#ground breaking

[ancient-whimsy]

[gnawu]

a 90s heated rivalry w jensen ackles, ilya and keanu reeves, shane

[geezerwench]

In the Star Trek episode "Balance of Terror" there is a scene that we may pass over lightly as modern viewers but is important to consider in the context of the times. This episode first aired in December of 1966, 58 years ago.

With the Enterprise damaged by the Romulans' nuclear device detonation at close proximity, navigator Lt. Stiles is relieved by Captain Kirk to rush to Phaser Control and keep the weapons operational at a critical moment. The Captain orders Lt. Uhura to take over Mr. Stiles' station at navigation, which she immediately does.

At first blush, this may seem like just another action scene with the crew responding to the crisis. But why does the camera follow Uhura so closely and linger on her as she assumes the navigation station with Sulu looking on?

Consider the scene in the context of 1966. A black woman is portrayed as a professional, an officer in Starfleet, skilled at her job with the complete confidence of her Captain and her peers. She responds quickly and competently to orders without fanfare.

This is where Star Trek shines and where so many others fail. The scene is ahead of its time but is played perfectly straight, with just a lingering camera shot for emphasis. No obnoxious moralizing, no heavy-handed finger-wagging, or clumsy brute force to spoil the effort.

Star Trek showed us a better version of ourselves, one that we could aspire to, and it showed it to us in the best way; realistic people behaving realistically in a futuristic setting, without regard to superficial differences. And it was effective and groundbreaking precisely because of that.

Alabama News Beacon

[momsrecipe]

Easy & Delicious Ground Beef Recipes!

[essential-music]

"Tomorrow Never Knows": The Beatles' Revolution in Music

In 1966, The Beatles unleashed Revolver, an album that redefined the boundaries of popular music. Its closing track, "Tomorrow Never Knows," stands as a towering landmark in music history—a sonic marvel that encapsulates technical innovation, futuristic sound, spiritual depth, and profound cultural significance. Nearly six decades later, this three-minute masterpiece remains a testament to the band’s unparalleled genius, continuing to resonate as a work that transcends time and genre.

"Tomorrow Never Knows" is a triumph of technical innovation. Recorded in an era when studio technology was rudimentary, The Beatles, alongside producer George Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick, pushed the limits of what a recording studio could achieve. The song’s hypnotic texture is built on groundbreaking techniques: tape loops, audio sampling, and reversed solos. Paul McCartney’s laughter, sped up to mimic a seagull’s cry, and fragments of a solo from Revolver’s "Taxman" played backward, create an otherworldly soundscape. John Lennon’s vocals, filtered through a Leslie speaker originally designed for Hammond organs, evoke a distant, almost divine presence. These innovations—executed with analog equipment and sheer ingenuity—laid the groundwork for genres like electronic music, trip-hop, and drum and bass, predating them by decades. The track’s pioneering use of a drum loop, driven by Ringo Starr’s relentless, trance-like beat, feels like a precursor to modern dance music, a feat unimaginable in the mid-1960s.

The song’s futuristic sound amplifies its revolutionary impact. From the opening drone of a tambura to the swirling cacophony of tape loops, "Tomorrow Never Knows" feels untethered from its era. It could seamlessly fit into a Radiohead album from the 1990s or a Chemical Brothers track from the 2000s, yet it never sounds like a retro artifact. Its single-chord structure, anchored by Starr’s drumming and McCartney’s pulsating bass, creates a hypnotic groove that defies conventional songwriting. This sonic architecture, paired with George Harrison’s sitar flourishes, evokes an alien landscape—both ancient and avant-garde. The track’s ability to sound perpetually ahead of its time underscores The Beatles’ role as trendsetters, inspiring countless artists to explore new sonic frontiers.

Beyond its technical and aesthetic brilliance, "Tomorrow Never Knows" carries profound spiritual depth. Drawing from The Tibetan Book of the Dead, the lyrics—penned by Lennon—offer a meditative guide to transcendence. Lines like "Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream / It is not dying" and "Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void / It is shining" invite listeners to release ego and embrace pure consciousness. Harrison, whose exploration of Eastern spirituality shaped the song’s ethos, described it as an encapsulation of meditation’s goal: to transcend the clutter of thought and connect with the eternal. The refrain "Love is all and love is everyone" distills a universal truth, while the closing mantra, "Of the beginning," suggests a cyclical, timeless existence. These themes resonated deeply with the 1960s counterculture, offering a sonic and philosophical blueprint for a generation seeking meaning beyond materialism.

The cultural significance of "Tomorrow Never Knows" cannot be overstated. Released at the height of The Beatles’ global fame, it marked a bold departure from their earlier pop hits like "She Loves You." In just three years, the band evolved from crafting infectious love songs to delivering a track that challenged listeners to rethink music’s possibilities. This leap, fueled by their experimentation with LSD and exposure to avant-garde influences, galvanized the psychedelic movement and inspired bands like Jefferson Airplane, Pink Floyd, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. The song’s appearance in cultural touchstones, such as the television series Mad Men, where it underscores a moment of societal upheaval, highlights its role as a symbol of transformation. It spoke to a world on the cusp of change, cementing music as a powerful force for social and personal awakening.

"Tomorrow Never Knows" is more than a song; it is a cultural artifact, a technical milestone, and a spiritual odyssey. Its influence reverberates through decades, from the studios of 1966 to the digital soundscapes of today. The Beatles’ ability to blend innovation with accessibility—creating a track that is both experimental and universally compelling—sets them apart as the greatest band in history. As we listen to its droning pulse and swirling textures, we are reminded that true genius knows no bounds. In a world where music often feels ephemeral, "Tomorrow Never Knows" endures as a beacon of creativity, inviting us to surrender to the void and embrace the infinite.

Year: 1966

Composition/Lyrics: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Producer: George Martin

[thatcringewh0re]

Life changing shit is happening, my hyperfixation is moving from Trollhunters to poppy playtime help- I've already made an oc! I revamped my old poppy playtime oc HELP!!! 😭😭😭😭

[divinereign4ever]

JOTTING DOWN THOUGHTS #3

Ep19/20

I love being wrong!

You got it together, King! Mu Sheng I shouldn't have doubted you babes 🥹🥹🥹😭. A (major) lapse of judgement can't keep you down!

My poor Yao. I knew she was gonna do some suicide mission stuff and try to cut off everyone so it would hurt less. Oh my poor girl.

Fuyi telling her about his master took me by surprise. I didn't think he'd bite the bullet like this, but I'm glad we aren't drawing it out at the same time. That's one of the facets of betrayal that won't happen now, and I love it. Good for him.

Shout out to Mu Sheng and Fuyi for drinking together. I want them to be friends so bad. The look Ziqi gave Miaomiao when she found him at the tavern and he woke up was so unbearably fond and lovestruck I rewound it 3 times!

I feel so sad. Everything sucks. They're all parting ways and poor Cuicui is being left on his lonesome and that stupid wooden bracelet is pissing me off.

Plus Things are just getting worse for this marriage. Nothing is stopping this train from running off the track and I hate it bc poor Ruoshi is gonna be heart broken

I really like Fuyi in this episode and I lovw how he's handling this Princess situation. She may be delusional but she still a young woman in love and I love how he's treating her with respect and care.

Hearing Fuyi say that Yao is the love of his life literally made me squeal, I wanted to explode. I swear I wasn't talking shit, I do enjoy Fuyi and Yao's relationship they weren't given much to do but now they're given everything g to do and I can't control myself. I love them.

I loved hearing his story of how he fell in love with her. It's about vulnerability ppl! She is an absolute badass but she is still also a young woman with so much on her plate, that kind of strength of character so so amazing and I don't blame Fuyi one bit for loving her. She's great

I was right about Ruoshi this shit hurts. Like he's so unserious and cries like a baby, which is hilarious, but oh I feel so bad for him poor thing.

When that bracelet came off I was like "the first thing she's gonna say is ziqi lol" AND THEN SHE DID IT, I SCREAMED

Seeing Miaomiao run in that wedding dress was so pretty omg 😲. What a moment. And that leading to her seeing the grand gesture that Ziqi made for her days ago literally made me gasp like hand to mouth gasp. I wanted to cry 😢😢😢

This is genuinely the best episode of a drama ever. Dynamic, Groundbreaking, Never Before Seen, Brought actual tears to my eyes.

Seeing the band comeback together after Yao basically says "Aye Yo I'm about to doe but peace to all my homies" made me want to cry again

They have some ACTORS in the building, okay? Give the casting director and award bc Everyone brought their A-Game and acted fabulously against each other

PS Oh snap i forgot in all my happiness that apparently Ziqi was an attempted murderer as a child. That's crazy 🤪

PPS Don't think I didn't notice how shit started hitting the fan when Miaomiao wasn't there to regulate the situation. She wasn't there to help Yao talk through her problems or give advice, therefore potentially helping her with Fuyi and she wasn't there to accept Mu Shengs confession.

My girl is the top tier glue!

[agendratum]

happened two times now at work in probably just the last couple of month, where i would dread, for almost a day, carefully pick the wording again and again for sending what's basically a polite no to one of my superiors after they would ask if i wanted to participate in a work related thing, and then finally gathering up my courage and sending that message and in response getting:

"okay, thank you for your reply, i will look for someone else then :)*"

*non-aggressive smily face

and that's it. and i'm just sitting here like wow, that's it. i wasn't killed with rocks. i wasn't attacked with laser beams. you can just say no and people will go okay thank you and then you both move on