Help plan an American West road trip

An auto enthusiast friend is flying in from abroad and driving around the Western United States. The map above shows his route. He is already planning on seeing Pike's Peak and the LeMay Museum in Tacoma. What else should he visit?

I think he can do a little bit of Route 66 in Arizona and maybe the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Skyfall movie review

Javier Bardem in...SKYFALL!

Dave's review: What do you know about fear? 

Everything there is. 

These lines by Berenice Marlohe and Daniel Craig are the best part of Skyfall. Moreover, Marlohe is. She is sexy and alluring, and commands the screen when she is on it. The other strength of this film is portraying 007 as a washed up secret agent who can't even hit a target. A younger whiz kid Q is refreshing as well. However, the rest of the film is a bit overrated. Don't get me wrong, it's a good film but I don't quite understand why most people gush over it. Mendes tried to make Skyfall an homage to his favorite Bond films of the past and it comes across a little like that. The mother-son dynamic between M and Bond is unique but feels a little forced. And the storyline about M's forced resignation detracts from everything else. Bardem is excellent as Silva as he is in every role but I wish he could have had a little more screen time and I hate to say it, but Judi Dench less. Overall this might be the weakest of the Craig entries as well as the only one that doesn't tie together to all the other films, but it's still fun to watch.

TT's review: I really liked Skyfall. It's like two movies in one!

The ensemble was perfect. Bardem may have been the best villain. My only disappointment was Naomi Harris ending up being Moneypenny instead of a double-0. From an acting perspective, Marlohe was far superior to many other Bond Women. I also want to bring up the fact that the actor who played Tanner is very underrated. Finally, the walled city was an incredible shooting locale.

The second half of the movie, with just Bond and M, was basically a story of a mother and her son. I found it touching and very un-Bond-like.

Dave's grade: B

TT's grade: A

Dave's reaction: The walled city was an excellent location and Naomi Harris was fun to watch. 

TT's reaction: We both like Marlohe!

Rate Skyfall.

— Tamerlane's Thoughts (@TamerlaneBlog) November 25, 2021

Highlights from last 12 months

I'm committed to posting here more often. The kids are five and two now. My wife remains cancer-free and healthy. And we are easing into post-pandemic life.

April 2021: We celebrated the boy's fourth birthday by renting an old fire truck and riding it around San Francisco.

May 2021: I was randomly driving the kids around a local park and found this gathering of R/C enthusiasts.

June 2021: Road trip to Calistoga and Mendocino.

July 2021: We spread Cooper the Dog's ashes in Bolinas.

August 2021: Back to daycare for the boy and going to daycare for the first time for the girl.

September 2021: We visited a fire station that had a truck dedicated to supporting cancer patients and survivors.

October 2021: Pumpkin picking and oyster eating in West Marin.

November 2021: Celebrated the 20th anniversary of our first date in Tiburon.

December 2021: Celebrated the record amount of rain we got. (We are still in the worst drought in 1,200 years.)

January 2022: Took the kids to see snow up in the Sierra Foothills.

February 2022: Solo trip to the Lost Coast.

March 2022: Aviation museum in Sacramento. The boy was really good at flying!

April 2022: Grand Canyon!

Thanks for following, everyone.

China's presence in the Solomon Islands irks Australia

Maybe our Australian friends can chime in. These island nations obviously are not self-sufficient and need external aid. They've been within Australia (and New Zealand's) benevolent sphere of influence. But the relationships are paternalistic in nature and a bit racist. But what is the solution?

Self-immolation of Tibetan pop star in front of Potala Palace

The Chinese media has vacillated between silence and claiming the star had a history of mental illness. Article here. Here he was singing about tsampa, a type of roasted flour.

Help me buy the Ukrainian defenders a 4x4

Hello all, No doubt by now, you have seen the atrocities committed by the Russian invaders. I am raising money to buy a 4x4 and non-lethal aid for the Ukrainian defenders. Please consider donating and spreading the word. I am closing the campaign on Easter Sunday. Thank you!

Honda HSV-010

I had no idea this car existed until I heard it mentioned in yesterday's New for '96 podcast.

Visiting a plane museum and a train museum

On Sunday, I took my son to Sacramento for a day of museums.

First, we went to the Aerospace Museum of California on what used to the McClellan Air Force Base. I've been reading about how these A-10s would be super helpful in Ukraine.

Here is a miniature F-16 used for recruiting.

The high school volunteer was very sweet in helping the boy take off, fly, and land his plane on the simulator.

In the afternoon, we visited the California State Railroad Museum. 

On the way home, we stopped off for dinner and spotted this beautiful Edsel.

Latvians donating cars to Ukrainians

Mira Sorvino

Mira Sorvino had a great career in the 1990s until she was blacklisted by Harvey Weinstein after three terrible interactions. Now that he is in prison, she is back! This WTF podcast interview is worth a listen, especially the bit about her studying in China just before Tiananmen.

The interview inspired me to watch Mighty Aphrodite, for which she won an Oscar. I had never watched a Woody Allen (yuck) movie from beginning to end before.

...which led us to re-watch Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion. A true classic.