Reality Should Be Better than Fiction
Reality Should Be Better than Fiction
There is a not-very-good science fiction TV series currently running on the TNT network called Snowpiercer. I love good science fiction and hate bad science fiction so I am in no way encouraging anyone to go watch this show. But there is an aspect to its premise that I do want to discuss…
Most network television is produced to be appealing to an eighth-grade educational level. I’m sorry if that seems offensive to anyone, but it is the absolute truth. This doesn’t mean I never enjoy watching a network program, but it does mean those situations are few and far between. This network habit of intentionally ‘dumbing down’ its productions can be especially cruel to science fiction aficionados. So much so that applying the genre ‘science fiction’ to them can sometimes feel offensive.
Like many network shows, the drama, love interests, conflicts, and plot twists are all tripe – generic storylines that can be moved into any setting be they Western, Reality TV, Soap Opera, Rom-Com, or Science Fiction. The only real difference in the plots is whether the hero is driving a covered wagon or a spaceship… which leads us to the setting of Snowpiercer. Here, they’re driving a train.
Dystopian futures are a common theme in science fiction and the more plausible the backstory that leads to the cataclysmic event(s) that result in this new hell on Earth, the better the chance the series is successful. The backstory behind Snowpiercer is actually very plausible and probably why the series just finished its third season. It is also probably why I have hung around and more or less kept up to speed on it (as opposed to watching it intently). There is also a dark side to this very plausible backstory that highlights man’s inhumanity to man and utter stupidity…
Snowpiercer is the name of a massive thousand-car train that circles the globe and never stops. It never stops because if it did, it would freeze in place. You see, the Earth’s climate has been forced into another ice age by do-gooder scientists trying to fight Climate Change. Thirty years ago, as the story goes, scientists became so freaked out over Global Warming that they started releasing large amounts of sulfur compounds into the upper atmosphere to reflect sunlight to keep the Earth from overheating. Whether Global Warming never happened or they just pumped way too much damned sulfur up there is never explained, but what they did accomplish was to put the entire planet into a decades-long sub-zero ice age with the passengers of this train being humanity’s last survivors.
I know, it sounds pretty cheesy (and, it is)… until you read THIS.
I don’t write book or television reviews and I’m not writing this to try and scare everyone about this particular group of idiots – I’m fairly certain there won’t be enough stupid rich people who will finance them sufficiently to make a difference… but this should be a warning to us all. It is high time the adults took over the room.
It is high time the adults took over the room…
Whether it is our schools, our government, our HR Departments, or even some of our churches, we have allowed the least amongst us to take charge. We have been arrogantly fat and happy and have not bothered to pay attention to enough of the important things in life. Our apathy has allowed the incompetent, along with the diabolical, to achieve power and authority. It is time we take it back.
We won’t be able to do so by talking sense to them – if they had any sense, we wouldn’t need to remove them. We won’t be able to do it by trying to teach them – if you come upon a child playing with snakes you don’t stop to educate him on the consequences… you snatch him up and immediately remove him from danger before he can do any harm to himself (or others). You also don’t take the time to justify your actions – you just do what needs to be done.
We can still accomplish all of this peacefully, but we need to take action now… on every level. What is your local school board up to? What about your public university’s Board of Reagents? How about your GOP Committeemen and Chairs? You may have formed a neighborhood watch to protect against intruders, have you formed one to protect against government overreach?
I suggest we all stop being concerned about what people might think of us if we boldly speak out, and start being more concerned with what the idiots in charge might do next.
StressFreeBill
As always, our Friday editions include a joke and a recipe - have a great weekend!
STUPID JOKE of the WEEK
Twitter: where famous people act like fools, and fools act like famous people.
Want something different? You’ve gotta try this! If you have trouble sourcing the ingredients, go HERE to have them delivered (Unfortunately, I make no commission on this recommendation… sigh…)
And now, for something a little different…
RECIPE: PALEO BISON BURGER WITH AVOCADO, FRIED EGG, AND CHARRED JALAPEÑO
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 4
We like to experiment. My wife and I get a kick out of trying something new, experimenting, and enjoying a new creation (or, laughing at how terribly we messed up)! This recipe is more on the safer side of things…
INGREDIENTS
GROUND BISON, THAWED
QTY 1 LB
BUTCHER’S SALT AND PEPPER, TO TASTE
AVOCADO MASH OR FRESH SLICES
FRESH TOMATO, RED OR YELLOW
QTY 4 SLICES
EGGS, SUNNY-SIDE-UP
QTY 4
FRESH JALAPEÑO, CHARRED ON THE GRILL OR BROILER
QTY 4
WHOLE GREEN LETTUCE
FRESH CILANTRO
SERVE WITH YOUR FAVORITE HOT SAUCE
COOKING
INSTRUCTIONS
Burger: In a medium-sized bowl, mix ground bison with salt and pepper. Form into 3-4 patties, place on a platter, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Slice the Tomato and prep the avocado. Wash lettuce.
Grill: Preheat the grill to medium heat and grill burgers for 5 minutes on one side. Turn to the other side and continue to grill for 3-4 minutes. Add jalapeño and grill until slightly charred. Remove the burger and jalapeño and cook eggs sunny-side-up in an oiled-sprayed skillet.
To Serve: Place a green leaf on a plate, then place bison burger on top, follow with a tomato slice, Avocado mash or slices, Sunny side egg, and top with charred jalapeño. Drizzle with your favorite hot sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
StressFreeBill founded an organization that is fighting to educate Republicans nationwide about reforming the Republican party and putting America first. To learn more about PRC, please watch this podcast episode.
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