🌊 SURF 'N TURF 🏝️
-THE BORACAY ISLAND LIFE-
Kiribati…
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Kiribati…
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Completed in 1776, Strawberry Hill was extensively remodelled by its most famous owner, writer Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford.
In designing it, Walpole assembled a ‘Committee of Taste’, which included his close homosexual friend John Chute, who lived at The Vyne in Hampshire.
Walpole described it as ‘a little plaything house… the prettiest bauble you ever saw’.
An extraordinary example of Georgian Gothic revival architecture, some historians have also described Strawberry Hill's decorative style as ‘Queer Gothick’.
When Walpole died in 1797, he left Strawberry Hill House to his niece, the lesbian sculptor Anne Damer, who lived there until 1811.
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On this day in 1985, the ZZ Top single “Legs” debuted on the UK Singles Chart at #42 (February 23)
The song was released from the trio’s mega-successful 1983 LP “Eliminator”.
“Eliminator” saw ZZ Top embrace the synthesizer as an instrument, which features heavily in this song, opening up the band to a new audience, but displeasing some fans of their more traditional 70s style rock.
The classic video clip for “Legs" was the third installment of a trilogy of similarly themed videos shot by Tim Newman for “Eliminator”, and it won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Group.
Dean Guitars created the pair of matching guitars shown in the clip, based on the Dean Z model, but painted white and covered in fluffy white sheepskin.
Dean also painted the band's "ZZ " logo extending the length of each fretboard.
The video was on heavy rotation on MTV and other video hit music shows of the day, which helped drive the single up the charts.
It peaked at #6 in Australia, #8 in the US, #9 in Canada and Ireland, #16 in the UK, and #19 in the Netherlands…
#legs, #zztop, #billygibbons, #DustyHill, #frankbeard, #Eliminator, #MTV, #dailyrockhistory, #80smusic, #80srock, #thisdayinrock, #rockhistory, #thisdayinmusic, #onthisday
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On this day in 1975, the Bob Dylan LP “Blonde on Blonde” re-entered the US Billboard 200 Albums Chart at #171 (February 22)
The critically acclaimed 1966 double album peaked at #3 in the UK, #4 in Australia, #9 in the US, #11 in Spain, and #30 in France.
In 1999, “Blonde on Blonde” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
“Blonde on Blonde” was ranked #38 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list in 2020.
It’s Dylan at his finest, with popular tracks like “Just Like A Woman”, and "Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35”, on an LP many consider the best of his illustrious catalogue…
#bobdylan, #blondeonblonde, #classicalbum, #grammyhalloffame, #justlikeawoman, #rainydaywomen, #dylan, #dailyrockhistory, #70smusic, #thisdayinmusic, #onthisday
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On this day in 1974, the David Bowie single “Rebel Rebel” debuted on the UK Singles Chart at #6 (February 23)
The lead single from the album “Diamond Dogs” was a ripper, and with it, Bowie gave us one of the most memorable riffs in rock.
Originally planned in late 1973 as part of an aborted Ziggy Stardust musical, it was his first hit since 1969 not to feature legendary lead guitarist Mick Ronson, with Bowie playing guitar himself on this and almost all the other tracks on “Diamond Dogs”.
“Rebel Rebel” went on to peak at #2 in Ireland, #5 in the UK, #6 in Belgium, #7 in Finland, #8 in the Netherlands, #9 in Norway, #12 in France, #19 in New Zealand, #28 in Australia, #30 in Canada, #33 in Germany, and a lowly #64 in the US.
#rebelrebel, #diamonddogs, #davidbowie, #bowie, #bowieforever, #classicrock, #classicrockmusic, #70smusic, #70srock, #dailyrockhistory, #thisdayinrock, #rockhistory, #thisdayinmusic, #onthisday
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1,542
value of 1 USD measured in satoshis.
938,028
blocks in the blockchain.
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Malcolm X
"I have more respect for a man who lets me know where he stands, even if he's wrong, than the one who comes up like an angel and is nothing but a devil."
"The Night Malcolm X Spoke at the Oxford Union: A Transatlantic Story of Antiracist Protest" by Stephen Tuck, Henry Louis Gates, (p. 15)
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"He thought Star Wars was ""fairy tale rubbish."" But he negotiated 2% of the profits anyway—just in case.
Twenty minutes of screen time made him millions. Smart negotiation changed his life.
London, 1976.
Sir Alec Guinness—one of Britain's most respected actors, winner of an Academy Award, star of The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia—received an unusual offer.
A young American filmmaker named George Lucas wanted him to play a character called ""Obi-Wan Kenobi"" in a space fantasy film.
Guinness read the script. His reaction was not enthusiastic.
In letters to friends, he called it ""fairy tale rubbish"" and expressed serious doubts about the dialogue, which he found ""lamentable."" He worried the film would be an embarrassing footnote in his distinguished career.
But Guinness was also a pragmatist. Lucas was persistent, the part wasn't large (only about 20 minutes of screen time), and the money could be good—if negotiated correctly.
So Guinness made a counteroffer that would change his financial life forever.
Instead of accepting the standard actor's salary, Guinness negotiated for a percentage of the profits. Specifically, he secured 2.25% of George Lucas's backend points—a share of the film's net profits after costs.
This was unusual in 1976. Most actors took their upfront salary and left. Profit participation deals existed but were rare, reserved for top stars with leverage.
Guinness had leverage—Lucas desperately wanted him for credibility. A respected British actor would lend gravitas to a science fiction film that skeptical studios were already calling ""that space movie.""
But Guinness didn't negotiate the percentage because he believed Star Wars would be a massive hit. He negotiated it as insurance—a way to potentially earn more if the film somehow succeeded beyond expectations.
He had no idea what ""beyond expectations"" would actually mean.
Star Wars premiered on May 25, 1977.
Guinness attended early screenings with continued skepticism. He wrote to friends describing the audience reactions with bemused surprise—people were actually enjoying this ""fairy tale rubbish.""
Then the box office numbers started coming in.
Star Wars wasn't just successful. It was a cultural phenomenon unlike anything Hollywood had seen. It broke every box office record. It played in theaters for over a year. It created merchandise empires, spawned sequels, and fundamentally changed cinema.
And Alec Guinness owned 2.25% of George Lucas's share of the profits.
The exact amount Guinness earned is disputed—Hollywood accounting is notoriously opaque, and Guinness himself was private about finances. But credible estimates suggest he made somewhere between $3 million and $7 million from the original Star Wars, with total earnings from all three original trilogy films potentially reaching $10-20 million over his lifetime.
For 1977-1980s money, this was extraordinary wealth. For approximately 20 minutes of screen time (Obi-Wan dies early in the film), it was unprecedented.
Guinness had earned more from one small role than from decades of acclaimed work in prestigious films.
And he'd done it not through star power or box office draw, but through smart negotiation.
Think about the contrast: Guinness was a classically trained British actor who'd won an Oscar for serious dramatic work. Star Wars was a space adventure that studio executives thought would bomb. By all conventional wisdom, taking a percentage of profits from an unproven science fiction film was a gamble at best.
But Guinness understood something crucial: If the film failed, he'd still get his salary. If it succeeded beyond anyone's wildest expectations, the percentage would pay off enormously.
It was asymmetric risk—limited downside, unlimited upside.
The irony is that Guinness never fully embraced Star Wars. In his autobiography and letters, he expressed ambivalence about being known for Obi-Wan Kenobi rather than his ""serious"" work. He found the fan attention overwhelming and sometimes dismissive toward the young fans who approached him.
In one famous letter, he described telling a young boy who'd seen Star Wars hundreds of times to stop watching it—a story that upset some fans but revealed Guinness's complicated relationship with the role that made him wealthy.
But he was also grateful for the financial security. The Star Wars money allowed him to be selective about roles, support his family comfortably, and work on projects he cared about without financial pressure.
He'd taken the role skeptically, negotiated shrewdly, performed professionally, and earned generational wealth from a character he appeared as for roughly 20 minutes.
That's not luck. That's strategic thinking.
Guinness's Star Wars deal became legendary in Hollywood. It demonstrated the potential value of backend participation and helped change how actors negotiated contracts.
After Star Wars, percentage deals became more common—especially for blockbuster films with merchandising potential. Actors and agents learned from Guinness: if you're part of something that could become huge, get a percentage, not just a salary.
The lesson applies beyond acting. Guinness's negotiation illustrates a broader principle: When joining something with unlimited upside potential, structure your compensation to capture that upside.
Take percentage over salary when the ceiling is unknown. Accept equity over cash when the company could explode. Negotiate for participation in success, not just payment for time.
Guinness did this before Star Wars was Star Wars—when it was just ""that space movie"" that might flop. His foresight and negotiation skill, not his performance (though that was excellent), made him wealthy.
Alec Guinness died in 2000 at age 86. By then, Star Wars had become one of the most valuable franchises in entertainment history.
His brief appearance as Obi-Wan Kenobi had been immortalized across three films, inspired countless viewers, and established a character that would be revisited in prequels and series.
His financial legacy from those 20 minutes of screen time supported his family long after his death.
When people discuss Guinness and Star Wars today, they often focus on the money—the remarkable earnings from minimal screen time. But that misses the real lesson.
Guinness didn't get rich because he was lucky. He got rich because he negotiated intelligently when he had leverage, even for a project he didn't fully believe in.
He understood that compensation isn't about what you think something is worth now—it's about what it could become worth later.
That's why backend deals matter. That's why equity matters. That's why percentage participation matters.
Guinness earned millions from Star Wars not because he was the star (he wasn't), not because he had the most screen time (he didn't), and not because he believed in the project (he was skeptical).
He earned millions because when George Lucas needed him for credibility, Guinness had the wisdom to say: ""I'll do it, but I want a percentage of the profits.""
That one negotiation—made before anyone knew Star Wars would succeed—changed his financial life forever.
In honor of Sir Alec Guinness (1914-2000), who proved that smart negotiation can be worth more than star billing, and that sometimes the best career decision is betting on someone else's vision—as long as you structure the deal correctly.
Twenty minutes of screen time. Millions in earnings. One very smart contract.
That's not just acting. That's strategy. "
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The small volcanic island of Elliðaey, located in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago off the southern coast of Iceland. 
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The image shows Olavinlinna, also known as St. Olaf's Castle, a 15th-century medieval stone fortress located in Savonlinna, Finland.
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Artwork by Pejac, a Spanish street artist similar to Banksy (whose pictures, like this one, have sometimes appeared in Japan, especially in Tokyo).
Malachi Constant has everything money can buy and no idea why he's here. He's a bored billionaire floating through an endless party when a rumor reaches him: Winston Niles Rumfoord, a man who traveled through a chrono-synclastic infundibulum, now exists as a wave phenomenon in space-time. He appears on Earth every fifty-nine days, and he knows the future.
Rumfoord tells Constant he will travel to Mars, then Mercury, then Titan, one of Saturn's moons. He will meet Rumfoord's wife. He will father a child. He will do all of this whether he wants to or not.
Constant doesn't believe him. Then he's abducted to Mars.
The Mars section is Vonnegut at his sharpest. The Martians are preparing an invasion of Earth, but their army is made of brainwashed humans marching in perfect formation, carrying weapons that fire nothing. The invasion is a suicide mission designed to fail, designed to unite humanity against a common enemy. The survivors are paraded through cities in cages, mocked by the people they tried to conquer.
Constant survives. He ends up on Mercury, trapped in a cave with Rumfoord's wife and a man named Boaz who cares more about his pet harmoniums than any human. They wait. Years pass. Messages arrive from Rumfoord, telling them what to do next. They do it because there's nothing else to do.
The final destination is Titan, where Constant learns the truth. Rumfoord isn't just predicting the future. He's orchestrating it, using humans as pawns in a scheme that spans centuries. And the scheme itself has a purpose so absurd, so indifferent to human suffering, that Constant's only response is laughter.
Vonnegut wrote this in 1959, between Player Piano and Cat's Cradle. It's where his voice fully emerged the deadpan irony, the sympathy for losers, the suspicion that the universe is either meaningless or has a meaning too stupid to bear. The prose is effortless, like someone telling you a story at a bar, except the story involves time travel, Martian invasions, and the ultimate insignificance of everything.
The critics then didn't know what to make of it. Now it's a classic, sitting next to Slaughterhouse-Five as proof that Vonnegut was doing something no one else was. The one-star reviews on Goodreads call it depressing, aimless, too weird. The five-stars say it changed how they see the world.
The title comes from Homer, from the sirens that tried to lure Odysseus to his death. Vonnegut's sirens aren't singing to ships. They're singing to the whole human race, promising meaning where there is none, purpose where there's only accident. The only way past them is to stop listening. The only way to win is to laugh.
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Ancient Egyptian Proverb
"True teaching is not an accumulation of knowledge; it is an awaking of consciousness which goes through successive stages."
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Remembering Peter Fonda
on his 86th birthday.
23 February, 1940
"Get your motor running, head out on the highway."
Born in New York City on this day in 1940, American actor, director, and screenwriter Peter Fonda (23 February, 1940 – 16 August, 2019) who was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda.
He was a part of the counterculture of the 1960s, and famously played Wyatt, a.k.a. “Captain America”, in the 1969 American road movie "Easy Rider", a film he helped to co-write and for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
He was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for "Ulee's Gold" (1997). For the latter, he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama.
Fonda also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for "The Passion of Ayn Rand " (1999).
Peter Fonda died from respiratory failure caused by lung cancer at his home in Los Angeles on 16 August, 2019 at the age of 79.
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The two-time Golden Globe nominee - seen on his bike 2015 arrived to the show in Santa Monica, California Ewan McGregor, on his, 1974 Moto Guzzi El Dorado, Californian police bike!
Ewan McGregor, a well-known motorcycle enthusiast, famously made a stylish entrance at the Independent Spirit Awards by arriving on his 1974 Moto Guzzi El Dorado, Californian police bike.
As an avid rider who has documented extensive global motorcycle journeys, McGregor’s choice of the classic Italian bike—produced by Europe’s oldest motorcycle manufacturer—aligns with his long-standing passion for riding.
This arrival highlights his authentic connection to motorcycle culture, which extends well beyond his professional acting career.
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Sketch a day #2. House
