expectations for this franchise to begin with, but those two movies were aces.

Some of the actors who had been rumoured for Bond in the last year included Henry Cavill, Regé Jean-Page, Tom Hardy, James Norton and Chiwetel Ejiofor. I would have chosen Idris Elba but last year he walked away from 'years of talks' with Broccoli.

Source: World of Reel

joey con carne wrote:Looks like I got the VID. Tested myself twice over two days. Yarp

joey con carne wrote:This is my first time, I think. I was sure I had it once in the past because I was insanely sick at one point this year but the symptoms I have now are much different.

This one just feels like a heavier common cold. My body temp elevated to a whopping 99.2 last night but other than that, it has not been so bad. Today is day four of me feeling sick. At jury duty I thought it was just a common cold. I was masked up and everything and didn't talk to anyone or get too close so hopefully I'm not a superspreader.

The worst symptom I can say popped up Thursday night which was being unable to breathe through my nose because it was just completely congested. This has been pervasive Friday and Saturday.

I started feeling off Tuesday night. Wednesday I thought I was feeling better. Thursday I felt a little bit worse but figured it was just the stress and boredom of being there. Friday it was elevated and just felt like a heavy cold. Saturday morning it felt like a truck hit me and I was so tired. Then I napped from about 2pm to 5pm. Took some Dayquil and I can breathe through my nose again.

It's so uncomfortable breathing through my mouth. Not used to it at all.

I used a self test at home on Friday night and then I called a friend who is a nurse and asked her if she could get me some more tests on Saturday just to be sure. Both tested positive very clearly.

So that's my weekend. Will top it off with some Home Alone and Home Alone 2 marathon. Had Jersey Mike's philly cheesesteak for lunch and now having Dominos pizza for dinner. Shaping up to be a pretty decent weekend afterall.

Speaking of Jersey Mike's, have you guys seen the Danny DeVito commercials? I really like them:

joey con carne wrote:I think the protocol is now just have to test negative and you're good to go.

Remember when it first started the government was like you have to quarantine for two weeks? LOL What a joke. Guess the economy can't withstand people quarantining so long now so that's done.

joey con carne wrote:I think the protocol is now just have to test negative and you're good to go.

Remember when it first started the government was like you have to quarantine for two weeks? LOL What a joke. Guess the economy can't withstand people quarantining so long now so that's done.

WyldeMan wrote:Who needs a two week quarantine? Nearly all of Ahumirca since this shit still isn't even remotely under control nearly three years later.

More people just need to create businesses to work from home. This isn't 1950, if you can't find a way to make money selling things online, you're not even trying.

UltimateMarvel wrote:Yeah, I'm thinking about a WFH job in the new year too. 10.5 hour shift + 35 mins commute and it's usually 12 hour a day for me. I get 3 days off which is nice but I'm ready for WFH. I'm in tech so I should find something. Though tech workers have been getting laid off lately so that's fucked everything up too. I hear recession is about to hit us hard, things are not looking good for 2023.

WyldeMan wrote:12 hour days? Fuck that noise, I spent most of my 20's doing that but I don't think I could swing that everyday anymore, nor would I even want to try. I'm too old for that shit!

Tech is a very fickle industry with too many booms and busts. I'd look for a side hustle not connected to your regular field so you can diversify your income streams. I've mentioned before that I've done stocks, real estate, ebay, vending machines and wood working just to name a few, to make side money. Pretty much everything I do has an online competent to make a revenue stream from it.

WyldeMan wrote:A retired neighbor down the road started breeding meal worms to feed his chickens at a more affordable cost. Then he started started breeding bait worms for fishing for him and his friends before he started doing it for several local shops since fishing is huge around here. Now the guy has started a worm farm on his property and he's selling worm castings (worm manure) online because people use it for endless fertilizer purposes. They call it Vermiculture and vermicompositing and I can't believe how much money there is in it....

WyldeMan wrote:Now I obviously wouldn't expect you to start a worm farm in your parents basement but my point is just that there are some insanely uncommon ways to make cash these days and you don't have to work too hard to market your products anymore since there are already so many established online platforms to help you do it.

UltimateMarvel wrote:I went to school for tech so that's always going to be the main hustle, too deep in it with degrees and certifications. But a side hustle wouldn't be a bad idea.

UltimateMarvel wrote:What a weird occupation and something a person wouldn't normally think of. But if it makes money, that's all that matters.

UltimateMarvel wrote:I hear you, this is something I've been thinking about lately myself. I just need to figure it out.

WyldeMan wrote:You went to college so they own your ass cause that's how the educational pyramid system works. Not much too do about it now but using those tech skills to better your life through financial freedom can't hurt. You know, like how you work in both tech and the movie industry ruining our childhood dreams.  

WyldeMan wrote:You have no idea how strange of an occupation worm farming is is until you walk past a homemade wooden drink dispenser in the field labeled "Worm Tea" and stand there confused trying to figure out as to if the name is exactly as disgusting as it implies. Thankfully though it's just another name for worm fertilizer and the farmers don't consume the worms in an herbal tea. 

WyldeMan wrote:No kidding though, he was talking about making over $30k this year with just his wife helping him run the operation and its still in its first year and apparently the potential to earn twice that is already on his horizon. Now I didn't major in business but I don't believe he spent nearly as much to get the operation going given that it's mostly worms, plastic bins and compost and he's going to turn a nice profit in his first year. Can't hate a hustle that will provide for your family, even if it's something as unusual as worms.

WyldeMan wrote:Easiest way is to figure out what kinds of things you can already do proficiently with the skill sets you have, the things you enjoy doing and then make your list and see where you can find overlap between the two.

WyldeMan wrote:Sometimes the side hustles fall into your lap. I always enjoyed woodworking and did it quite a bit in my free time and then people started offering to pay me to make them things and that was how my first side hustle got going.

WyldeMan wrote:When you're job hunting for a career you're kind of pigeon holed into whatever is available and paying a halfway decent wage but with side hustles you can do what you enjoy and still make money. It won't feel like a second job if you're setting your own schedule and only doing what you enjoy, then its like you're getting paid for doing your hobbies and I can think of a lot worse ways to spend my free time.

UltimateMarvel wrote:It's the reason I wake up everyday!

UltimateMarvel wrote:That's exactly where my mind went. They need to re-name it.

UltimateMarvel wrote:All I'm really good at is tech so maybe I could do some video editing, I've done some in the past but not for money. I've also played with special effects using Adobe After Effects changing eye colors and super powers like in movies.......I don't know, I'll try to think of something.

UltimateMarvel wrote:Yeah, I remember you posting some pics in the past. You've got some skillz!!!

UltimateMarvel wrote:Not having to clock in/out would be a dream!

James Cameron reportedly handed in a nine hour cut of ‘AVATAR 3’ last week to 20th Century and Disney. In true James Cameron fashion, he wants to complete the VFX work for all nine hours before cutting down the film.

joey con carne wrote:Hell yea. They should keep the nine-hours and make that the theatrical release. And they should make a rule at the theater if you leave the theater room you are barred from re-entry because the light from outside would ruin the experience for everyone else so you have to watch the full nine hours.

Epic Games has agreed to pay a total of $520 million in two settlements with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations the Fortnite creator violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, and that it used design tricks to dupe millions of players into making unintentional purchases.

As part of a proposed federal court order filed by the Department of Justice on behalf of the FTC, Epic will pay a $275 million for violating the privacy reg — the largest penalty ever obtained for violating an FTC rule, the agency said. Epic must also adopt stronger privacy default settings for children and teens.

Separately, the game maker will pay $245 million under a proposed administrative order to refund consumers for its so called “dark patterns” billing practices. The FTC called this the largest refund amount in a gaming case, and its largest administrative order in history.

“As our complaints note, Epic used privacy-invasive default settings and deceptive interfaces that tricked Fortnite users, including teenagers and children,” said FTC Chair Lina Khan. “Protecting the public, and especially children, from online privacy invasions and dark patterns is a top priority for the Commission, and these enforcement actions make clear to businesses that the FTC is cracking down on these unlawful practices.”

“The Justice Department takes very seriously its mission to protect consumers’ data privacy rights,” added Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “This proposed order sends a message to all online providers that collecting children’s personal information without parental consent will not be tolerated.”

The FTC alleged Epic violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (called COPPA) by collecting personal information from kids under 13 who played Fortnite without notifying their parents or obtaining their parents’ verifiable consent. Epic also violated the FTC Act’s prohibition against unfair practices by enabling real-time voice and text chat communications for children and teens by default.

Epic employees expressed concern about its default settings, the FTC said, and as early as 2017, urged the company to change the default settings to require users to opt in for voice chat, citing concern about the impact on children in particular. “Despite this and reports that children had been harassed, including sexually, while playing the game, the company resisted turning off the default settings. And while it eventually added a button allowing users to turn voice chat off, Epic made it difficult for users to find, according to the complaint.”

The FTC had voted 4-0 to refer the civil penalty complaint and proposed federal order to the Department of Justice. The DOJ filed the complaint and stipulated order in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, where Epic has its headquarters.

As for the “dark patterns aimed at getting consumers of all ages to make unintended in-game purchases,” it said, “Fortnite’s counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration led players to incur unwanted charges based on the press of a single button. For example, players could be charged while attempting to wake the game from sleep mode, while the game was in a loading screen, or by pressing an adjacent button while attempting simply to preview an item. These tactics led to hundreds of millions of dollars in unauthorized charges for consumers.”

Epic’s video game Fortnite, with more than 400 million users worldwide, is generally free to download and play but charges users for in-game items such as costumes and dance moves.

The company also allowed children to purchase Fortnite V-Bucks by simply pressing buttons without requiring any parental or card holder action or consent. Some parents complained that their children had racked up hundreds of dollars in charges before they realized Epic had charged their credit card without their consent. The FTC has brought similar claims against Amazon, Apple and Google for billing consumers millions of dollars for in-app purchases made by children while playing mobile app games without obtaining their parents’ consent.

The FTC also alleged that Epic locked the accounts of customers who disputed unauthorized charges with their credit card companies. Consumers whose accounts have been locked lose access to all the content they have purchased, which can total thousands of dollars. Even when Epic agreed to unlock an account, consumers were warned that they could be banned for life if they disputed any future charges.

The FTC alleged Epic purposefully obscured cancel and refund features to make them more difficult to find.

The $245 million settlement here will be used to provide refunds to consumers. Under the agreement, Epic must stop charging consumers through the use of “dark patterns” or without obtaining their affirmative consent. It can’t blocking consumers from accessing accounts for disputing charges.

That complain was also approved with a Commission 4-0 vote.

Source: Deadline

After ten days of deliberations, Harvey Weinstein was convicted of rape in a Los Angeles trial, the jury found on Monday. The conviction further cements his plunge from one of the most influential producers in Hollywood to the face of what launched the #MeToo movement in 2017.

But the jury acquitted Weinstein of sexual battery by restraint against a different Jane Doe accuser. Jurors also couldn’t reach a decision on three sexual assault charges, including rape.

This trial centered on testimony from four women, all known as Jane Does in court, who accused Weinstein of raping or sexually assaulting them from 2004 to 2013. Four others also testified that they were assaulted, though their claims didn’t lead to charges. In total, prosecutors called 44 witnesses to the stand to make their case against the former movie mogul.

Weinstein faced two counts of rape and five counts of other types of sexual assault. He pleaded not guilty to all charges against him. Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year sentence following his conviction by a New York jury in Feb. 2020 of committing a criminal sexual act in the first degree and third-degree rape. He appealed the sentence, but it was affirmed by an appeals court in June.

The jury found Weinstein guilty of three counts — forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and penetration by foreign object — against Jane Doe 1. He was acquitted of sexual battery by restraint against Jane Doe 3. The jury couldn’t reach a decision on the charges Weinstein faced of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation against Jane Doe 4 and sexual battery by restraint against Jane Doe 2.

Jurors started deliberating on Dec. 2. It reached a verdict on the 10th day of deliberations, after roughly 41 hours considering the case.

“I have been advised by my bailiff that you have reached verdicts on certain counts but have not been able to reach them on others,” said Los Angeles Superior Court Lisa Lench.

The judge asked jurors if further arguments or read back of testimony can help them reach a decision on the deadlocked charges.

“I believe we will be unable to reach a verdict,” responded a juror.

The jury will return on Tuesday to hear arguments on aggravating factors. Weinstein currently faces a maximum of 18 years in prison, which could become 24 years depending on how the jury decides on those factors.

Weinstein sat at end of the defense table with his lawyers Mark Werksman and Alan Jackson after the jury walked into the ninth floor courtroom of the Clara Shortridge Foltz courthouse in downtown Los Angeles to announce that it had reached a verdict. He looked down and folded his hands as the first guilty verdict was read.

Werksman, Jackson and Deputy District attorney Paul Thompson, who led the prosecution, declined to comment.

The verdict comes on the heels of a host of other decisions in cases with #MeToo implications. Across the hall of the downtown Los Angeles courtroom in which Weinstein’s trial unfolded, a judge declared a mistrial on Nov. 30 in actor Danny Masterson’s rape case after the jury said it was “hopelessly deadlocked.” In New York, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis was ordered to pay $10 million to a woman who accused him of rape, while actor Kevin Spacey beat a sexual misconduct suit brought by Anthony Rapp, who alleged sexual abuse when he was 14.

Weinstein, who reigned as one of Hollywood’s most influential producers, didn’t testify. The defense primarily focused on poking holes in the testimony of the eight accusers — four Jane Does and four named witnesses whose accusations didn’t lead to charges.

Werksman said Jane Does No. 1 and 2 lied about their accusations, while Jane Does No. 3 and 4 had “transactional sex” with Weinstein to advance their careers.

“Take my word for it — five words that sum up the entirety of the prosecution’s case,” said Alan Jackson, also representing Weinstein, in closing arguments on Dec. 1.

Jane Doe No. 1 — a model and actress — testified that she was raped in a hotel room in February 2013. After demanding to be let in, she alleges that Weinstein started to masturbate before forcing her to perform oral sex and raping her. She reported the incident to law enforcement in 2017.

The Hollywood Reporter doesn’t typically name people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they voluntarily come forward. Several of the women who testified against Weinstein have disclosed that they were assaulted.

Among them is Jennifer Siebel Newsom, who was a relatively unknown actress when she met Weinstein at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2005 before marrying Gov. Gavin Newsom. She testified that she was raped in a meeting Weinstein set up to discuss her career, bursting into tears when asked to identify the disgraced movie mogul. “He’s wearing a suit and a blue tie, and he’s staring at me,” she said from the witness stand.

Prosecutors detailed a “recorded pattern” among the assaults of Weinstein luring his accusers into an isolated hotel room under the guise of professional meetings.

The accusations against Weinstein date to a time when he was at the apex of his powers in Hollywood. Over 40 years in the industry, he played a part in launching the careers of countless A-listers and award winners.

WyldeMan wrote:Looks like I'm gonna have a White Christmas.

I've got a snow storm headed my way in the next few hours and they're expecting at least 8 inches of snow tonight with even more expected for the next three straight days.

WyldeMan wrote:Also in totally unrelated but weirdly random news, the 29k sq ft mansion from Netflix's Knives Out Glass Onion is listed on Zillow for only $450 million.

I can't recall another time Zillow has been used in movie marketing...

UltimateMarvel wrote:Work is closed today and possibly tomorrow. It is -5 degrees right now but "real feel" is saying -26. I don't know why people are going outside in this weather but I was told 5 people have died, probably car accident. I've never seen the weather get this bad before and the fact that it's happening across the nation is crazy. Stay warm and stay safe guys!

UltimateMarvel wrote:Work is closed today and possibly tomorrow. It is -5 degrees right now but "real feel" is saying -26. I don't know why people are going outside in this weather but I was told 5 people have died, probably car accident. I've never seen the weather get this bad before and the fact that it's happening across the nation is crazy. Stay warm and stay safe guys!

WyldeMan wrote:We're experiencing our lowest temps ever in Washington State too. We rarely ever hit single digits in my county, that only used to be about once every 15 years but we've been in single digits every day this week with more snow on the way.

Is everybody but Rust buried in snow right now?

I need a fuckin break from this bullshit, I just want the sun to shine.

But in other fantastic news, Glass Onion dropped today so I'm gonna stream me some Kate Hudson to warm up the joint.

WyldeMan wrote:We're experiencing our lowest temps ever in Washington State too. We rarely ever hit single digits in my county, that only used to be about once every 15 years but we've been in single digits every day this week with more snow on the way.

Is everybody but Rust buried in snow right now?

I need a fuckin break from this bullshit, I just want the sun to shine.

WyldeMan wrote:But in other fantastic news, Glass Onion dropped today so I'm gonna stream me some Kate Hudson to warm up the joint.

Rusty wrote:Warm and sunny here. Had a nice afternoon storm yesterday that filled the rainwater tanks.

And in about 2 hours I'll be heading down to the van to spend my Chrissy and New Years drinking beers by the river.

joey con carne wrote:On the plus side, I have upgraded my PC from an AMD 3700X to an Intel 12700K. Micro Center had a deal where you buy the 12700K for $350 and they give you an ASUS motherboard worth $250 for free. They practically put a gun to my head and forced me to buy it. Very slick processor so far. I even installed a ThermalRight contact frame mod. That really scared me. I was really worried I would mess that up and fuck up the whole system. When it booted up, I was so stoked. Next upgrade is a sweet new GPU but I'll probably buy last gen if the price is right. I really don't want to pay $800 for a current gen.

Tyger wrote:I’m in Utah and we actually haven’t had much snow this week. As a Californian, I have no complaints about that.

UltimateMarvel wrote:Merry Christmas guys!

I'm probably going to watch Violent Night, looks interesting and fun.

joey con carne wrote:Camilla Belle is in this season's Law and Order: Organized Crime. She looks good in this show.

joey con carne wrote:Anyone else watching all the Law and Order shows besides Wylde and me? This season has been pretty good so far.

joey con carne wrote:Organized Crime has Camilla Belle in it as part of the main overarching storyline. OC is a little different from the other shows where SVU and regular Law and Order have basically one story per episode.

OC has one big story the entire season but this year they are adding filler episodes which take one or two episodes to resolve while still moving the main story forward a tiny bit. If it was juat thevmain story the season might be like 10-13 episodes