∞

I wonder how long it’s going to take before I end up buying my cat his own iPad so he can watch videos of other cats all day.

That’s crazy, but on the other hand, he keeps hogging my television.

∞

Netflix Reportedly Plans to Hike Prices for No-Ads Plans After Actors Strike Is Settled ↗

Netflix is gearing up to raise the prices of streaming plans without advertising “a few months” after the SAG-AFTRA actors strike is resolved, according to a new report.

The streaming service is “discussing” raising prices in “several markets globally,” and likely will first increase fees in the U.S. and Canada, according to a Wall Street Journal report, citing anonymous sources. The Journal did not have info on what Netflix’s new prices will be or when they might go into effect.

THE PRICE HIKES WILL CONTINUE UNTIL PROFITS IMPROVE!

While this news isn’t definite, it also wouldn’t surprise me one bit if it happened. I’m sure somebody in an executive suite questioned why in the world they should have to suffer the consequences of temporarily lost revenue when they could just pass it on down to their consumers. After all, it was the media companies that were the true victims of the recent strikes, right?

Right? 🙄

Every day it seems that enshittification should become an enshrined law of the universe.

∞

Another COVID booster, another day laid out on the couch and moaning occasionally because of all the aches I’m feeling.

It probably didn’t help that I got a flu shot at the same time. Both of my arms feel dead.

∞

Letterboxd Diaries—September 2023

Total movies watched: 24.

Favorite movie of the month: Boyz n the Hood.

Least liked movie of the month: Evil Dead.

Be sure to follow me on Letterboxd! 🎥

∞

Finished reading: Election by Tom Perrotta 📚

As usual from Perrotta, this was a stellar story. The excellent film adaptation hews very close to the novel, but I enjoyed the film’s ending much more.

∞

A Tiny Announcement. ↗

From Letterboxd co-founder, Matthew Buchanan, on the Letterboxd Journal:

[W]e have accepted an offer for Tiny to acquire a 60 percent stake in Letterboxd, securing the platform’s future as an independently run company and part of the Tiny stable.

Aside from the ownership change, and in line with Tiny’s core operating values, very little else will change. [Co-founder] Karl and I are still leading the team, which remains the same, but now has the additional support of a company with vast experience in helping founders through periods of growth, which Letterboxd continues to enjoy. It means we can bring you more of the features you love and deserve, at a sustainable pace.

If Letterboxd had to be acquired, then I’m glad it was by Tiny—as acquisition firms go, they have a general track record of not being godawful leeches.

There’s always a shiver of fear that runs down my spine whenever a company I like is bought up by something else. That rarely ends well for the users (see Twitter), most of whom are die-hard fans of the service into which they’ve poured a lot of time and love.1

I wish the best for Letterboxd and the people who run it; I’m not going to stop using it anytime soon. Anyway, what are the alternatives? A massive spreadsheet? Not likely at this point. But I am going to keep a more watchful eye on how its user experience develops from here on. I’ve never hoped that something will avoid the Process of Enshittification more than I have with Letterboxd.

  1. Hey there! 👋 ↩︎

∞

Finished reading: Fairy Tale by Stephen King 📚

This one took me longer than I would have liked, but I think that’s just because I wanted to spend all my time in the world of Empis.

∞

We’re quickly approaching shop-around-for-and-wear-warm-and-comfy-clothes season. I, for one, couldn’t be happier about this inevitable progression. I could use some nice clothes, and summer can go suck it.

∞

That’s another iPhone pre-order day in the bag! This one felt a little shaky on Apple’s end—my app didn’t load for several long minutes—but I was able to nab launch day delivery for a 256GB White Titanium iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Time to go back to sleep. 5:00 a.m. is no fun.

A screenshot of my iPhone 15 Pro Max pre-order confirmation.

∞

I can’t wait for the day when AirTags become so small and slim that they can be attached or built into my glasses. Trying to find those suckers when you’re as blind as I am makes me feel like a bumbling Mr. Magoo.

∞

Carbon neutral is the new 5G!

But at least this venture actually means something.

∞

I’ve checked the science and I’m pretty sure there’s nothing better than napping on the couch while a cat is napping on top of you.

∞

I came up with a new get-rich-quick scheme that’s sure to work! While browsing the spices at my local Sprouts, I noticed a remarkable price tag. Per ounce, saffron threads work out to be $1,299.

  1. Start growing my own saffron.
  2. ???
  3. Major profits!
∞

Warner Bros. Discovery Says Ongoing Strikes Will Mean $300M-$500M Hit to 2023 Earnings ↗

By Georg Szalai at The Hollywood Reporter:

Warner Bros. Discovery has lowered its 2023 adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) forecast to $10.5 billion-$11.0 billion, a hit of $300 million-$500 million, “predominantly due to the impact of the strikes,” compared with the previously targeted low end of the $11.0 billion-$11.5 billion range.

Let me get this straight: it’s unreasonable for writers to justifiably demand a relatively modest pay increase, but it’s the height of business savvy for Warner Bros. Discovery to lose $300–500 million in a year?

What I’m hearing is, “I’m really upset with my face right now, so let me cut off my nose!”

To be clear, it would cost WBD far less to pay writers a fair wage than they’ll lose this year. According to IndieWire, of the $429 million a year it would cost the AMPTP to meet the demands of the WGA, WBD would be on the hook for about $47 million. On the low end, that’s a $253 million difference in 2023 and $453 million on the high end.

But yeah, it’s the writers who are the real problem. 🙄

It must be nice to lose that much money and not have to worry about also losing your job. I don’t know what WBD CEO David “I’m Super Good at Business” Zaslav has done to make his position so secure, but if anyone else in the world lost their company that much money, they’d never work in their industry again. Instead, these overpaid ghouls keep failing upward while the writers are increasingly unsure if they’ll have homes and food to rely on soon.

Make no mistake—it’s not “Hollywood” that’s the issue here. The blame for these strikes rests 100% on the shoulders of inept executives like Zaslav.

∞

Introducing Hammy! He’s a mostly three-legged goof of a love bug who’s quickly made himself at home. We got him at our local shelter and couldn’t be happier with our new family member. 🐱

A small and utterly adorable gray and white cat lying on carpet and probably planning some sort of mischief.

∞

I’ve gotten a college degree, I’m one half of a successful marriage, and heck, I’ve even earned a black belt, but none of that has been as challenging as trying to come up with meals to eat every dang week.

∞

Letterboxd Diaries—August 2023

Total movies watched: 26.

Favorite movie of the month: Barbie.

Least favorite movie of the month: No Hard Feelings.

Be sure to follow me on Letterboxd! 🎥

∞

After an extensive amount of dental work (thanks, past me 🙄), I just finished with a biannual check-up. It turned out to be my first dentist visit without any bad news that I can recall!

Turns out that flossing, brushing, and going to the dentist regularly are good for a person. Who knew?

∞

As of today, I’ve read as many books as I did in all of 2022. Thirty-two books so far, and there’s still a whole third of the year left! I don’t know how many I’ll complete by year’s end, but right now I’m giving myself a pat on the back.

∞

Finished reading: The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa. 📚

A surprisingly touching book with an opinionated cat narrator and gut-punch of an ending.