RIP: Norman Lear, a true television great

Lear was 101. He was known for creating such transformative television as All In The Family, Sanford and Son, Maude, The Jeffersons, and Good Times. And get this - he consulted on a few episodes of SOUTH PARK! I'd kind of like to identify those and see them! President Bill Clinton awarded him the National Medal of Arts.

He brought up issues of the day that no other TV show would touch: breast cancer, inter-racial tensions, sexual liberation, etc. And I think television needed it.

He truly changed the face of television in America, and perhaps inspired the world.

https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/norman-lear-dead-1299936/

Disney/Pixar's Pandemic movies to see theatrical release!!!

YAY! *insert Happy Kermit Flail*

From the article, "In 2024, though, you'll get the chance to see those animated films on the big screen. Soul will get a theatrical release on January 12, Turning Red will hit cinemas on February 9 and Luca will emerge on a silver screen near you on March 22."

LOVED Turning Red, really enjoyed Soul at a different level. Luca was fun. Will definitely try and catch all three.

https://www.engadget.com/pixars-disney-pandemic-movies-are-hitting-theaters-after-all-193622444.html

https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/23/12/05/239237/pixars-disney-pandemic-movies-are-hitting-theaters-after-all

Remember India's lunar rover from several months ago? Some more news....

But not about the rover, it's dead, Jim.

It's about the orbiter!

India has returned the orbiter to Earth orbit! Very interesting stuff going on here. The orbiter launched with 1,700 kg of fuel and oxidizer. The controllers discovered that it had about 100 kg left over after achieving its lunar orbit. What to do? Well, how about send it back home!

From the article: "In a surprise announcement made Monday, ISRO announced that it has successfully returned the propulsion module used by the spacecraft into a high orbit around Earth. This experimental phase of the mission, the agency said in a statement, tested key capabilities needed for future lunar missions, including the potential for returning lunar rocks to Earth."

The orbiter has an instrument package and it's going to do some Earth studies sitting in its high orbit.

Good for India!

https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/12/india-reveals-that-it-has-returned-lunar-spacecraft-to-earth-orbit/

https://science.slashdot.org/story/23/12/05/1852212/india-reveals-that-it-has-returned-lunar-spacecraft-to-earth-orbit

Texas is suing Pfizer because its Covid vaccine didn't stop the pandemic in its tracks

*facepalm*

What we have here is Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is under Federal investigation for numerous abuses of office, either unable to understand the statistics behind drug studies - which are complex - or not caring and just wanting to drum up some attention for himself. He's suing Pfizer for $10mil because the pandemic didn't end as soon as the vaccine came out.

Now, the fact that the Texas government is run by Republicans, and as a rule Republicans poo-poohed the precautions of masking, getting vaccinated, social distancing, etc. to reduce the spread of the virus - that surely has nothing to do with the fact that the disease continued to spread and kill.

I'm thinking that Pfizer has more than a large enough war chest, not to mention willingness to make Paxton look like a complete idiot in a court room.

https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/12/texas-sues-pfizer-with-covid-anti-vax-argument-that-is-pure-stupid/