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Chris Pratt shared a “hot new poem” on social media that literally nobody asked for. The poem is about the divide in the US and has strong implications that there’s blame on both sides, including the media for the divide in the county.

It is unclear who wrote this “political poem.”

Source

My mum: 'Okay you're safe now aren't you, the tree won't fall on you now.'

Tree: (literally the next second): * falls on Simon *

The opening titles for the new television show The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ran for the first time on this date in 1964.  It's been 55 years since that epic moment when we first laid eyes on Napoleon Solo, Illya Kuryakin (a stylishly dressed blond who only vaguely resembles the one we love in his iconic black turtleneck), and Alexander Waverly.
We're celebrating this event with a challenge here on Section VII: The Long Story Affair Challenge.
You can find the stories on AO3 in a collection of the same name, The Long Story Affair Challenge.

Writers, if you haven't already, please make sure and post your stories within the collection.  We want to make certain that the entries are easily found and identified as part of this challenge.

Along with the stories we're posting today and hopefully into the next week, please feel free to share some of your favorite moments in the series.  Use the comments section to share what you love about MFU, about an episode or characteristic of the show and its characters.

Atop Ellis Peak, California - Sat, 21 Sep 2019, 4:30pm

That "Stairway to Heaven" to Ellis Peak at the end of my last blog? False summit. We huffed and puffed our way to the top of it, and there were some nice views, but there was also still more climbing to go. Namely, this rocky rampart:



Atop the rampart we finally had 360° views of Lake Tahoe, the mountains of the lake's west rim, and well beyond.



But... do you notice what's at the far left of that panoramic picture of Lake Tahoe? Yup, a higher peak. The real Ellis Peak. We (and the half dozen or so hikers enjoying the rocky perch with us) were at yet another false summit!

We scrambled down the opposite side of the rocky outcropping and picked up another foot trail over to Ellis Peak. From there we could enjoy proper 360° views.



We stayed up at the summit for a while enjoying the views in all different directions.

In this picture (below) Ellis Lake is in the foreground. That's where we went on our previous hike out here, instead of climbing this peak. The lake was mellow, and the view up to this rocky peak immediately behind it was amazing, but I think the view from atop the peak is... amazing-er.



In the midground of this picture you can see the ridge we were walking along in my previous blog. Beyond it, in the distance, is Loon Lake.

I was curious why the other avid photographer up here was shooting with a tripod. I own a tripod but didn't bring it— I didn't want to carry the extra weight 7 miles roundtrip and over two mountain ridges! So I asked him.

"I'm going to blow these pictures up really huge," he answered.

Not really an answer to the question, I mused. I responded that I was able to use a reasonable ISO level on my camera and still shoot exposures of 1/1,000 second or faster— plenty for hand-held photography. At that level IMO the limit on my photos is the resolving power of the lens, not how steady the camera is. And I observed (silently) that he wasn't shooting with a high-end camera body or particularly high-quality lens. Ah, well, I learned years ago that the amount or cost of camera gear a person carries has limited correlation with actual skill.

Yesterday was just a day of fuckery. After the brunch/movie/walking home debacle, I had a huge, drawn out fight with my printer and the printer won. While that was happening the cats knocked over a full bottle of soy sauce on the dining table. And in between, nothing worked. I'd pick up something and instantly drop it. I'd reach for a tissue and the box would be empty. I knocked over an entirely full large drink of ice water. (Thankfully, it was one of those tall steel thermos mugs so the kitchen floor just got a cold shower.)

It was a day of nothing goes right.

Today will be a day of OKDOKEY all is fine.

I loved the printer. I got it for a steal years ago and it has served me well but it's dead, Jim. I did not want to buy a new printer right now but I also don't want to be printer-less. So... it will be here Monday. And it wasn't a steal. Sigh.

Today is a new day. I had a great sleep with my yellow pad friends. Such a delight to wake up to this.



And they promised they would not knock over the soy sauce bottle again as long as I did not leave it on the table. Fair enough.

I sat in that movie theater with my feet up for the entire movie and I think my feet were pissed. Walking home was pretty much agony. I'm surprised I didn't fall along the way.

This morning they are absolutely fine. Getting old is not without its challenges. But, there's a lot to like, too.

I did not walk on the treadmill this morning and I did not go swim and I'm fine with all of that. The Seahawks are playing a home game and at 9 am, the crowds are already assembling.... SEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAAAAAAWKS! They will be drunk and peeing and throwing up on my sidewalk before the game starts. So lovely.

I do have things that will happen today.

I will do laundry.
I will strip, wash and change the bedclothes.
I will take the fucking printer to either the car for Goodwill or the dumpster (haven't decided yet)
I will pick up the crap around the house - mostly floatsom and jetsom type stuff
I will tidy up the desk area and clean up where the new printer will go

And I will watch the ballgame starting at 10.

Biggie is now in my lap purring away. I pissed him off royally about 20 minutes ago when I trimmed his nails. He left and shot me dirty looks and then, 5 minutes later, came right back. The Smalls does the same thing. When he bites my nose in the middle of the night, I throw him out of the bed. He comes right back and, usually these days, snuggles in close but not in biting range.

I should be as forgiving as these two. And may I say, once again, that having cats that do not shed is totally miraculous. I'm ok with cleaning up the once in a while soy sauce spill. Far better than the constant cat hair everywhere. I had always heard that there were some cats that didn't shed but I'm not sure I believed it. I do now. Thanks, guys!

Beauty Queen Halima brings up a point at the beginning of the video that wearing a headwrap is not cultural appropriation and everyone should try it once. Thoughts, ONTD?

SOURCE

Growing up in Singapore, Ive never heard of cultural appropriation. We were invited by our friends to wear their traditional clothes and partake in their culture. So, I understand where she is coming from.