Since my first contact in 2009, WordPress has evolved significantly. Despite security concerns and a transition to block-based editors, it remains a strong CMS with a thriving creator ecosystem. The introduction of paid add-ons and the Jetpack suite has enhanced functionality, but may be costly for hobbyists. Nonetheless, WordPress offers scalable, secure solutions for varied needs.
"Knives Out" is a captivating mystery set in the Northeast, revolving around the patriarch's birthday and subsequent unexpected events. Featuring a stellar cast including Ana de Armas and Daniel Craig, director Rian Johnson's brilliance shines through. With an intricate plot and brilliant performances, this highly recommended movie promises an enjoyable and delightful experience.
The start of 2023 was busy on Tralfaz, with 28 posts on guitar playing, gaming, and more. The decision to move professional blogs to Substack was a trial run. A new gaming PC was built and several recommendations on movies and shows were made. However, social media habits were kicked, and plans for the coming year include writing more and exploring alternatives to Substack.
It's been probably 45 years since I saw it, so I was overdue. I understand why people love this holiday classic, but it is a bit too saccharine for me
Upfront Matter: To quote the illustrious Sterling Archer, “2018 can eat a big bag of dicks.” Seriously, this year has been trying by many measures. As I look back, there are some nuggets of positives, sprinkled among the shit-sandwich that was the year 2018, but by and large, I am going to be glad to see it in the rear view mirror.
Currently in the queue on Netflix is the “Vietnam” by Ken Burns. I just finished it, and, like all the Ken Burns targets, it is outstanding. It starts well before the common story (with advisors ramping up through the early Kennedy administration,) back when the real drama started with the French trying to maintain its hold on its Indochina colonies after WWII. The French were abysmal...
Two weeks ago, we adopted a sweet little girl who proceeded to have some accidents on our carpet. She was (and remains) timid, and the stress of the new home, changed food, and her anxiety led to first diarrhea and then piddles on our carpet. While the carpet was sell used when we moved in (at least 8 years of heavy, rental use), we we kept it, and have had it professionally cleaned a couple of...
I have been a life-long, avid consumer of Science Fiction. The bug really took root when I was in high school, and I was bitten hard. Heinlein, Asimov, Herbert, and other titans of the genre were my apetite and I voraciously devoured them all. There were some authors that I attempted to get into, but at the time, and for many years after, I struggled to appreciate. One was John Brunner, whose...
Last year, one movie that I really wanted to see was Valerian (full title: “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”), a film by Luc Besson, who made one of my go-to SciFi movies, “The Fifth Element”. Known for making movies that are visually stunning, blending humor and action, and a penchant for strong female characters, I thought this couldn’t go wrong. Alas, I didn’t make it to the...
One day, a long time ago, I began watching Forensic Files on Netflix. It started as a way to kill time, something in the background, but since it had 9 “collections” of up to 70 episodes each, it took quite a while to get through it. The premise is each episode is a crime (usually murder, but not always), and how forensic and scientific evidence helped capture the guilty parties, sometimes after...