John Baxindine

@jbax.bsky.social

1381 Followers 463 Following

Old-school note scribbler and ivory tickler • www.jbax.net

From the Wikipedia entry on The Tingler: "Percepto!" was a gimmick where Castle attached electrical "buzzers" to the underside of some seats in theaters where The Tingler was screened to provide "tingling" sensations during certain scenes. The buzzers were small surplus airplane wing deicing motors left from World War II. The cost of this equipment added $250,000 to the film's budget. It was used predominantly in larger theaters. The prologue claimed some people might not be susceptible to the "tingling" to take account that not all seats were wired.
The principal cast of the TV series Maximum Bob (1998): Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly, Kiersten Warren, Beau Bridges, Liz Vassey, and Sam Robards.
The top of the first page of Robert Russell Bennett's manuscript full score of "The Small House of Uncle Thomas" from The King and I. He gives the title as "Uncle Tom (Ballet)." In the space for the composer's credit, Bennett has written "Trude Rodgers and Hammerstein."
An excerpt from George Gershwin's manuscript of the song "On and On and On" from the musical Let 'Em Eat Cake (1933).
“Before deciding that question I had grasped the significance of the silence of the dog, for one true inference invariably suggests others. The Simpson incident had shown me that a dog was kept in the stables, and yet, though someone had been in and had fetched out a horse, he had not barked enough to arouse the two lads in the loft. Obviously the midnight visitor was someone whom the dog knew well."
From "Silver Blaze" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: I could see that Holmes was extremely pleased, for he chuckled and rubbed his hands together. “A long shot, Watson, a very long shot,” said he, pinching my arm. “Gregory, let me recommend to your attention this singular epidemic among the sheep. Drive on, coachman!” Colonel Ross still wore an expression which showed the poor opinion which he had formed of my companion’s ability, but I saw by the inspector’s face that his attention had been keenly aroused. “You consider that to be important?” he asked. “Exceedingly so.” “Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?” “To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.” “The dog did nothing in the night-time.” “That was the curious incident,” remarked Sherlock Holmes.
Original Dutch text of Anne Frank's Het Achterhuis, entry for 15 July 1944: Iemand die dan nog beweerd dat de ouderen het hier in ’t Achterhuis veel ben realiseert zich dan zeker niet, in hoeveel groter omvang de moeilijker hebproblemen op ons toekomen stormen, de problemen waarvoor we misschien nog veel te jong zijn, maar die zich toch zolang aan’ ons opdringen totdat we na heel lange tijd een oplossing gevonden menen te hebben, een oplossing meestal die niet bestand blijkt, tegen de wapens die hem weer te niet doen. Dat is het moeilijke in deze tijd, idealen, dromen, mooie verwachtingen komen nog niet op of ze worden door de gruwelijkste werkelijkheid getroffen en zo totaal verwoest. Het is een groot wonder dat ik niet al m'n verwachtingen op heb gegeven, want ze lijken absurd en onuitvoerbaar. Toch houd ik ze vast, ondanks alles omdat ik nog steeds aan de innerlijke goedheid van de mensen geloof. Het is me ten ene male onmogelijk alles op te bouwen op de basis van dood, ellende en verwarring, ik zie hoe de wereld langzaam steeds meer in een woestijn herschapen wordt, ik hoor de aanrollende donder steeds harder die ook ons zal doden, ik voel het | leed van millioenen mensen mee en toch als ik naar de hemel kijk, denk ik dat dit alles zich weer ten goede zal wenden, dat ook deze hardheid op zal houden, dat er weer rust en vrede in de wereldorde zal komen. Intussen moet ik m'n denkbeelden hoog en droog houden, in de tijden die komen zijn ze misschien toch nog uit te voeren! je Anne M. Frank
From Anne Frank's Het Achterhuis, entry for 15 July 1944 (tr. Mooyaart-Doubleday): Anyone who claims that the older ones have a more difficult time here certainly doesn’t realize to what extent our problems weigh down on us, problems for which we are probably much too young, but which thrust themselves upon us continually, until, after a long time, we think we’ve found a solution, but the solution doesn’t seem able to resist the weapons which reduce it to nothing again. That’s the difficulty in these times, ideals, dreams and cherished hopes rise within us, only to meet the horrible truth and be shattered. It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death, I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquillity will return again. In the meantime, I must uphold my ideals, for perhaps the time will come when I shall be able to carry them out! yours, Anne M. Frank.
The Henry 200, an aggressively cute red vacuum cleaner whose canister features painted eyes and mouth; the suction hose serves as his nose.
Daffy Duck with a tiny cloud directly over his head that is raining on him with great precision. From the Looney Tunes short "Fiesta Fiasco."
Screengrab of text from Terry Pratchett's novel Thud!, as follows: “But hwhy?” said the curator. “They could have studied it in the museum! hWe’re very interactive these days!” “Interactive?” said Vimes. “What do you mean?” “hWell, people can…look at the pictures as much as they hwant,” said Sir Reynold. He sounded a little annoyed. People shouldn’t ask that kind of question. “And the pictures do what, exactly?” “Er…hang there, Commander,” said Sir Reynold. “Of course.” “So what you mean is, people can come and look at the pictures, and the pictures, for their part, are looked at?” “Rather like that, yes,” said the curator. He thought for a moment, aware that this probably wasn’t sufficient, and added: “But dynamicaleah.”
A photo of the original cast of West Side Story performing "Cool," with hands and feet in a position similar to those of Sallie's paws in Benjamin's photo.
Photo of Elon Musk's Nazi salute from 20 Jan 2025 as shown on Der Spiegel's website the next day. The headline reads "Das war definitiv ein Hitlergruß" ("That was definitely a Nazi salute").
My cat, Annie Oakley.
Christopher Murney and Mary Stout in the television series Remember WENN (1996-1998).
A potato in a tuxedo, with top hat, cane, and monocle.
A kidney-shaped emesis basin.
An excerpt from the score of "The Life I Lead" from Mary Poppins, showing the following text: "I treat my subjects—servants, children, wife—with a firm but gentle hand. Noblesse oblige!"
Bar graph showing a high figure for "hype around him because of his fans," and a low figure for "his actual accomplishments." The graph is labeled: "Which historical figure is this?" John Baxindine's reply is: "All of them?"
First page of Bernard Herrmann's manuscript full score for the film of Journey to the Center of the Earth.