Speedy's Cafe - General Chat about anything you like!

[Jen]

Thank you Carol !! 😃 I'm very happy to come back here !!! I'm very busy every day, but I want to take a moment for myself when I can do it!! 

 

[DistantView]

@Carol the Dabbler

The actress was Gail Russell (and the film I had seen was The Uninvited 1944). Phew! I can cross that one off the list...

 

https://reelrundown.com/celebrities/Gail-Russell-A-Life-Destroyed-by-Fame

[Carol the Dabbler]

2 hours ago, DistantView said:

The actress was Gail Russell (and the film I had seen was The Uninvited 1944).

Thanks for that info, DV.  Even though I've seen a lot of old movies on TV (and have read the book that one of Russell's movies was based on), I don't recall ever seeing anything she was in.

Such a sad story, though.  That article kept calling her "shy," but sounds to me like she was an introvert (and possibly shy as well).  If her mother hadn't goaded her into an acting career, she might we'll have lived a long, satisfying life as an illustrator.  So I shall add one more item to my list above: stage parents.  Like alcohol, they can have a fairly benign effect, but in more extreme cases they can be deadly.

 

[DistantView]

On 9/5/2021 at 2:41 PM, Carol the Dabbler said:

So I shall add one more item to my list above: stage parents.  Like alcohol, they can have a fairly benign effect, but in more extreme cases they can be deadly.

Oh yes... sometimes this is the worst of all. I can think of multiple,  young actors that this applies to. It saddens me that parents perp this type of corruption on their children, but it's not as if Hollywood or any major film industry is exactly a picture of innocence. 

[Van Buren Supernova]

On 8/9/2021 at 12:27 PM, Fantasy Lover said:

Guess who got engaged?

But... but that is the end of an era! How could you??

(Read: congrats FL 😁)

 

On 8/11/2021 at 11:31 AM, Arcadia said:

Actually, mine is a rather unique location, which is why I was so determined to find a home here in spite of certain drawbacks. Its a rural setting ... lots of trees, near a lake, low housing density ... but I'm only 15 minutes from the bustling downtown, where I work. Admittedly, it's a rather small town, but it's got it's share of urban sprawl ... but all the sprawl is in the other direction, because there's a river between my neighborhood and the rest of the area. And the river loops around my neighborhood, protecting us from new roads being built. Most importantly, there's no 1000 acre lots waiting to be gobbled up by developers; everything's small here. No McMansions, no strip malls, no fake "town centers." Just homes of all different styles and sizes. I love it. I just wish my own home had been a little lot better taken care of before I bought it. Still waiting for the rough times to pass. 😞 

 

Sounds nice, I always want to stay in a place where I could just grab my dog and head to the back yard and walk to wilderness. But when I need it, it should be easy to connect to urban area to get stuffs I need, or easy to find because I do most of my shopping online. Also, the place should be murderers and creeps resistant. And idiots.

I dropped by the forum sometimes ago but then didn't want to log in because I saw news about Una. I know nothing about her  in real life, but from very little thing that I read about her, she was a lovely and wonderful person and I love Mrs. Hudson. I won't go as far as saying that I feel sad but I'll miss her works.

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

Question about preference:

When you read a book, do you prefer that the chapters have titles, or just numbers?

[DistantView]

2 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

Question about preference:

When you read a book, do you prefer that the chapters have titles, or just numbers?

Numbers only...

[Carol the Dabbler]

I really prefer to have both, but if they put only one or the other, I prefer numbers. That's because I often want to know how long a chapter is, and by checking the chapter numbers I can be sure I'm not accidentally putting two chapters together.

 

[DistantView]

On 9/3/2021 at 9:13 PM, Carol the Dabbler said:

 

Plus there's often a shortened lifespan due to stress and other factors.  For athletes, there are debilitating injuries.  And (at least until just a few years ago) actors seemed to be expected to smoke whenever the script called for it, which must have lead to nicotine addiction (and even more smoking) in many cases.  I can't think how many actors I've learned died from either lung cancer or emphysema.  It certainly seems to have been a higher rate than for the general population.

 

I was just reminded of this post because I read an interview with Benedict on his upcoming film 'Power of the Dog '. He was asked what were some of the more difficult things he had to do on set and one of them was smoke cigarettes with no filter (gaff! I agree... any cig, filter or no,  is disgusting imho). He said they made him sick. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

34 minutes ago, DistantView said:

I read an interview with Benedict on his upcoming film 'Power of the Dog '. He was asked what were some of the more difficult things he had to do on set and one of them was smoke cigarettes with no filter (gaff!

If a film character is supposed to be boozing it up, don't they actually give them tea or something?  Seems like they could also supply fake cigarettes.

But I suppose fake cigarettes would be far more expensive than real ones, unlike tea vs booze.  Come to think of it, maybe expense is the major reason for not using real booze, and not impairing the actor's performance is just a nice bonus.

Yeah, call me a cynic!

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

16 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

I really prefer to have both, but if they put only one or the other, I prefer numbers. That's because I often want to know how long a chapter is, and by checking the chapter numbers I can be sure I'm not accidentally putting two chapters together.

 

Ah yes, I meant number only or number+title.

Title only would be too confusing of course.

[DistantView]

15 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

If a film character is supposed to be boozing it up, don't they actually give them tea or something?  Seems like they could also supply fake cigarettes.

But I suppose fake cigarettes would be far more expensive than real ones, unlike tea vs booze.  Come to think of it, maybe expense is the major reason for not using real booze, and not impairing the actor's performance is just a nice bonus.

Yeah, call me a cynic!

 

Yeah, I would think most would be drinking tea or something in place of alcohol, well for most productions anyway ;). And the cigarettes as well. I know the guy who played the cigarette smoking man on the X-Files smoked herbal cigs. 

IDK, but they must have been real in PotD, since BC had such an aversion to them... unless unfiltered, herbal cigs also taste like crap (well, haha, I can think of one type that doesn't,  imho, lol).

[J.P.]

It's strange about the cigs. I've heard they use nicotine-free ones, but maybe it's the smoke itself, that's getting worse without filters. Comes with the job I suppose.

[Carol the Dabbler]

On 9/14/2021 at 7:40 AM, J.P. said:

It's strange about the cigs. I've heard they use nicotine-free ones, but maybe it's the smoke itself, that's getting worse without filters. Comes with the job I suppose.

As I understand it, the problem with nicotine is that it's a terribly addictive psychoactive drug.  So yeah, nicotine-free is an improvement.  But it's not the nicotine that makes you cough and eventually kills you, it's the "tar" whatever that may be.  I suspect that *any* smoke, if inhaled frequently over many years, could cause lung cancer, emphysema, cardiovascular problems, etc.

As I said somewhere around here just recently, it's appalling to see the number of actors who have died from lung cancer and emphysema, some of them ridiculously young.

There's no excuse, in this day and age, for actual smoking to be considered a routine part of an actor's job.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

On 7/27/2018 at 5:48 AM, Carol the Dabbler said:

... there's an RV (recreational vehicle -- i.e , camper) dealership here in Indiana that's named for its owner, one Tom Raper.  I think I'd have just called it Tom's RV.  Or changed my name to Draper.  Or something.

It occurred to me this morning that Raper is probably the same name as Roper, with each being a variation of Roeper, with the former approximating the pronunciation and the latter simplifying the spelling.  (I've seen the same sort of variation in other umlauted-o German names, such as Rader and Roeder).

I think I'd have gone with Roper!

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

On 9/14/2021 at 1:46 AM, DistantView said:

He was asked what were some of the more difficult things he had to do on set and one of them was smoke cigarettes with no filter

 

On 9/14/2021 at 7:40 PM, J.P. said:

I've heard they use nicotine-free ones, but maybe it's the smoke itself, that's getting worse without filters.

If it makes you feel better (I know it's not), cigarette filters are actually useless. They don't filter, they create the illusion that smoking is 'less' harmful, they make profit margin thicker, in some way, they actually make smoking more dangerous because smokers would use more effort to inhale, making whatever that are harmful go more deeply into the lung. The filters also contribute significantly to the negative impact for the environment. They are gimmick, scam.

On 9/14/2021 at 1:46 AM, DistantView said:

any cig, filter or no,  is disgusting imho.

Couldn't agree more.

I don't really care for people who knowingly pick up harmful habit to destroy themselves. But I care when they harm others. Secondary smokers, I can't tell you how many times I see a parent smoke at home or when they are with their children, even in frigging public. Smoking cigarette is burning money too, again, there are those who prefer to fund their cigarette addiction instead of buying something essential for their home.

Vape, don't get me started. Same thing, scam. And it's disgusting, this cloud of smoke is your breath, get the f away from me. No, raspberry smell doesn't help.

[Carol the Dabbler]

11 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

Smoking cigarette is burning money too, again, there are those who prefer to fund their cigarette addiction instead of buying something essential for their home.

The key word there is addiction -- nicotine addiction is apparently one of the worst.  I read once where a former addict said that giving up heroin had been easy, compared to giving up cigarettes.  So in a sense it's not the person's preference to spend their money on smoke, it's the nicotine's choice.

The actual choice the person made was smoking their first cigarette.

People are able to stop, though.  Most of them say it took a great deal of will power and dedication, but they're glad they did it.

 

[DistantView]

15 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

Secondary smokers

The statistics on deaths caused by secondhand smoke are appalling, to say the least.  I'm familiar with several research studies in which cigarette smoke exposure is studied in a controlled environment, and all of them require use of a fume hood and/or some sort of respiratory protection for the researchers involved.  Even brief exposure can have longterm effects or cause future health problems. 

[Van Buren Supernova]

15 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

The key word there is addiction -- nicotine addiction is apparently one of the worst.  I read once where a former addict said that giving up heroin had been easy, compared to giving up cigarettes.  So in a sense it's not the person's preference to spend their money on smoke, it's the nicotine's choice.

I have two separate female friends, that for some reason, very curious about how cigarettes taste like, and went on to try them, but luckily, they were never hooked.

I know people who are able to quit cigarette quite easily, in fact, I am with one who decided to quit just like that and he haven't touched one for twenty years. However, on the other hand, I know many who couldn't. 

But like you said, it's all the matter of willpower, and if you can't do it yourself, seek help. Because imo, it's very messed up if you are knowingly harming your loved ones.

I've stayed in places where people take smoking nonchalantly. There are almost no rules, they smoke in crowded public spaces, and worse, even indoor (AC or natural ventilation), and trust me, smoke in AC room is so unbearable, it also lingers long after the smokers are gone. It happens in restaurants, coffee shops, airport, bars etc and the owner didn't give a fish. It's consider good if they have allocated smoking area but it is always adjacent to non smoking and you could smell them. And as mentioned, even when you are in outdoor space, other person's vaping smoke travel far. Unlike cigarette, it is very visible and obvious that you are about to inhale that. Those are in public, many people don't really care when they harm strangers.

But at home, I'd say that is the most irresponsible thing to do, especially when they have children. If one don't have enough will power to protect their family from their own irresponsible behaviour, something that is arguably very preventable, I would say they don't deserve them.

 

[Shadow Dweller]

Sometimes it takes real life-threatening event (example, my father) to stop, and sometimes it is still failed to do so. Perhaps besides willpower also there's difference between the receptors at the brain that rewards pleasure. I am not sure what it is called, it has been awhile since the last time I researched the mechanism of addiction at human beings. 

There's a matter of responsibility and desire to keep our loved one safe, but could it truly triumphed over biological mechanism, especially if it is already being permanently altered by long time exposure to certain substances? Our ability to adapt could be  two edged sword sometimes. 

Yesterday I read about the pro and contra about the acceptance of obesity these days. Apparently one of the reasons why some people finds it difficult (if not impossible) to stop eating in big portions is because they're using food to distract themselves from their problems. Do you think that it could be the same with smoking/vaping? Not telling that we should just accept addiction, in whatever form it takes, but in my thinking if we wants to solve a problem why not trying to understand the anatomy and mechanism, in hope that we could create solutions that benefits all involved people and create the most minimum damages for everyone? What could we do if we are in position of affecting the addicted person, and what we could do if we are not? In macro and micro scope. Addiction is a complex problem that keeps changing its shape.

[besleybean]

Moral dilemma...

well not really, but just thought I would chuck it in here, in case anybody is interested.

If any mods think it's too divisive, please feel to delete.

On booting up my Twitter this morning, I was greeted with a tweet from a Sherlock account I follow.

The owner had screen shot from another account, which is apparently run by a Sophie hater.(I assume this forum is familiar with those saddos)

Anyhow the girl was announcing that if any of us followd this account, she would block us as well as  said hater.

So I asume she will block me, as I have'nt unfollowed or blocked the other account...though she does seem pretty vile about Sophie.

I just don't block people.

[Carol the Dabbler]

15 hours ago, besleybean said:

I asume she will block me, as I have'nt unfollowed or blocked the other account...though she does seem pretty vile about Sophie.

I just don't block people.

From what you paraphrased her as saying, though, it would be adequate for you to simply unfollow the hater.  Assuming that you care whether the hater-hater blocks you.

 

[besleybean]

Oh I know, I realise....I just- well haven't done, anything actually.

Does that make me a bad person?

[Carol the Dabbler]

On 9/23/2021 at 2:51 AM, Van Buren Supernova said:

it's all the matter of willpower, and if you can't do it yourself, seek help. Because imo, it's very messed up if you are knowingly harming your loved ones.

... and that's not just the second-hand smoke kind of harm, it's also the kind where they're deprived of your presence because you died from lung cancer or emphysema.  Besides which it's not cool to harm yourself, if only for your own sake.

On 9/23/2021 at 2:51 AM, Van Buren Supernova said:

I've stayed in places where people take smoking nonchalantly. There are almost no rules, they smoke in crowded public spaces....

Are you talking about the 1960's and 70's?  That's exactly what it was like.  My apartment mates and I didn't smoke, but we always had an ashtray on our coffee table, as a courtesy (!) to any visitors who might want to smoke.  And there weren't even any so-called non-smoking areas in restaurants till later than that.  Smoking was even allowed on airplanes -- talk about confined spaces!

On 9/23/2021 at 3:57 AM, Shadow Dweller said:

Not telling that we should just accept addiction, in whatever form it takes, but in my thinking if we wants to solve a problem why not trying to understand the anatomy and mechanism, in hope that we could create solutions that benefits all involved people and create the most minimum damages for everyone?

That sounds like a good long-term goal.

 

[DistantView]

9 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

 

Are you talking about the 1960's and 70's?  That's exactly what it was like.  My apartment mates and I didn't smoke, but we always had an ashtray on our coffee table, as a courtesy (!) to any visitors who might want to smoke.  And there weren't even any so-called non-smoking areas in restaurants till later than that.  Smoking was even allowed on airplanes -- talk about confined spaces!

 

 

Ugh, I recall those days (well, the 70s anyway)... eternally grateful that I grew up in a non-smoking household. I had a friend in grade school whose house I would sleep over not infrequently and both her parents smoked like chimneys and my pajamas reeked of cig smoke when I got home every time.

 

I also recall when they banned smoking in bars and pubs, which was later than in restaurants. 1998 and I was in San Francisco visiting a friend right when the law passed. We were hitting up some bars, etc. and all the bartenders left the ashtrays on the tables out of spite because they thought their businesses would tank otherwise (and understandably I guess).