One of the significant gaps in my classic horror movie collection has been that I haven't had a good copy of the Lon Chaney version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923). Because this movie has slipped into the public domain, there are many different editions, which raises the obvious question of which one should get.

Over at Silent Era they have a review of various editions. They are quite certain that the version to get is the 2007 edition from Image Entertainment.

However, while the 2007 edition includes something like 40 seconds of footage not found in the 1999 edition from Image Entertainment, the the 2007 edition omits about 12 second of footage that is in the 1999 edition.

I ordered a copy of the 2007 edition, but growled and fretted about those 12 seconds. Finally, in the context of the reviewer having pin-pointed where the missing footage would go, I decided to get also a copy of the 1999 edition. I am going to rip these two DVDs, splice those twelve seconds from one file into the other, and burn a new DVD from that.

I'm not sure just what I'll do about the sound-track — I'll probably just let it go silent during the intervals from the 1999 edition.

Today and Tomorrow directs its readers to

Up-Date (2019:12/04): Today and Tomorrow is defunct. The original site for the trailer is also defunct, but I have linked to a copy on YouTube.

(Underscore mine.) Plainly, these folk were not doing everything that they could. There was an established problem of the animals being spooked by the fireworks, but no one was there to care for the animals during a time that fireworks were to be expected. The staff failed grossly, but they're pointing their fingers away from themselves. I don't know whether they're just too stupid to recognize their own failure, or proceed now from a lack of integrity.

It appears that Dover Books thinks that Augustus De Morgan (d. 1871) was One of the twentieth century's great expositors of science.

I went to the La Jolla PetSmart to-day, planning to buy yet another habitat module to include in my mouse complex, and hoping to find the mouse for that complex.

In the event, there were no mice at that PetSmart, and the cashier said that she didn't expect them to get any in the near future, as they have many other rodents in stock. (I'd not bothered to call ahead, as I was expecting to buy a module in any case, and also wanted to stop at the World Market in the same shopping center.)

I did buy a module. I'd originally been thinking of getting another CritterTrail Mini 2, but ultimately decided on a CritterTrail 3, which just provides a lot more space.

This morning, at the post office, the fellow immediately ahead of me in line was a Germanophone, wrapping a surf-board in bubble-wrap and tape, in preparation for mailing it to Germany. A postal employee came out to examine the situation; and, when last I knew, the Germanophone was being told that the item was too large.

Where does one surf in Germany?

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I have complained in the past of the electronic Amber Alert signs at the sides of the highways being used to preach, as this causes people to develop a habit of ignoring them, which defeats the ostensible primary purpose of the signs.

On top of that, here was the message on the signs that I saw along I-805 and CA-163:

DONT TEXT
WHILE DRIVING
JAN 1ST

So, apparently, they're cool with people texting while driving for at least the rest of the month, and possibly again starting on the 2nd.

• eBay listing 360119465093
• eBay listing 360119465243
• eBay listing 360119465608
• eBay listing 370136164655

(I notice that the listings for tiogacentergeneralstore include several sets of listings rather like this set.)

I received this offer by e.mail yester-day: Every little bit helps, as I s'pose.

Some of you will recall my highly-localized tradition of anonymous Butterfinger bars. Last night, I went to the local CVS pharmacy and bought an eight-pack of Butterfinger Mini bars, took it home and gift-wrapped it, and then snuck it under the miniature Christmas tree on my neighbors' table.

While at CVS pharmacy, I encountered Chris, who was despairing over an immediate lack of consumer choice. He had an urgent need to replace a mislaid umbrella. He had checked at the local Rite Aid and found none. At CVS pharmacy, his choices were amongst just two children's umbrellas, one with a race-car theme, the other a pink princess thing. Recognizing that the ironic charm of the latter would be quickly exhausted, he chose the former.

My very best seasonal wishes to my friends who are reading this. As to the rest of you, I eye you with suspicion. Don't try nothin' funny!