Thursday, December 19, 2024

Have you joined the "Skeleton Crew"?

 Crew view

I’ve been watching the new Star Wars series, Skeleton Crew, with my son. Pretty enjoyable for a “kids” show. (“Andor” remains the best of these, in my opinion.) 

“Crew” is yet another iteration on the “Lost in Space” theme: kids and a robot (droid) with an adult troublemaker. Fun.

Saturday, December 14, 2024

Do you know a CAUDILLO?

CAUDILLO = a Spanish or Latin American dictator

A caudillo is a type of personalist leader wielding military and political power. There is no precise English translation for the term, though it is often used interchangeably with "military dictator," "warlord" and "strongman". --Wikipedia

"During the turbulent years following the nation's independence, the region fell under the control of a powerful caudillo who consolidated authority through military force and charismatic leadership. While his supporters praised him as a defender of the people and a unifying figure, critics argued that his authoritarian rule stifled democratic progress and concentrated power in the hands of a single individual. The legacy of his reign left a deep imprint on the country’s political culture, shaping its struggles with centralized authority for decades to come." --Chat GPT 

Borrowed from Spanish, "leader, chief" (medieval Spanish cabdiello), going back to Vulgar Latin *capitellus "leader." 

Coffee Shop Thoughts

What’s up? I’m in a coffee shop, alone, drinking coffee, eating a blueberry muffin, and listening to jazz. (No, I’m not a character in a Murakami novel.) I’m in a “be here now” frame of mind. Live in the moment. Maybe that’s how we’ll get through the next few years. Be here now.

#randomthoughts