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Backward Smileys

They bug me.

I just want to get that out there. They've done so for a long time too, though it just struck me why, so here's a post on that.

It's because they're the wrong way. Literally.

You read text from left to right, right? If so the smiley should read LTR too. Visual and Asian smileys work both ways as they read up and down, but these other ones are just wrong!

I'm all about open standards too. Norms. Like English - a language that we all understand, that makes it so much easier for all of us to communicate.

I understand not everyone writes in English; not everyone writes in a LTR language, but the backward smileys I stumble upon are definitely always written in language where this is the norm. For you RTL writers out there: this isn't aimed at you. Keep writing as you usually do. If I happen to learn your language and read your text and the smiley isn't written the way I'm accustomed to I'll just have to change my customs, because I suppose that's the custom for you. Ditto, right?

So please, whichever way you type: type your smileys facing the right way.

That is all.

Send Your Name To The Sun!

Parker Solar Probe Certficate Box

The Parker Solar Probe is on its way soon, and you can get your name included on a memory card aboard it as it nears the sun, gathering data, and eventually disintegrating intricately in rivets of fire and flame.

It's humanity's first-ever close-up view of a star, so this is pretty cool, right?! I mean just think about being within burning distance of the sun! Not you personally (which would hurt), but still. It might be as close as you'll ever get to it within your lifetime, and also closer than anyone has ever been ever before... at least as far as our species is concerned.

Reach the write-your-name form (and other info) here.

Atari VCS!

Atari VCS

Seems like this thing's changing names! But more importantly: it's here.

River Of Darkness (2011)

River Of Darkness (2011)

Here's a B-movie about a couple of dead people come back from limbo to exact revenge upon the people of one small town, and a sheriff intent on stopping them.

The props are alright. The scenery's good - they build the atmosphere well. The special effects fortunately aren't many, because they're not. The premise is promising, and Kurt Angle is a suitable tough guy for the main role. There's plenty of other wrestlers involved too, which is a fun detail, but unfortunately their acting skills and chemistry are all a bit lacking.

I didn't think Kurt was the worst one, but when everyone comes together their collective apathy rains on the suspense a bit too much. The conversations are drawn-out and the dialog not particularly interesting either. The filming, locations and props redeem it a bit, but overall it feels slow and disapointing. Not a movie you'll want to watch more than once.

 rated 2/5: decent

Kill Ratio (2016)

Kill Ratio (2016)

Here's a movie a bit like Hotel Rwanda... or even more like No Escape, but without the massacre, and with a little bit lower budget.

The story: during a coup d'état our main character duo cellphone saleswomen and maybe-CIA agent end up saving the president, and closed up in their hotel fighting to survive the night and free the country.

The special effects are unfortunately totally unrealistic, the amount of extras way too few for there to ever be a crowd, and some scenes a bit too drawn-out, but overall: it's not bad. It gets better than the beginning led me to believe. Tom Hopper plays a pretty good tough guy after all, Amy Huberman and Lacy Moore tough girls and Nick Dunning a suitable villain. There's plenty of witty remarks and justice along the way, leading up to a pretty intense finale on the upper and lower floors of their hotel.

There's a story behind the name, too. It's not all perfect, but for B-movie action it's got enough going to keep you satisfied, and hopefully overlook the flaws.

 rated 3/5: not bad

Happy Feet Two (2011)

Happy Feet Two (2011)

Are blue eyes underrepresented in animated movies? Suddenly I'm aware of how few blue eyes I've seen in other animated music lately...

Anyway: here's a movie about penguins, love, equality, and being who you're meant to be... with a little human cameo in the mix.

Enter partial new main character Erik, a kid of the main characters of the last movie, The Mighty Sven, and maybe a few other new characters cause I don't remember all from the last movie at all. The main characters of the previous are older now, everyone dances, and the ice age is changing...

Also don't forget the krill, Bill and Will, surprisingly (and awesomely) voiced by none other than Brad Pitt and Matt Damon! Suddenly they're the highlight of the story... and in difference from the main event they're a highlight in animation too, fun and totally unexpected; so much unlike the little Erik, who looks cute but doesn't have much else to contribute.

He's small enough to still be naive and oblivious to the hardships of the world, and wouldn't have been my first choice for a good main character. Unlike his dad he can't dance, but I guess he's got some of Pink's genes in him because he definitely finds a calling later on... which is in part what this movie is all about. The other part being saving the penguin populace, with a little bit of that love and quality mentioned above. In other words: a whole lot of political correctness.

It was fun but... also not very new. I don't feel they made as much of this one as they could have, though the krill were an appreciated twist, and the human cameo was interesting. Considering it's an animated movie they blended in surprisingly well, and as mentioned: the krill were killer. Better keep an eye peeled once the ice starts melting for real...

 rated 3/5: not bad

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