70/2640. Crack in the World (1965)
A mad scientist nukes the Earth's crust in the hopes of breaking it, and he succeeds, unleashing a series of earthquakes that threatens to destroy the whole world. It was dull, but I watched the hole thing.

Intense underground heat, Janette Scott? Have a pause that refreshes!

71/2641. The Crowded Sky (1960)
This airplane disaster film plays backwards, with most of the runtime devoted to introducing the characters who will die in the midair disaster, which comes very late. The many, many inner monologue voiceovers are intended to be dramatic but instead come across plane hilarious.

72/2642. Another Face (1935)
This one is also constructed backwards: it's a farce where the only person who has mistaken an identity is the gangster who has had plastic surgery and is trying to parlay his new beauty into Hollywood stardom. Helped greatly by its short runtime, this film nose not to overstay its welcome.

73/2643. The Great Waldo Pepper (1975)
The biplane-era aerial action is the only reason to keep watching this episodic story of the frequently unsatisfying life of an early barnstormer. Many of the episodes end with death; it's an a-salt on the nerves.

74/2644. Big Wednesday (1978)
A long time ago, I read that this American Graffiti-wannabe coming-of-age surfing tale from John Milius (screenwriter of Apocalypse Now and Red Dawn) was the film that Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas thought would be better received than Jaws and Star Wars. Goes to show what they know. Despite its killer cast (hello, Reb Brown!), the autobiographical nature of its themes results in a week narrative.

The 1960s changed America, but Coke soldiers on!

More to come.

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Executive order issued July 24, 1876:

RESTORING TRUST IN THE CENTENNIEL EXPOSITION

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Policy. On March 27, 1875, I issued an Executive Order. Pursuant to that order, the esteemed gentlemen of the Centennial Commission recently completed a months-long review of the Philadelphian 1876 Centennial International Exhibition (Centennial Exposition) and its Women's Pavilion (Pavilion) and issued its findings in the report entitled Saving America's Story: How Ideological Capture at the Centennial Exposition's Women's Pavilion Erases Our Heritage (Report).

The Report demonstrates that the Women's Pavilion leadership does not present American history as a shared national inheritance to be taught and celebrated, but instead views American history as a "prime tool" to advance ideas of social justice and the radical transformation of our society. The Report also overwhelmingly demonstrates that current leadership of both the Centennial Exposition and the Pavilion cannot be trusted to tell America's story with honesty and gratitude.

It is therefore the policy of my Administration to take all available steps to ensure that the issues identified in the Report are addressed and to restore trust in the Centennial Exposition.

Sec. 2. Restoring Trust in the Centennial Exposition. The Secretary of the Interior, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Administrator of General Services, and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall identify and utilize any and all available authorities to promote the policy of this order and to restore trust in the Centennial Exposition, including any mechanisms available to encourage correction of the issues identified in the Report (including but not limited to the nonsensical promotion of woman's "right" to self-governance, universal suffrage, and equal representation under the law) and compliance with any applicable statutes, regulations, executive actions, and funding or contract conditions.

Sec. 3. Warning Visitors About the Ideological Capture at the Women's Pavilion. (a) The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the War Department and in coordination with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, shall install temporary signage along the Centennial Commission-maintained sidewalks and walkways used by the public to access the Pavilion, informing visitors of the findings of the Report and of the policy set forth in section 1 of this order. Such signage shall notify visitors that the Pavilion exhibits should be renovated consistent with the findings in the Report (e.g. "a woman's place is in the home") and direct visitors to locations and resources for accurate information regarding America's history.

(b) Because the Women's Pavilion has failed to appropriately honor the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence (The Founding Fathers) during this 250th anniversary year of the founding of our country, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director of the War Department and in coordination with the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, shall install temporary exhibits or signage on Centennial Commission-maintained sidewalks, walkways, and land used by the public that corrects inaccurate information presented in the Pavilion.

Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the (male) head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person (because women aren't even really people).

(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of the Interior.

ULYSSES S. GRANT

THE WHITE HOUSE,

July 24, 1876.

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Before I was really cognizant of R.E.M. (The Band), I remember seeing posters and graffiti promoting their work around Atlanta. The song that broke through my dense skull to get my attention was this:

Stand

Turns out they were a pretty good band.

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Thanks to the growing prevalence of artificial "intelligence," malicious impersonations are becoming commonplace. We all need to be prepared for unexpectedly dubious interactions with people we have previously trusted.

For future reference, I cannot roll my tongue, which geneticists who study such things insist more people can do than cannot. So if you are approached by someone who claims to be me, demand that they roll their tongue. If that Walter can do it, run away.

However, just because that Walter claims he can't doesn't mean he's telling the truth. There's only one Walter but plenty of liars, so if you're playing the odds, you should probably run away anyway. That's really the only way you can be sure he's not trying to take advantage of you.

Only a trustworthy guy such as myself would suggest such a course of action as would result in ensuring I don't get whatever it is I might have wanted, so you can be sure my advice is good. Unless I'm really an impersonator trying to make you think it's a good guy, in which case you would be best advised to ignore this message.

To be perfectly safe, I encourage you to avoid all Walters altogether. It's what the AI would do.

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Sunsets and rainbows!

What's at the end of the rainbow? Henry!

Footnote: back in 2010, I posted a picture of a rainbow ending at Pitts Toyota in Dublin, Georgia. I am recycling the concept of that post because recycling is good for the environment.

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