Good Good Things – Issue 15
Huge shout-out to friends, family, and all you fine citizens who took to the streets to join in the No Kings protests all across America. Common sense, science, intelligence, and empathy will eventually defeat this garbage-brained regime, and despite the daily obstacles, we gotta stay positive and fight back where we can. As a thank you, here is some light-hearted entertainment provided by good people like yourselves. Love you all, FDT forever.
Visual Effects Artist Breaks Down Hidden VFX
Listening to Todd Vaziri’s geek out and share tricks of the trade about special effects is, well, truly special.
From the breathtaking innovations in the ‘Star Wars’ trilogy to the astonishing imagery in ‘Transformers,’ Industrial Light & Magic has truly revolutionized visual effects in TV and movies. ILM’s compositing supervisor Todd Vaziri breaks down the methodical approach to the groundbreaking creations that have redefined the limits of our imagination.
The New Philly Dog Mural is a Beautiful Thing
You know your boy loves the dogs, and I miss my girl Shelby terribly, so when I see anything celebrating all the good pups who bring us joy, I must share it. Follow the supremely talented Emily White for more much-needed public art.
See the finished mural here:
View this post on Instagram
Halloween Viewing – “Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters”
A big “hell yeah” for Hellboy fans: there is a colorful and captivating documentary about the comic book creator Mike Mignola, free to view on YouTube. I knew nothing about this guy and very little about Hellboy, which was a fun way to go into this doc: tabula rasa. His distinct style — heavy shadows, lots of negative space, sharp angles, and stark layouts — was a welcome change for those fans who grew weary of the same-old, overly muscled Marvel and DC aesthetic. As Mignola once said to a new employee (paraphrasing), “Do your own thing, no one needs another Batman story.” Amen, brother.
When Mike Mignola created Hellboy, he unleashed a visionary comic book character and launched an entire universe populated by unique heroes, misfits and monsters. Featuring in-depth interviews with Mignola alongside appearances from the likes of Patton Oswalt, Guillermo del Toro, Neil Gaiman, Rebecca Sugar and Victor LaValle, this documentary is for fans of the Hellboy universe and the Hellboy movies, but more than that, it’s a film for anyone interested in creativity and the imagination.
The Secret Craft of Tokyo’s Best Coffee
I watch a lot of Japanese coffee and barista videos and will be posting my favorites next week. Until then, pour yourself a cup and enjoy this little taste.
The Most Seventies Scene in 1970s TV
“Lee Meriwether is skating tonight!”
Hat tip to my friend Ed Keer for pointing me to this gem from a bygone boogie-centric era.
A Fun Dumb Phone for Your Smart Phone
The only time I talk on the phone is calling a doctor’s office and trying/begging to make an appointment that is sooner than 8 months out, or receiving a call from an aunt about another aunt or uncle who just died. That said, if I were more of a chatterbox, I would probably get this USB-C handset that plugs into your phone just to feel some nice childhood nostalgia. “Hello, Don. We’re playing manhunt at 1:00 pm and then hitting the little arcade. See you at Silver Lake.”
Why Do Pringles Come In A Can?
I might be alone on this, but I think Pringles have changed their recipe in the past couple of years. The taste is grainier and less salty, and I am NOT happy about it.
Quick Hits
- When books were being pulled from Iowa classrooms, these teens started an after-school club to read them
- Think Philly kids don’t care much for the city’s waterways? Think again
- Did you win?
- Photos: More ‘No Kings’ Protests Across the U.S.
- ‘Delighted’ woman played clarinet during brain surgery
- Charles Schulz Let High School Football Team Use Snoopy Helmets
- The Goodest Boys of NYC’s Halloween Dog Parade
- Please Let Our Warfighters Use Your Restroom
David Zinn’s Chalk Drawings Imbue Everyday Street Scenes with Playful Character
Always good to revisit the lovely world of David Zinn.
Since 1987, Ann Arbor-based artist David Zinn has gathered a diverse and humorous cast of characters on the sidewalks, streets, and walls of his hometown. In some of his newest works, a tiny tomfool alien explodes a load of asphalt with the push of a button, a dandelion lights the candle of a young dino’s cake, and an unenthused amphibian with “resting frogface” peers from a hole in some mortar.
Read more about David at Colossal >
Check out his books and art here >
Acceptable Crimes
Reliance on technology is out of hand. Sometimes you just need creativity, moxie, and old-school tools of the trade to get the job done. Anyway, congrats to the Louvre jewel thieves.
To be clear, much like McGruff, not a big crime fan, but I do support:
- historic jewel theft
- yacht stealing
- fancy stagecoach robberies
- Italian Jobs
- window sill pie yoinking
- supermarket grape sampling (2 grapes max)
- crimes of the heart
- The 1988 Queensrÿche classic Operation: Mindcrime
Beware: Gruesome Halloween Horror!
Excited to be smack dab in the middle of Spooky Season. Here’s a bagful of Halloween treats below. Have fun out there, I hope you get the good candy.
No “Fun-Size” nonsense here, stop by our house on Halloween and you’ll get a FULL SIZE box of raisins.
— Jeff 💀 (@gojeffgo.com) October 25, 2023 at 7:06 PM
I was once Mr. “Welcome Back” Kotter for Halloween as a kid. No photos exist so I put together this pretty faithful recreation.
— Jeff 💀 (@gojeffgo.com) October 26, 2023 at 8:27 PM
Maybe stop bitching about your own little problems for a second and help me find out where my wife hid the goddamn Halloween candy.
— Jeff 💀 (@gojeffgo.com) October 14, 2023 at 7:53 PM
Read a bunch more important thoughts about Halloween >
Sugar is Back! Watch Their Videos
After the breakup of Hüsker Dü and a couple of stellar solo releases, my favorite musician, Bob Mould, teamed up with bassist David Barbe (Mercyland) and drummer Malcolm Travis (Human Sexual Response, the Zulus) to form Sugar in late 1991. They created distinct, powerful melodic music that had an immediate impact on the early 1990s alternative music scene, propelling it forward. Well, good news for Sugar fans, the boys have gotten the band back together, put out a new ripper, and have scheduled some shows for 2026. I’m excited.
They made a lot of great videos; view them here.
Rest in Peace
He died doing what he loved: being hit on the head repeatedly by large black walnuts dropping from every tree while waiting for his dog to poop.
Featured Shirt
Rocks & Ruts & Roots & Streams T-Shirt
When the news gets bad, head outside for a breather. Put your cat on a leash and walk around your block. If you have more time, let’s say the weekend, head out on your favorite local nature trail wearing this shirt. It will let people know you are no newbie and you know a thing or two about navigating all of the things below your feet trying to trip you.
Side-by-Side Comparison: Zero Hour! (1957) vs Airplane! (1980)
Like most people of my generation who appreciate great jokes and masterful deadpan delivery, “Airplane!” is in a stratosphere above all other movies. I am a huge fan, but I did not know until very recently that “Airplane!” is a parody of the 1957 drama “Zero Hour!” Watch this video, it’s fascinating!
Chill Time: Live Bird Feeder and Wildlife Cam in Gettysburg, PA
You need some relaxing ASMR and soothing visuals to bring those nagging stress levels down? Fire up this feeder!
Since May 2020, our bird feeder has attracted over 30 different species of beautiful birds. Situated among open fields and woodlands, our camera captures a variety of other wildlife, including deer, wild turkeys, foxes, raccoons, squirrels, and more.
Favorite Music of 2025 (so far…)
I’m sure some more stellar music will be released before December 31st (and I promise to update this list when it drops), but as of now, here are my top spins from the past year. 2025 wasn’t a banner year for your boy, but, thankfully, good music always helps. I hope it does the same for you. Let me know your favorites in the comments below. Go here to view and listen to the full list, and here are a few to give you a little taste.
Junk Miles is Back!
New episode drops: Thursday, October 23!
Bluesky
It’s very trendy for the woke left to mock the police these days, but this is the kind of thing that you and I might miss.
— The Author, Séamas O’Reilly (@seamas.bsky.social) October 20, 2025 at 4:22 AM
Present day horror reboot of Supermarket Sweep where they go around the store screaming at the prices
— andy vs. (@im-all-id.me) October 17, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Every bag of assorted Halloween candy is two all-timers, one fair to middling and one awful candy. It’s always like Reese’s Cups, Snickers, Milk Duds and Tums Smoothies.
— Christian Alsis (@christianalsis.bsky.social) October 11, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I had a doctor appointment this morning and as I was walking out I got a new Instagram follower and my first thought was oh it must be my doctor
— Ryan Burkett (@ryanburkett.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Report: 68% Of 4 Year Olds Now Using ChatGPT To Solve Blue’s Clues
— John (@notheotherjohn.bsky.social) October 16, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Seems like no one wants to be trapped inside a haunted music box anymore
I have that real STAR quality (someday I’m gong to explode.)
— Chip Chantry (@chipchantry.bsky.social) October 14, 2025 at 9:10 PM
The janitor squints at the unfinished equation, picks up the chalk and scrawls methodically. Soon all the eights have top-hats like snowmen.
— vladchoc (@vladchoc.bsky.social) October 8, 2025 at 11:25 PM
There’s more of us than there are of them. They can’t control us. They can’t stop us from voicing our dissent. Thugs and thuggery is not a winning future, even if they think so. See you at No Kings.
— Steven Beschloss (@stevenbeschloss.bsky.social) October 15, 2025 at 3:45 PM
(shared AI video of the Teletubbies eating a hiker that wandered into their territory)
Okay so it turns out that video was fake, but it resonated because this kind of stuff happens every day
— Alex Blechman (@alexblechman.bsky.social) October 11, 2025 at 3:32 PM
good morning only to people who aren’t actively ruining other people’s lives
— Ygrene (scary) (@ygrene.bsky.social) October 11, 2025 at 9:10 AM
oh you’re a nihilist? name zero things that matter
— dan mentos (@danmentos.com) October 17, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Yard skeletons are not yet gigantic enough. We must strive on.
— Empty bottle of wine am I right bison (@griefbison.bsky.social) October 14, 2025 at 7:23 PM
#NoKings Miami!
— OrangeSage (@orangesage.bsky.social) October 18, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Take care of each other
FDT forever. See you soon with more goodness…
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