Author: Mark Alexander

Posted on

That’s Surprising

William Shatner, in his new book, writing about his trip with Blue Origin:

I had thought that going into space would be the ultimate catharsis of that connection I had been looking for between all living things—that being up there would be the next beautiful step to understanding the harmony of the universe. In the film “Contact,” when Jodie Foster’s character goes to space and looks out into the heavens, she lets out an astonished whisper, “They should’ve sent a poet.” I had a different experience, because I discovered that the beauty isn’t out there, it’s down here, with all of us. Leaving that behind made my connection to our tiny planet even more profound.

It was among the strongest feelings of grief I have ever encountered. The contrast between the vicious coldness of space and the warm nurturing of Earth below filled me with overwhelming sadness. Every day, we are confronted with the knowledge of further destruction of Earth at our hands: the extinction of animal species, of flora and fauna … things that took five billion years to evolve, and suddenly we will never see them again because of the interference of mankind. It filled me with dread. My trip to space was supposed to be a celebration; instead, it felt like a funeral.

That’s more than a bit of a surprise coming from the quintessential Captain Kirk.

0 comments

Posted on

Just Sayin’

(I don’t know if this is an actual quote or something from The Onion, but what does it say about her that we actually have to question if it’s real or not?)

0 comments

Posted on

I’d Forgotten…

That David Harbour, everyone’s favorite Daddy from Stranger Things, also played a closeted cowboy who had desires for Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain.

0 comments

Posted on

And now that Brandon is actually “going,” they’re pissed. There’s no pleasing theses traitorous insurrectionists…

0 comments

Posted on

I Stopped Many Years Ago

And although admission was only a couple dollars, I was sorely disappointed.

And while photography was strictly forbbiden—and I actually respected that for a change—it’s obvious from the number of photos freely available on the interwebs that a lot of people didn’t follow that admonition.

More can be found here.

0 comments