The Germ Of An Idea

Yes, I've Been Watching "The Satan Bug" Again
For one thing, I like the production values, and the desert locations.  Although I do recall one of the old IMDB forums informing that what was all bleak and striking desert landscape in the film, is now all suburbs.  Oh well, I suppose you can never go back, and it was made 35 years ago.  

Now, this -

     At some point in the near future I shall present this to Quiet Tom, Darling Daughter's paramour and see what he thinks of the Sinister Yet Advanced Laboratory, since he too works in a lab.  Nothing quite as dreadful as Station 3, I presume - although if his workplace was turning out killer chemical cocktails I don't suppose they or he would advertise the fact.  We shall see what he thinks of the technology of 35 years ago.
     One other thing that jarred in the film is the appallingly casual nature of the protagonists concerning the titular bug.  It is contained in a fragile glass flask, which Art - ART PUT THAT PLATE OF COAL DOWN AND GET WORKING!

Like this, except with a stopper
(or it would be a rather short film)

     We must presume that the bug is quite hardy, because it's taken out of a secure fridge and kept out of a cool riverbed, then subjected to the heat of a Californian desert for half a day.  At no point does anyone put it into a more protected or insulated container; no, they just juggle this bundle of nightmare as if it were a bottle of milk.  The main villain of the piece keeps it in his coat pocket while driving, meaning a slight swerve would put enough pressure on it to break.
     "Oopsies!  I destroyed the human race 'cos I'm a rubbish driver - my bad!" is a bit of a poor epitaph for Hom. Sap.
     Now, time to hurl the motley into a pool of liquid nitromethane and throw lit matches at it!
A Tank In A Tank
It is a well-known fact that the army of Perfidious Albion is imbued with courage and stamina beyond that of mortal men, because they drink tea.  It was observed in the desert wastes of North Africa during the Second Unpleasantness that British soldiers, if permitted the time and resources (the bally Hun notwithstanding), would brew-up as many as 8 times per day.  Art?

Brewing up

     That spectacularly ugly piece of kit behind them is a Vickers Mk. VI Light Tank, basically an armoured car with tracks, and because of it's small size it lacked the Most Secret Weapon, a device that envious South Canadians dreamed of: the Boiling Vessel.  I think we can illustrate this in contemporary terms.  Art?

     One of the highly-amusing clips from Matsimus over on Youtube.  He has helpfully indicated the Boiling Vessel, this one secured to the back door of an FV432.  These were essentially a kettle that meant you were never short of the ability to make a cuppa.  Or, if you happened to find a glass flask full of unspeakably deadly germs able to destroy all life on Earth, merely pop it in the BV and - Hom. Sap. is saved!
     Also take note of that squaddie emerging from the interior with his bayonet already fixed - er - a tad dangerous on the inside of an APC, mate ...

Beware The Chair
Because I happen to be sat next to it, I shall post a corroborative photo of the older, less comfortable chair that I used whilst working from home last week.  If you remember "Mind My Behind" I showed the nice yielding swivelly castored chair that I've been sat on today.  Art?

In manly blue

     And here's the one that I was on, all resilient wood, which looks good on photographs but which is considerably less kind on an old scribes nethers, which can be tender at times when the Coincidence Hydra has been around.  Art?

     Stylish, hmmm?  Yes.  Stylish and hard. Also you can't just scoot around or adjust your position, the whole thing has to be hoiked around.  Whereas now I can glide on my castors across the floors like a <thinks> rocket-propelled hippo.

Finally -
Wonder Wifey kindly volunteered up a DAB radio so that your modest artisan could listen to Radio Six, which is very entertaining and TOO DISTRACTING, especially that Radcliffe and Maconie show, although I am now curious about Black Box Recorder.

     I haven't listened to the radio for any length of time since The Revolution was turned into Radio Of The Living Dead (it's a long story).