A happy and blessed New Year to you all!
Also...I hate Blogger Comment spam.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Thursday, December 21, 2006
WOO HOO!!!
I just got called a JERK!
By someone who DOESN'T EVEN KNOW ME!
Well, we agree on Jerry Lewis. Utterly.
The point of my little exercise is to point out that... the stereotype in an animated cartoon is generally NOT offensive to the stereotypee. The Speedy Gonzales cartoons are a case in point. They are LOVED in Mexico and South America. I have yet to meet a single living soul who was offended by a cartoon lampooning their ethnic persuasion. Even the most egregious large-lipped, watermelon-eating Negro in, say, "Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs" STILL outsmarts the bad guys! He is a "comical" hero, but still the hero of the piece.
All...literally ALL of the noise I hear is from Liberal Arts College educated white guys and gals who think that the Japanese should be offended by the AIP studios Dick Tracy cartoon character Joe Jitsu, f'rinstance, or that the guys at the local taqueria should be offended at Speedy Gonzales. No-one thinks I should be offended by Elmer Fudd.
I am hurt.
I will say that I see a HUGE difference between "telling a joke" and an animated cartoon. I find racial jokes offensive. There is a PERSONAL aspect to telling a racial joke that separates it in my mind from, say, a cartoon from another era, with different sensibilities. Therein lies the key. Today, that sort of thing cannot fly. Warner Brothers won't be putting out wildly stereotyped propaganda cartoons for "The War on Terror", because the market will not bear it. Sensitivities have changed. What I militate against is redacting history by hiding Things We Don't Like Anymore. To trot out Santayana one more time: those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
You cannot learn from what is hidden.
I just got called a JERK!
By someone who DOESN'T EVEN KNOW ME!
Well, we agree on Jerry Lewis. Utterly.
The point of my little exercise is to point out that... the stereotype in an animated cartoon is generally NOT offensive to the stereotypee. The Speedy Gonzales cartoons are a case in point. They are LOVED in Mexico and South America. I have yet to meet a single living soul who was offended by a cartoon lampooning their ethnic persuasion. Even the most egregious large-lipped, watermelon-eating Negro in, say, "Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs" STILL outsmarts the bad guys! He is a "comical" hero, but still the hero of the piece.
All...literally ALL of the noise I hear is from Liberal Arts College educated white guys and gals who think that the Japanese should be offended by the AIP studios Dick Tracy cartoon character Joe Jitsu, f'rinstance, or that the guys at the local taqueria should be offended at Speedy Gonzales. No-one thinks I should be offended by Elmer Fudd.
I am hurt.
I will say that I see a HUGE difference between "telling a joke" and an animated cartoon. I find racial jokes offensive. There is a PERSONAL aspect to telling a racial joke that separates it in my mind from, say, a cartoon from another era, with different sensibilities. Therein lies the key. Today, that sort of thing cannot fly. Warner Brothers won't be putting out wildly stereotyped propaganda cartoons for "The War on Terror", because the market will not bear it. Sensitivities have changed. What I militate against is redacting history by hiding Things We Don't Like Anymore. To trot out Santayana one more time: those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
You cannot learn from what is hidden.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Happy Hanukramakwanzzmas
I like Glenn Beck. He has brought fun back into the talk radio.
Enough about him.
When has the church been called to be militant on inconsequential things?
It disturbs me that Christians have lost the virtue of, well, shutting up.
I ask this as a Christian man.
And now a word from Our Founder:
Matthew 5:38-39, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
And this from His pal, Paul:
1 Corinthians 13:4-7, "Agape love endures long, and is kind; Agape love envies not; Agape love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
It appears at first blush that this "culture war" jazz is erroneous.
Having a Blue Vest wish you a "Merry Christmas" is of little value.
Sharing the Gospel is of inestimable value. I am worried that winning a cultural battle over holiday good feelings will lose us the war of bringing the world to Christ, if the church is made to appear pugnacious and thus odious by the secularists who picked the fight.
Sometimes it's best to pick up your toys, leave the playground, and go home.
I like Glenn Beck. He has brought fun back into the talk radio.
Enough about him.
When has the church been called to be militant on inconsequential things?
It disturbs me that Christians have lost the virtue of, well, shutting up.
I ask this as a Christian man.
And now a word from Our Founder:
Matthew 5:38-39, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
And this from His pal, Paul:
1 Corinthians 13:4-7, "Agape love endures long, and is kind; Agape love envies not; Agape love vaunts not itself, is not puffed up, Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
It appears at first blush that this "culture war" jazz is erroneous.
Having a Blue Vest wish you a "Merry Christmas" is of little value.
Sharing the Gospel is of inestimable value. I am worried that winning a cultural battle over holiday good feelings will lose us the war of bringing the world to Christ, if the church is made to appear pugnacious and thus odious by the secularists who picked the fight.
Sometimes it's best to pick up your toys, leave the playground, and go home.
Monday, December 18, 2006
The Angry Little Aardvark
No, I am not writing Little Golden Books, now. I am sufficiently exercised that I am dropping the third-person pose, even.
If I IMDB (yes, I used that as a verb) a cartoon from my childhood, and read one more review by some harbinger of White Guilt like this:
...well, the results won't be pretty! "...Quite probably offensive to the ethnic cultures which they misrepresented" indeed. These are CARTOONS. They naturally draw (ha, draw!) from the features most easy to exaggerate and caricature. If they were to be authentic, actual factual representations of ethnae, they would have been National Geographic specials on CBS, narrated by Alexander Scourby. But no, they are cartoons, done on the cheap to populate the Vast Wasteland, and voiced by actors who drew from vaudeville, and its electronic heir, Old Time Radio.
Shucks, "ethnic" actors like Eddie "Rochester" Anderson played to the stereotypes. Better a shuck-and-jive actor who eats, than a proto-"civil rights" activist who starves.
I am livid over what has been done to our cultural heritage. I am a collector of, errmmmm, impolitic cartoons, from WWII buck-toothed Japanese, to lederhosen wearing Nazis, to watermelon-eating saucer-eyed ne...no, Blac.....shoot, denizens from a minstrel show. Not because I am a bigot, (I find the "N" word as offensive as G** D***...and trust me, I find THAT offensive.), and as a target of cartoon bigotry myself (short, bald, kinda goofy...you figger it out) I sympathise with my fellow stereotypees, but c'mon... THEY'RE FUNNY!
Reminds me of the Turner execs who banned Speedy Gonzales to the Barrio of Offensive Toons.
"OH!"said they. "The Hispanics might be Offended by the broad May-hee-can stereotype."
They finally got talked back into showing them- especially by the Hispanic fans who lionize the rapid rodent for always triumphing over his foes. Of course, maybe this might have tilted it a bit:
No, I am not writing Little Golden Books, now. I am sufficiently exercised that I am dropping the third-person pose, even.
If I IMDB (yes, I used that as a verb) a cartoon from my childhood, and read one more review by some harbinger of White Guilt like this:
The Brothers Matzoriley
This third segment was unrelated to the Super Six, and featured a three-headed "Siamese Triplet". Each head had its own distinct personality, with one head being that of an Irish ruffian, another being a Jewish-American coward, and the third being a wisened Chinese. All three personalities were of a stereotypical nature that would be considered extremely politically incorrect by current standards, and quite probably offensive to the ethnic cultures which they misrepresented. (Wikipedia)
...well, the results won't be pretty! "...Quite probably offensive to the ethnic cultures which they misrepresented" indeed. These are CARTOONS. They naturally draw (ha, draw!) from the features most easy to exaggerate and caricature. If they were to be authentic, actual factual representations of ethnae, they would have been National Geographic specials on CBS, narrated by Alexander Scourby. But no, they are cartoons, done on the cheap to populate the Vast Wasteland, and voiced by actors who drew from vaudeville, and its electronic heir, Old Time Radio.
Shucks, "ethnic" actors like Eddie "Rochester" Anderson played to the stereotypes. Better a shuck-and-jive actor who eats, than a proto-"civil rights" activist who starves.
I am livid over what has been done to our cultural heritage. I am a collector of, errmmmm, impolitic cartoons, from WWII buck-toothed Japanese, to lederhosen wearing Nazis, to watermelon-eating saucer-eyed ne...no, Blac.....shoot, denizens from a minstrel show. Not because I am a bigot, (I find the "N" word as offensive as G** D***...and trust me, I find THAT offensive.), and as a target of cartoon bigotry myself (short, bald, kinda goofy...you figger it out) I sympathise with my fellow stereotypees, but c'mon... THEY'RE FUNNY!
Reminds me of the Turner execs who banned Speedy Gonzales to the Barrio of Offensive Toons.
"OH!"said they. "The Hispanics might be Offended by the broad May-hee-can stereotype."
They finally got talked back into showing them- especially by the Hispanic fans who lionize the rapid rodent for always triumphing over his foes. Of course, maybe this might have tilted it a bit:
Speedy boosters shouldn't expect to see their furry hero anytime soon, at least in the United States, Goldberg said. But there is a place where Speedy can still be found zipping across TV screens — and, presumably, where the crude stereotypes he embodies don't touch a cultural nerve.
That place: The Cartoon Network Latin America, where, ironically enough, Speedy Gonzales is "hugely popular," Goldberg said. --FoxNews
Thursday, December 14, 2006
The Aardvark is one of those created with his hinder too close to the ground. Consequently, his pants legs are always too long. Seriously...he needs a 28 inch inseam. If he lived in New York, he would shop at "Shlomo's Short and Squat". (PL. call me!).
As a result, his jeans have that fashionable "denim-shredded-by-being-trodden-on-boy-EE" look which he so despises. If he were anorexic and looking for modeling work it would be one thing, but looking more like The Critic than a Gap ad puts a different spin on it all.
Couple that with being hagridden. (No he and the Dread Dormomoo are not at outs. He speaks of his Mistress: his business.) He is Just Too Busy to go out and find a decent haberdasher or seamstress (both of which being in short supply anyway in the Wilds of Alabamastan). The DD is accomplished with needle and thread, and has an aged Pfaff that does great machine work, but, well, SHE is hagridden, too.
Therefore, to avoid the terminally frayed look, your Aardvark has resorted to...
Resorted to...
Rolling up his pants legs.
Yeah, the Tom Sawyer look. Give him a fence to whitewash, and he'll be fine. Maybe he'll play at rolling a barrel hoop along with a stick.
Guess he needs to buy jeans online, too.
As a result, his jeans have that fashionable "denim-shredded-by-being-trodden-on-boy-EE" look which he so despises. If he were anorexic and looking for modeling work it would be one thing, but looking more like The Critic than a Gap ad puts a different spin on it all.
Couple that with being hagridden. (No he and the Dread Dormomoo are not at outs. He speaks of his Mistress: his business.) He is Just Too Busy to go out and find a decent haberdasher or seamstress (both of which being in short supply anyway in the Wilds of Alabamastan). The DD is accomplished with needle and thread, and has an aged Pfaff that does great machine work, but, well, SHE is hagridden, too.
Therefore, to avoid the terminally frayed look, your Aardvark has resorted to...
Resorted to...
Rolling up his pants legs.
Yeah, the Tom Sawyer look. Give him a fence to whitewash, and he'll be fine. Maybe he'll play at rolling a barrel hoop along with a stick.
Guess he needs to buy jeans online, too.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Big Fine for Underage 'Girls Gone Wild'
The AP has a triumphant writeup about the two 17-year-old heroines who have successfully litigated against Exploitation Most Vile. A most interesting part of the story:
To borrow from myself: I weep.
According to Francis, the girls lied about their age. Of course, this is a stretch, as women never lie about anything. Hmmmmm. Let's think about this. They were underage high-schoolers in a party town, on an uber-party weekend. They had been drinking.
Of COURSE they lied. They almost certainly had phony IDs to facilitate their sozzlement.
The li'l darlins made CHOICES.
They chose to drink.
They chose therefore to become impaired.
They agreed to appear in the video "Look, LOOK! We have BREASTS. No really. HERE they are, SEE!". They apparently lied for the privilege.
They chose.
Now at least one of them is reaping "emotional torment" and damaged family relationships (read: Mom and Dad were mad as blazes, and she is grounded 'til she's forty.).
This is not a popular attitude, but they set themselves up for it all.
Let the Aardvark make it clear: I do not find Joe Francis' choice of work to by laudatory.
It is an evil source of gain, getting stupid girls to waggle their endowments for Your Late-Night Pleasure (this is what the Aardvark terms "loser porn". Wait. The Aardvark repeated himself!). But the way this whole pathetic hoedown is framed, I find him to be almost as much a victim as the chicks claim to be.
The AP has a triumphant writeup about the two 17-year-old heroines who have successfully litigated against Exploitation Most Vile. A most interesting part of the story:
U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak ordered Mantra's multimillionaire founder, Joe Francis, to read aloud in court a victim impact statement from one of the women, who said she was emotionally tormented by her appearance on a "Girls Gone Wild" video and that the video damaged her relationship with her family.
To borrow from myself: I weep.
According to Francis, the girls lied about their age. Of course, this is a stretch, as women never lie about anything. Hmmmmm. Let's think about this. They were underage high-schoolers in a party town, on an uber-party weekend. They had been drinking.
Of COURSE they lied. They almost certainly had phony IDs to facilitate their sozzlement.
The li'l darlins made CHOICES.
They chose to drink.
They chose therefore to become impaired.
They agreed to appear in the video "Look, LOOK! We have BREASTS. No really. HERE they are, SEE!". They apparently lied for the privilege.
They chose.
Now at least one of them is reaping "emotional torment" and damaged family relationships (read: Mom and Dad were mad as blazes, and she is grounded 'til she's forty.).
This is not a popular attitude, but they set themselves up for it all.
Let the Aardvark make it clear: I do not find Joe Francis' choice of work to by laudatory.
It is an evil source of gain, getting stupid girls to waggle their endowments for Your Late-Night Pleasure (this is what the Aardvark terms "loser porn". Wait. The Aardvark repeated himself!). But the way this whole pathetic hoedown is framed, I find him to be almost as much a victim as the chicks claim to be.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Some years back, Orson Scott Card made the rounds of Sci Fi conventions doing his "Secular Humanist Revival". Done in the style of a brimstone-laden Baptist preacher, the Revival got rollin' with Card yelling "Do you be-LEEVE?!" With no antiphonal response, he would repeat "Do you BE-LEEEEEVE?!". Caught up in the fervor, members of the congreg...er...audience would respond
"YES!" or "We believe!", whereupon Card would zing 'em with his "gotcha" line:
"In WHAT?"
OSC is a practicing Mormon, and has some passing knowledge of Religious Fervor.
I just saw "The Polar Express" on telly- a movie that I had assiduously avoided ever since it came out. The commercials invariably showed the Twaddly Bits, and the CG images looked fuzzy and poorly done. Great. A New Christmas Classic.
I repent in dust and ashes. "Express" is nowhere near as bad as I expected. Now that I have Praised It With Faint Damns, I shall elucidate. The movie has heart. The score is memorable, and orchestrated. Hail Silvestri. The motion capture as remarkable, the imaging is well-done for the most part. Alas, there is more diversity in Deep Roy's Oompa Loompas than in the elves at the North Pole- tho' the Jewish Elf Manager is a slice of genius. The rest of the workforce has the gaunt look of inmates at Auschwitz. There ARE shelves, though. She-elves. They dance well.
My underlying grump with "Express" is its generic message to "Believe!". The implied object is Santa, but it is not overtly stated. Merely "Believe". Now, I do not expect an evangelistic religious tract out of Tom Hanks...oh, wait...da Vinci Code....; I am merely pointing at the general
philosophical mood of the day, that of Both,And.
Both salmon and tilapia.
Both serge and seersucker.
Both A and B.
Both Buddhism and Scientology.
EVERYTHING is true. A and Not-A. All you have to do is believe.
Invariably, the protagonist of a film comes to a Point of Faith, which invariably resembles a bout of terminal constipation, judging from the facial expressions exhibited. The Leap of Faith in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" is a case in point. He must screw his courage to the sticking -place, empty his mind of the last faint gibbers of rational thought, and just Let Go.
This of course in no way resembles the biblical concept of Faith, where "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God". Faith is the response of a rational mind informed by the word of God, illuminated by the holy spirit. Faith is not a feeling that you can gin up by concentration coupled with the proper facial expressions.
Therefore, "A" and "not-A" are mutually exclusive.
You cannot worship God and Mammon.
Neither God and Molech.
Neither God and Yourself.
Let me say it again. Biblical faith is not "Both, and".
Contrariwise, it is Either, or.
Either God or not.
Either truth or error.
Rational decisions or feelings-soaked busy work.
The religion of feelgoodism says "just believe".
The Biblical balance is believe, then behave like you believe. That may also be thought of as obedience.
As Naruto would say:
"Believe it!"
"YES!" or "We believe!", whereupon Card would zing 'em with his "gotcha" line:
"In WHAT?"
OSC is a practicing Mormon, and has some passing knowledge of Religious Fervor.
I just saw "The Polar Express" on telly- a movie that I had assiduously avoided ever since it came out. The commercials invariably showed the Twaddly Bits, and the CG images looked fuzzy and poorly done. Great. A New Christmas Classic.
I repent in dust and ashes. "Express" is nowhere near as bad as I expected. Now that I have Praised It With Faint Damns, I shall elucidate. The movie has heart. The score is memorable, and orchestrated. Hail Silvestri. The motion capture as remarkable, the imaging is well-done for the most part. Alas, there is more diversity in Deep Roy's Oompa Loompas than in the elves at the North Pole- tho' the Jewish Elf Manager is a slice of genius. The rest of the workforce has the gaunt look of inmates at Auschwitz. There ARE shelves, though. She-elves. They dance well.
My underlying grump with "Express" is its generic message to "Believe!". The implied object is Santa, but it is not overtly stated. Merely "Believe". Now, I do not expect an evangelistic religious tract out of Tom Hanks...oh, wait...da Vinci Code....; I am merely pointing at the general
philosophical mood of the day, that of Both,And.
Both salmon and tilapia.
Both serge and seersucker.
Both A and B.
Both Buddhism and Scientology.
EVERYTHING is true. A and Not-A. All you have to do is believe.
Invariably, the protagonist of a film comes to a Point of Faith, which invariably resembles a bout of terminal constipation, judging from the facial expressions exhibited. The Leap of Faith in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" is a case in point. He must screw his courage to the sticking -place, empty his mind of the last faint gibbers of rational thought, and just Let Go.
This of course in no way resembles the biblical concept of Faith, where "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God". Faith is the response of a rational mind informed by the word of God, illuminated by the holy spirit. Faith is not a feeling that you can gin up by concentration coupled with the proper facial expressions.
Therefore, "A" and "not-A" are mutually exclusive.
You cannot worship God and Mammon.
Neither God and Molech.
Neither God and Yourself.
Let me say it again. Biblical faith is not "Both, and".
Contrariwise, it is Either, or.
Either God or not.
Either truth or error.
Rational decisions or feelings-soaked busy work.
The religion of feelgoodism says "just believe".
The Biblical balance is believe, then behave like you believe. That may also be thought of as obedience.
As Naruto would say:
"Believe it!"
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Notes from our little ball of mud.
The mother / son combo who faked the son's mental retardation blows me away. The AP says:
To be UTTERLY shallow, I cannot take Barack Obama seriously. Despite his well-spokenness, his erudition, his obvious accomplishment, I just cannot.
He reminds me of Barney Fife. I expect to see him begin fumbling in his shirt pocket for his bullet.
---------------------------------
More to come...
The mother / son combo who faked the son's mental retardation blows me away. The AP says:
"Court documents indicate prosecutors believe his mother pulled the same trick with a daughter, whom officials have been unable to locate. All told, she raked in $222,000 on their behalf, according to the documents."
So, they have scammed the taxpayers out of almost a quarter-of-a-million-dollars.
If they are convicted, they go to prison, where they will cost the taxpayers ANOTHER wad of cash.
This appears to be an argument for indentured servitude.
---------------------------------To be UTTERLY shallow, I cannot take Barack Obama seriously. Despite his well-spokenness, his erudition, his obvious accomplishment, I just cannot.
He reminds me of Barney Fife. I expect to see him begin fumbling in his shirt pocket for his bullet.
---------------------------------
More to come...
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Yesterday, Vox opened discussion on prominent atheist Richard Dawkins' apparent desire to see eugenics born again in the New Millennium.
The debate devolved into one over the relative evil of slavery. One "tcw" (alleged atheist, certified troll) babbled on about Judaism's and the Christian faith's relative evil because God, Moses, Jesus nor Paul NEVER said "Thou shalt not do slavery."
I must say, I believe I sparkled in the debate.
Well, a little, maybe.
Do I condone slavery? No.
Do I enjoy a good argument. Mmmmmm, maybe.
Can I tolerate fatuous pseudo-debaters with no reading comprehension?
No.
The debate devolved into one over the relative evil of slavery. One "tcw" (alleged atheist, certified troll) babbled on about Judaism's and the Christian faith's relative evil because God, Moses, Jesus nor Paul NEVER said "Thou shalt not do slavery."
I must say, I believe I sparkled in the debate.
Well, a little, maybe.
Do I condone slavery? No.
Do I enjoy a good argument. Mmmmmm, maybe.
Can I tolerate fatuous pseudo-debaters with no reading comprehension?
No.
Monday, November 27, 2006
If you have a Seinfeld fan in your life...
BUY THEM SEASON SEVEN ON DVD!
Now, the Aardvark is not a fan of Seinfeld...actually he is not a fan of George, who evokes the same response he used to get watching Barney Fife: to put his foot through the television box screen.
But this Aardvark is even LESS of a fan of the race-baiting posturing of the irReverend Jesse Jackson, who is calling for a boycott of that DVD release...even though Michael Richards took the trouble to appear on Jackson's radio rant show. Rather a stab in the back, wot?
Maybe it's REALLY because Seinfeld's a Hymie. (Google "Jesse Jackson and Hymie". Don't lambast the humble Aardvark.)
So buy the DVD, already.
----------------------------------
The Dread Dormomoo said it best:
BUY THEM SEASON SEVEN ON DVD!
Now, the Aardvark is not a fan of Seinfeld...actually he is not a fan of George, who evokes the same response he used to get watching Barney Fife: to put his foot through the television box screen.
But this Aardvark is even LESS of a fan of the race-baiting posturing of the irReverend Jesse Jackson, who is calling for a boycott of that DVD release...even though Michael Richards took the trouble to appear on Jackson's radio rant show. Rather a stab in the back, wot?
Maybe it's REALLY because Seinfeld's a Hymie. (Google "Jesse Jackson and Hymie". Don't lambast the humble Aardvark.)
So buy the DVD, already.
----------------------------------
The Dread Dormomoo said it best:
"Jesse Jackson picks up the stuff that's hit the fan,
and throws it back in!"
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Meet Possum Kitty
We are cat people. We currently have ten outdoor cats, two of whom were abandoned by neighbors who moved, and figured they would be cared for by someone...I guess. We have NO mice.
But we have an eleventh, now. He is Possum Kitty. He shows up, enjoys the cat food, and toddles off. Tonight he showed up, and discovered some un-gnawed turkey bones. Loen was 2 feet or less from PK when he took this shot. Very tame, or at least characteristically possum-stupid.
We like Possum Kitty. We do not pet him, though. He has sharp teeth, and we are not possum-stupid.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
The view from Tinfoil Hat mountain...
The Dread Dormomoo (She In Whose Mouth Butter Would Not Melt), and Your Humble Aardvark are STILL in the throes of whatever bug is doin' the asexual Nasty in our persons. It is not debilitating any more...just draining. Energy levels remain low (as does productivity) and this continual zonking, trying to dislodge...errrrr...STUFF from one's head begins to get old.
Gotten.
Has gotten old.
The DD mused this morning, and considered the idea that maybe the Givemint is putting these bugs and viri out amongst the Peepul to invigorate the National Immune System with an eye toward whatever microbial nasties are coming down the pike, either natural, or a gift from our "Terrace" friends. If a few elderly or infirm were to snuff it, well you can't make an omelette...
Hey, it would be For Our Own Good....
The Dread Dormomoo (She In Whose Mouth Butter Would Not Melt), and Your Humble Aardvark are STILL in the throes of whatever bug is doin' the asexual Nasty in our persons. It is not debilitating any more...just draining. Energy levels remain low (as does productivity) and this continual zonking, trying to dislodge...errrrr...STUFF from one's head begins to get old.
Gotten.
Has gotten old.
The DD mused this morning, and considered the idea that maybe the Givemint is putting these bugs and viri out amongst the Peepul to invigorate the National Immune System with an eye toward whatever microbial nasties are coming down the pike, either natural, or a gift from our "Terrace" friends. If a few elderly or infirm were to snuff it, well you can't make an omelette...
Hey, it would be For Our Own Good....
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Poor Kramer.
I have one thing to say.
Who cares?
Michael Richards was doing his bit onstage. People had paid to see him, and to hear his comedic stylings.
They did not go to hear two bruvvahs mouth off. Frankly, them wot paid for tickets should have dealt with the hecklers, unless it was about a gladiatorial thing. "Let's see Kramer cut 'em off at the knees!"
Since the newsfeeds did not deem us able to withstand the verbal onslaught, I merely heard a series of beeps, but apparently verbal blood was shed. Bigoted blood, not racist.
The true sadness was seeing Seinfeld go all PC about it, as though having worked with Richards years ago might tar him with the same brush. The sight of Jerry and David Letterman bleeding smug Earnestness and Concern all over their chairs while Richards stumbled through his "I'm sorries" was far more sickening to me.
Of course, it's hard for me to get worked up over beeps.
Two guys heckled a comic from the audience. He responded with comments on their obvious part of the gene pool. Apparently responded in the extreme. With ANGER.
With non-PC words.
The hecklers feelings may have been hurt. Maybe they'll shut up next time.
Maybe Richards will do Anger Management.
Maybe I'll learn to care.
I have one thing to say.
Who cares?
Michael Richards was doing his bit onstage. People had paid to see him, and to hear his comedic stylings.
They did not go to hear two bruvvahs mouth off. Frankly, them wot paid for tickets should have dealt with the hecklers, unless it was about a gladiatorial thing. "Let's see Kramer cut 'em off at the knees!"
Since the newsfeeds did not deem us able to withstand the verbal onslaught, I merely heard a series of beeps, but apparently verbal blood was shed. Bigoted blood, not racist.
The true sadness was seeing Seinfeld go all PC about it, as though having worked with Richards years ago might tar him with the same brush. The sight of Jerry and David Letterman bleeding smug Earnestness and Concern all over their chairs while Richards stumbled through his "I'm sorries" was far more sickening to me.
Of course, it's hard for me to get worked up over beeps.
Two guys heckled a comic from the audience. He responded with comments on their obvious part of the gene pool. Apparently responded in the extreme. With ANGER.
With non-PC words.
The hecklers feelings may have been hurt. Maybe they'll shut up next time.
Maybe Richards will do Anger Management.
Maybe I'll learn to care.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Hel-l-l-l-l-lp
I need to know that I am not hallucinating.
I had a toy as a child; a car that walked up walls. You pulled a string, which wound the spring, which caused a "wheel" of 5-or-6 suction cups to rachet with sufficient speed and force so as to enable the "car" to go up the wall.
It was called Mr. Joggy, I believe.
I can find NO mention of it online.
Has anyone heard of it?
EDIT: It's Mr. Joggi . Great to see all you folks remembering this little treasure.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
I took another quiz.
I was born in Memphis.
Raised in SC.
Live now in Alabamastan.
And I really talk like this.
When I was a babe-in-arms, we lived on Houston Street in NYC, right across from a Franciscan Brother house...they actually babysat me. Apparently that was when the soundtrack got laid down. I've never caught a case of Magnolia Mouth.
I was born in Memphis.
Raised in SC.
Live now in Alabamastan.
And I really talk like this.
| What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Northeast Judging by how you talk you are probably from north Jersey, New York City, Connecticut or Rhode Island. Chances are, if you are from New York City (and not those other places) people would probably be able to tell if they actually heard you speak. | |
| Philadelphia | |
| The Inland North | |
| The Midland | |
| The South | |
| Boston | |
| The West | |
| North Central | |
| What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes | |
When I was a babe-in-arms, we lived on Houston Street in NYC, right across from a Franciscan Brother house...they actually babysat me. Apparently that was when the soundtrack got laid down. I've never caught a case of Magnolia Mouth.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
The Aardvark is amused beyond words. Your EQ is 133 |
 50 or less: Thanks for answering honestly. Now get yourself a shrink, quick! 51-70: When it comes to understanding human emotions, you'd have better luck understanding Chinese. 71-90: You've got more emotional intelligence than the average frat boy. Barely. 91-110: You're average. It's easy to predict how you'll react to things. But anyone could have guessed that. 111-130: You usually have it going on emotionally, but roadblocks tend to land you on your butt. 131-150: You are remarkable when it comes to relating with others. Only the biggest losers get under your skin. 150+: Two possibilities - you've either out "Dr. Phil-ed" Dr. Phil... or you're a dirty liar. |
Sunday, November 12, 2006
DAN MURTAUGH
Staff Reporter of some Mobile rag writes:
Allow me to weep bitter tears...
I mourn...I bleed...
It sounds to me that the system is working, and that the Peee-pul, however ineffectually, Have Spoken. If the two-headed snake that serves as Party Politics in Alabamastan were effectual, there would be no need for write-ins, but the Peee-pul have figgered out that it's really one critter masquerading as two, and shutting out other parties from the game.
Loretta Nall opines in her platform:
Not a bad idea. Would there be crackpot parties? Certainly, always have, always will. It would be refreshing and fair to let everyone on the playground, not just the two bullies.
Staff Reporter of some Mobile rag writes:
Under the new system, voters use pens to fill out paper ballots. To write in a candidate, all they have to do is fill in the "write-in" bubble and scribble whatever name comes to mind.
Allow me to weep bitter tears...
The (17,733) write-ins wreaked havoc on election night efficiency and delayed returns for hours, as poll workers have to copy every real name submitted onto a separate piece of paper, according to Roxann Dyess, election coordinator for the Mobile County Probate Court.
"That can be very tedious," she said.
I mourn...I bleed...
It sounds to me that the system is working, and that the Peee-pul, however ineffectually, Have Spoken. If the two-headed snake that serves as Party Politics in Alabamastan were effectual, there would be no need for write-ins, but the Peee-pul have figgered out that it's really one critter masquerading as two, and shutting out other parties from the game.
Loretta Nall opines in her platform:
Proposal: Ditch all the anti-competitive ballot access laws so the Republicans and
Democrats have to run with the Black Panther, Green, Libertarian, Natural Law, Reform, Constitution and other parties. Then at least elections will convey some information about the electorate.
Not a bad idea. Would there be crackpot parties? Certainly, always have, always will. It would be refreshing and fair to let everyone on the playground, not just the two bullies.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Your Aardvark has had an early flu this year, and it has taken a full week out of his life.He is currently in the "someone you know and trust beat you about the chest with a Louisville Slugger" stage of the epizoodic. Yesterday, it was the "Insert wire bottle-brush into nostril, move to the sinuses, then straight into the lung, wiggle it around, then yank it out" stage of coughing.
You shall not be treated to further descriptions.
It appears to be God's Own Flu. No, the Almighty does not get a sniffle; rather that when He thought of the Concept of Flu, the Template so envisioned so closely matches what this one is experiencing. Nor does this Aardvark believe that God "sends us the flu", nor gives the baby cancer to teach us something. (Now, Beaver, did you Learn your Lesson?) For further thoughts, go HERE.
No, it's just that the perfection of the mechanism is so elegant that one must marvel at it, even while wrapping one's head in duct tape to keep it from exploding during the next coughing fit.
___________________
For them wot thinks the Aardvark to be a Callow Pretender and Copycat THIS JUST IN:
He did not pick up emphatic Capitalization from "Pretty Lady". He is Well Read, and learned from the Classics. Not to say that PL is not classic, no. It seems a neat way to Emphasize the Point. Easily overdone, of course.
He is still struggling to shed himself of British variant spelling, which while far better than reDneck vareeunt speling, still tends to pall betimes.
You shall not be treated to further descriptions.
It appears to be God's Own Flu. No, the Almighty does not get a sniffle; rather that when He thought of the Concept of Flu, the Template so envisioned so closely matches what this one is experiencing. Nor does this Aardvark believe that God "sends us the flu", nor gives the baby cancer to teach us something. (Now, Beaver, did you Learn your Lesson?) For further thoughts, go HERE.
No, it's just that the perfection of the mechanism is so elegant that one must marvel at it, even while wrapping one's head in duct tape to keep it from exploding during the next coughing fit.
___________________
For them wot thinks the Aardvark to be a Callow Pretender and Copycat THIS JUST IN:
He did not pick up emphatic Capitalization from "Pretty Lady". He is Well Read, and learned from the Classics. Not to say that PL is not classic, no. It seems a neat way to Emphasize the Point. Easily overdone, of course.
He is still struggling to shed himself of British variant spelling, which while far better than reDneck vareeunt speling, still tends to pall betimes.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Pretty Lady Weighs In, And Slaps My Sassy Mouth,
Wherein We Discover My Bad Behaviour Got Me What I Wanted
For them wot ignores the "comments" section I have SO obligingly provided, I post a bit from my election night hissy fit.
prettylady said...
Wherein We Discover My Bad Behaviour Got Me What I Wanted
For them wot ignores the "comments" section I have SO obligingly provided, I post a bit from my election night hissy fit.
prettylady said...
I voted for gridlock! I still have hopes that I won!
Seriously, darling, have you been looking at the Republican's financial stats, lately? I hear a wee rumour that they've gone a teensy bit over-budget.
And when I read Nancy Pelosi's off-the-cuff little agenda, she did mention a few details regarding 'fiscal responsibility' and the like. As well as addressing those constitutional violations of habeas corpus, and 9/11 commission recommendations, and realistically reassessing our mandate to Bring Democracy to Murderous Savages, Hang The Cost.
Ever the eternal optimist, I.
To which I winningly reply:
The Aardvark said...
Absolutement! I have lived in tooth-grinding frustration over the "can't tell who from whom" these past years.
(See the shards!)
Lookit, this was a tantrum, not a reasoned political treatise.
As to fiscal responsibility from the Dems, well, the major (alleged) philosophical difference between the two parties is that the Dems see Government as the source of all succour and aid for whatever ill you wish to name. The classic repub view is that the private sector can and should provide the aid and answers. This, of course, is far closer to the Founders' Constitutional intent. As with anything from the Christian faith to putting together a gas grill, if you deviate from the instructions, you are in for mischief!
Given the current state of the givemint, it is clear that no-one has learned to read.
We are on the same page, Dear Heart, re: the "Patriot" act, as well as the other "Bring Democracy to Murderous Savages, Hang The Cost" things. I do not believe that Vox overstates the issue.
-----------------------------------
Yes, this is a cheap way to do a post, but it was worthy of sharing, and 'sides, I have the epizoodic. There is a nasty virus using me as it's reproductive organs, and I don't appreciate it a bit.
I feel so USED.
...and what I wanted?
Attention.
DER!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
WAY
TO
GO,
TO
GO,
MORONS!
You have voted in a majority that has PROMISED to
RAISE YOUR TAXES.
I salute you,
you IMBECILES.
I wish that there was an f-bomb level
word for exponential abject and willful
STUPIDITY,
'cos I would use it right now.
At you, idiots.
The only hope we have is that the Repubs
retain the Senate.
Gridlock is a GOOD thing.
Maybe Wubble-yu will learn the word
Veee-toe.
Sleep well, schlemiels.
You have voted in a majority that has PROMISED to
RAISE YOUR TAXES.
I salute you,
you IMBECILES.
I wish that there was an f-bomb level
word for exponential abject and willful
STUPIDITY,
'cos I would use it right now.
At you, idiots.
The only hope we have is that the Repubs
retain the Senate.
Gridlock is a GOOD thing.
Maybe Wubble-yu will learn the word
Veee-toe.
Sleep well, schlemiels.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Here we go again...
Ted Haggard,prexy of the "National Association of Evangelicals", and "Senior Pastor" of his congregation is in a mess, but this Aardvark is not gonna pile on with the rest of the finger-pointers and punditry-mongers. (Please do not bring the "furry" CSI episode to mind. I do not own a plush aardvark suit.)
Ummmm....what is a "Senior Pastor"? Perhaps I should restate that. Where in the Christian Faith Owners Manual is there a critter called a "Senior Pastor"?
Not there.
So, the "New Life Church (A Family Ministry Center)" has a church leadership system not quite according to Hoyle -and by "Hoyle" I mean God's Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Then there is Haggard's leadership of a "Christian" organisation, the National Association of Evangelicals. Sorry, but I can't find THAT in the Bible, either. (Ooooh, you can't find the National Rifle Association in there, either.) That's NOT the issue. The Bible is, or should be, the sole rule of Faith and Practise for things Churchy. And there's the rub, because most of the problems in this situation are directly due to the pigheaded refusal to follow Biblical guidelines for Things Christian.
Jesus did not die for the National Association of Evangelicals, nor for the Billy Graham Association, nor even for CBN. According to God's word, Jesus died for one "organisation".
The church is the ONLY "Christian" organisation authorised and governed by God's Word.
Apparently God believes that the church is sufficient to accomplish His purpose without the addition of multitudes of "para-church" organisations to be His Little Helpers.
When you abrogate God's Rules on a thing, you remove yourself from his authority, power and protection.
And that is just like wearing a red shirt on Star Trek.
Ted Haggard,prexy of the "National Association of Evangelicals", and "Senior Pastor" of his congregation is in a mess, but this Aardvark is not gonna pile on with the rest of the finger-pointers and punditry-mongers. (Please do not bring the "furry" CSI episode to mind. I do not own a plush aardvark suit.)
Ummmm....what is a "Senior Pastor"? Perhaps I should restate that. Where in the Christian Faith Owners Manual is there a critter called a "Senior Pastor"?
Not there.
So, the "New Life Church (A Family Ministry Center)" has a church leadership system not quite according to Hoyle -and by "Hoyle" I mean God's Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Then there is Haggard's leadership of a "Christian" organisation, the National Association of Evangelicals. Sorry, but I can't find THAT in the Bible, either. (Ooooh, you can't find the National Rifle Association in there, either.) That's NOT the issue. The Bible is, or should be, the sole rule of Faith and Practise for things Churchy. And there's the rub, because most of the problems in this situation are directly due to the pigheaded refusal to follow Biblical guidelines for Things Christian.
Jesus did not die for the National Association of Evangelicals, nor for the Billy Graham Association, nor even for CBN. According to God's word, Jesus died for one "organisation".
- Ephesians 1:20-23, " Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."
- Ephesians 5:25-27, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
The church is the ONLY "Christian" organisation authorised and governed by God's Word.
Apparently God believes that the church is sufficient to accomplish His purpose without the addition of multitudes of "para-church" organisations to be His Little Helpers.
When you abrogate God's Rules on a thing, you remove yourself from his authority, power and protection.
And that is just like wearing a red shirt on Star Trek.
Monday, November 06, 2006
The Aardvark sez:
VOTE!!!
Vote your CONSCIENCE.
Vote what is RIGHT.
Not right-wing.
RIGHT.
...and maybe, try praying before you vote.
Read your Bible. Maybe a part you haven't underlined.
-----------------------------
Saddam. Hang 'im high.
Pope. Read your Bible.
Europe. Go angst yourselves. Make an avant-garde film.
___________________
Anonymous: Get a life. Get a job. Get over it.
I know who you are. You need to deal with whomever you perceive did you wrong, not take cowardly pot-shots on a third-rate blog.
I would seriously recommend you find an honest-to-God Bible-believing church, get discipled, and deal with forgiveness. Jesus REALLY loves you, and wants GOOD things for you, and part of that is getting the hurt in your life dealt with. I can steer you to one if you wish, or you can look, but wallowing in a venomous pool of anger and pain is only hurting YOU. There are lots of people on the Net that only find amusement in it.
VOTE!!!
Vote your CONSCIENCE.
Vote what is RIGHT.
Not right-wing.
RIGHT.
...and maybe, try praying before you vote.
Read your Bible. Maybe a part you haven't underlined.
-----------------------------
Saddam. Hang 'im high.
Pope. Read your Bible.
Europe. Go angst yourselves. Make an avant-garde film.
___________________
Anonymous: Get a life. Get a job. Get over it.
I know who you are. You need to deal with whomever you perceive did you wrong, not take cowardly pot-shots on a third-rate blog.
I would seriously recommend you find an honest-to-God Bible-believing church, get discipled, and deal with forgiveness. Jesus REALLY loves you, and wants GOOD things for you, and part of that is getting the hurt in your life dealt with. I can steer you to one if you wish, or you can look, but wallowing in a venomous pool of anger and pain is only hurting YOU. There are lots of people on the Net that only find amusement in it.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Repudiating the Holy Leaf
OK, I'm just tired of it.
The Libertarian Party is about more than marry-joo-wanna.
At the moment, I'm not sure WHAT more, but I am sure there must be SOMETHING.
I wore my "write-in Loretta Nall" t-shirt on a delivery, and then stopped off at my favorite tortilla factory, where they also serve authentic tortilla-based meals. The owner and his wife are becoming friends of mine, and so his reaction meant a lot.
"Oh, no....you're a pot smoker?"
Sigh.
I do not indulge in the sacramental smoke, no, and I am becoming weary of being forced into cannabis conversations whenever my libertarian leanings are revealed. Yes, I believe the current "War on _______" (insert favorite bellicosity) mentality is unconstitutional and wrong.
Poverty goes on strong. The Drug Trade is still robust. The jails are full of recreational tokers, just as Thomas Jefferson and Co. intended. It is an immense waste of manpower and resources.
There. That is established.
There must be a platform. Oh, wait...HERE IT IS!
I knew that there was more to it than that.
Sad that the Man on the Street doesn't know about it!
OK, I'm just tired of it.
The Libertarian Party is about more than marry-joo-wanna.
At the moment, I'm not sure WHAT more, but I am sure there must be SOMETHING.
I wore my "write-in Loretta Nall" t-shirt on a delivery, and then stopped off at my favorite tortilla factory, where they also serve authentic tortilla-based meals. The owner and his wife are becoming friends of mine, and so his reaction meant a lot.
"Oh, no....you're a pot smoker?"
Sigh.
I do not indulge in the sacramental smoke, no, and I am becoming weary of being forced into cannabis conversations whenever my libertarian leanings are revealed. Yes, I believe the current "War on _______" (insert favorite bellicosity) mentality is unconstitutional and wrong.
Poverty goes on strong. The Drug Trade is still robust. The jails are full of recreational tokers, just as Thomas Jefferson and Co. intended. It is an immense waste of manpower and resources.
There. That is established.
There must be a platform. Oh, wait...HERE IT IS!
I knew that there was more to it than that.
Sad that the Man on the Street doesn't know about it!
Sunday, October 29, 2006
...Then there are those church marquees.
You know, the signboards used to teach the heathen who refuse to enter the Hallowed Doorway.
There is a popular Clever Thing making the rounds of our area.
"Forbidden Fruit
Creates
Many Jams"
Was Confucius ever so profound?
It is sad that God's Word is not meaningful enough to be proclaimed on the signs.
Perish forbid that we should waste content from the Sanctuary on the hoi polloi in the highways and hedges. What really boils my bottom is that Time is spent digging these nuggets up.
You can make your own, too! The Church Sign Generator is ready to serve your needs.
You know, the signboards used to teach the heathen who refuse to enter the Hallowed Doorway.
There is a popular Clever Thing making the rounds of our area.
"Forbidden Fruit
Creates
Many Jams"
Was Confucius ever so profound?
It is sad that God's Word is not meaningful enough to be proclaimed on the signs.
Perish forbid that we should waste content from the Sanctuary on the hoi polloi in the highways and hedges. What really boils my bottom is that Time is spent digging these nuggets up.
You can make your own, too! The Church Sign Generator is ready to serve your needs.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
It's been a busy week, so now I'm sitting here, waiting for a plumber. We are having a tankless water heater installed, preparatory to delivery of a new washer & dryer. That's the way the money goes.
Had my teeth cleaned today, so my dentition has that exquisite ache that outlines each tooth. I am not such a weenie that I need nitrous for a cleaning, but BOY, that Cavitron thingie really sends me 'round the bend. It's like thousands of ants scraping their mandibles on thousands of tiny blackboards. In your head. It is essentially an ultrasonic jackhammer.
The weatherman that lives in my forehead lets me know a front is moving through. Another pain.
--------------------------------------------
I have had my first real troll this week. People with personal axes to grind need not apply.
I am very curious, though, when the sea-change happened in the workplace. pre-Sixties, it seems, the rule of work etiquette was: Work talk at work, personal palaver on your own time.
You could mumph about "that darn Anderson account" all you wanted, but home and family stuff was kept there at home, beyond the most perfunctory "How's the Missus, and the kids? Is Johnny over the mumps?". Much has been said about the "hypocrisy" of having a "work-face" and a "home-face", but it seems to me that there was less trouble back when there was clearer delineation of one's roles in life. Fewer illicit office dalliances, besides less time-wasting jabber all around. Muzak may have it's detractors, but the endless lite-rock radio stations pumped into the office with sex, sex, romance, love affair, "if lovin' you is wrong" as the message du jour is a distraction. I don't see how ANY work gets done.
----------------------------------------
This Aardvark is not a prude. I just have a case of the wistfuls for when work was work, and not an endless Oprah/Dr.Phil/Maury fest.
The Aardvark is, however, in pain, and thus grumpy.
Had my teeth cleaned today, so my dentition has that exquisite ache that outlines each tooth. I am not such a weenie that I need nitrous for a cleaning, but BOY, that Cavitron thingie really sends me 'round the bend. It's like thousands of ants scraping their mandibles on thousands of tiny blackboards. In your head. It is essentially an ultrasonic jackhammer.
The weatherman that lives in my forehead lets me know a front is moving through. Another pain.
--------------------------------------------
I have had my first real troll this week. People with personal axes to grind need not apply.
I am very curious, though, when the sea-change happened in the workplace. pre-Sixties, it seems, the rule of work etiquette was: Work talk at work, personal palaver on your own time.
You could mumph about "that darn Anderson account" all you wanted, but home and family stuff was kept there at home, beyond the most perfunctory "How's the Missus, and the kids? Is Johnny over the mumps?". Much has been said about the "hypocrisy" of having a "work-face" and a "home-face", but it seems to me that there was less trouble back when there was clearer delineation of one's roles in life. Fewer illicit office dalliances, besides less time-wasting jabber all around. Muzak may have it's detractors, but the endless lite-rock radio stations pumped into the office with sex, sex, romance, love affair, "if lovin' you is wrong" as the message du jour is a distraction. I don't see how ANY work gets done.
----------------------------------------
This Aardvark is not a prude. I just have a case of the wistfuls for when work was work, and not an endless Oprah/Dr.Phil/Maury fest.
The Aardvark is, however, in pain, and thus grumpy.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
"Castle of Cagliostro" DVD review, as promised.
I finally got the time to actually sit and watch the new release of Hiyao Miyazaki's movie directorial debut. Miyazaki-san was a series director in the original "Green jacket" series "Lupin III" - or"Rupan sansei", but cut his teeth on the glass-beaded screen with "Cagliostro", which he both wrote and directed.
Arsene Lupin III is a third-generation master thief; perhaps THE master thief. Aided by crack-shot Jigen, Goemon, the samurai, as well as by sexiful Fujiko (when she is not double-dealing) Lupin (the Wolf) schmoozes and robs his way amongst the glitterati of the world, with Inspector Kouichi Zenigata hot on his trail.
Lupin and Jigen rob the National Casino, only to find that their loot is in fact counterfeit. Almost perfect "goat money", virtually undetectable- though Lupin has reason to recognise it.
This leads him to the tiny country of Cagliostro, where his search for a world-economy-ruining plot, and the source of the bogus bills, introduces him to a runaway bride, whom he rescues from well-armed and lethal louts in a physics-shattering car chase.
I shan't do any spoilers. Suffice to say that the movie is a MAJOR bit of fun, and well worth the meagre price. As one who is NEVER impressed by "DVD extras" (hey, I buy it for the movie!), I find that this little jewel has an amazing goodie, the complete animatic, set to the complete soundtrack of the film. Wikipaedia says "An animatic typically consists of pictures of the storyboard synchronized with the soundtrack." On this DVD, you can see Miyazaki-san's storyboard sketches brought to life. It is delightfully good.
Buy "Castle of Cagliostro". Buy several. Christmas is coming!
I finally got the time to actually sit and watch the new release of Hiyao Miyazaki's movie directorial debut. Miyazaki-san was a series director in the original "Green jacket" series "Lupin III" - or"Rupan sansei", but cut his teeth on the glass-beaded screen with "Cagliostro", which he both wrote and directed.
Arsene Lupin III is a third-generation master thief; perhaps THE master thief. Aided by crack-shot Jigen, Goemon, the samurai, as well as by sexiful Fujiko (when she is not double-dealing) Lupin (the Wolf) schmoozes and robs his way amongst the glitterati of the world, with Inspector Kouichi Zenigata hot on his trail.
Lupin and Jigen rob the National Casino, only to find that their loot is in fact counterfeit. Almost perfect "goat money", virtually undetectable- though Lupin has reason to recognise it.
This leads him to the tiny country of Cagliostro, where his search for a world-economy-ruining plot, and the source of the bogus bills, introduces him to a runaway bride, whom he rescues from well-armed and lethal louts in a physics-shattering car chase.
I shan't do any spoilers. Suffice to say that the movie is a MAJOR bit of fun, and well worth the meagre price. As one who is NEVER impressed by "DVD extras" (hey, I buy it for the movie!), I find that this little jewel has an amazing goodie, the complete animatic, set to the complete soundtrack of the film. Wikipaedia says "An animatic typically consists of pictures of the storyboard synchronized with the soundtrack." On this DVD, you can see Miyazaki-san's storyboard sketches brought to life. It is delightfully good.
Buy "Castle of Cagliostro". Buy several. Christmas is coming!
Monday, October 16, 2006
So THAT'S why his name is Johnny Knoxville.
The redoubtable host of Jackass has an odd name. Why not Richard Peoria, or Paul Schenectady?
Now, I have never been impressed by his acting acumen, and the Cultural Excellence for which he stands hasn't won points for him. either. This Aardvark has, however sussed out the why of his nomen.
We went to Kajonk-a-Con this weekend. We did the official con shirt, and set up in the dealers room...which was part of a single larger room. The convention was held at the Knoxville Convention Center, the warmed-over site of the 1982 World's Fair. You never heard of that?
I.....am.....shocked.
Knoxville in years past has been termed "The Scruffy Little City". So the The Scruffy Little City had a Scruffy Little World's Fair. I lived in the Gatlinburg area at the time, and remember the fuss. Rather than calling it "Fair" I called it the "World's Barely-Adequate".
Since that time, the city has angsted over what to do with the property. The Fair's theme tower, the Sunsphere, which juts proudly 266 feet skyward on the Scruffy Little Skyline, and was so ably destroyed by Bart Simpson and Crew in That Simpson's Episode, has been tenantless for years.
The Fair site is now run as the Knoxville Convention Center.
It is run by thugs.
Kajonk-a-Con is the dream of Damian Zannini, a likeable and rail-thin student with a love for anime and gaming. No mere geek, he; Damian engineered the con with little help from anyone else. He has a business partner, but the vision and impetus were Zannini-san's.
The Poxville CONvention Center's staff began to load additional charges at the last minute, including charges for electricity, insurance, and "security" (which security allowed the theft of some vendors' merchandise: one was hit for $800 worth of goodies. One rent-a-cop "got cold", and actually "borrowed" two shirts from another vendor's covered table after hours to use as a blanket. He DID return the then-used merchandise to the dealer the following morning). In a final "we really don't want you here" move, the Officials claimed that the convention's checks "had not cleared" and that they would require the full amount in a cashiers check "in 40 minutes" or there would be no convention. While the CONvention Center staff were technically correct- the checks had not cleared- they neglected to add that they had not cleared because they had not posted at the bank, BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT DEPOSITED THEM. I saw the actual checks.
There were three: only one had even been endorsed. They were going to axe Kajonk-a-Con by fiat alone, and one vendor had come from California!
Word to the wise: under NO circumstances do business with the Knoxville CONvention Center.
The good news is, the Kajonk business partner -a VERY nice guy, does business with several good lawyers and judges in the area. I don't think that the Poxville CONvention Center has heard the last of Kajonk-a-Con. But I AM certain that they have squeezed the last shekel from those guys.
The convention was FUN, they had GREAT gaming prizes, like cases of Bawls, as well as game computer cases, power supplies, and such. They are not pikers. Do these guys a favor. Go to their site, and buy a con shirt from them. They went $5000 over budget because of the predations of the lice that run the CONvention facility. You'll get a comfy shirt, and a warm feeling that you helped some really nice guys with a dream.
Go to Kajonk-a-Con next year, too. It will be held in Knoxville, but at a Marriott or Ramada-type convention hotel.
...unless they wind up OWNING the Knoxville Convention Center when it's all over.
So, now I understand why his name is Johnny KNOXVILLE.
Monday, October 09, 2006
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The Mad Little Piggy has gone BOOM!
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea said Monday it had performed its first-ever nuclear weapons test, setting off an underground blast in defiance of international warnings and intense diplomatic activity aimed at heading off such a move....the test was conducted at 10:36 a.m. (9:36 p.m. EDT Sunday) in Hwaderi near Kilju city on the northeast coast, citing defense officials.
The Mad Little Piggy has gone BOOM!
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea said Monday it had performed its first-ever nuclear weapons test, setting off an underground blast in defiance of international warnings and intense diplomatic activity aimed at heading off such a move....the test was conducted at 10:36 a.m. (9:36 p.m. EDT Sunday) in Hwaderi near Kilju city on the northeast coast, citing defense officials.
North Korean scientists ``successfully conducted an underground nuclear test under secure conditions,'' the KCNA report said, adding this was ``a stirring time when all the people of the country are making a great leap forward in the building of a great prosperous powerful socialist nation.''
A great prosperous powerful socialist nation. One where 3000 people starve a month, and many of the rest subsist upon tree bark.
Kimmy has his nukes. It might be good to consider a blockade.
North Korea needs money, but has nukes.
The jihadist adherents of the Religion of Peace and Love have money but want nukes.
You got your chocolate in my peanut butter.
He has every right to produce a nuke in his country, but now he has broken treaty, and detonated the thing. He has lots of subs to transport them, so Kim Jong Il needs to be kept from exporting nukes. I'm just thinkin' out loud here.
Cue Dame Vera Lynn: "We'llllll meet agaiiiiinnnnnn....."
Saturday, October 07, 2006
We have met the Enemy, and he is US.
I miss Pogo.
Walt Kelly was the liberal Al Capp .
Here endeth the nostalgia.
The Dread Dormomoo and I sleep with George Noory. No REALLY...we SLEEP. With the radio on.
He is the host of Coast-to-Coast AM, the venue which warped Art Bell above the Galactic Plane.
I have grown used to Noory. and have realised his apparent credulity is merely his allowing the New Age freaksters and their ilk a forum. I repent of having said thet he is so open-minded that his brain fell out. Noory is a smart cookie, and a radio animal. Last night he had "open phones", which generally causes me to bleed from the ears. The D.D. heard a caller fulminate over "if North Korea has a Nook-yoo-lur Bomb, then why don't we just "go in and stop them"?
Just go in and stop them. Simple as pi.
The Dread Dormomoo then noted that if we do not recognise the sovereignty of nations, and believe the the Yoo-Ess-of-AY should be the Planetary Defense Force (Robots...WHERE are our GIANT ROBOTS??!?), then we are therefore THE de facto One World Government. The US is the Beast, the New World Order, enter current conspiracy moniker here_______.
Mr. Just Go IN does not recognise sovereignty, OR authority, beyond of course the putative authority of the schoolyard Bully to shake down smaller folk for their lunch money and Pop Tarts. Might, sadly, does NOT make right. To get all symmetrical on your keisters, only Right makes might. De Tocqueville apparently did not say this, but the truth holds nonetheless, that "America is great because America is good." Sadly being the Schoolyard Bully is not "being good".
Bottom line...North Korea is a sovereign nation. Not a NICE one, and Kim Jong Il is a loathsome little piggy who deserved his treatment in "Team America". But it IS its own nation. Until it actually launches at us, we have NO business "going in and stopping them"
(OTOH, if they launch, then everything above the 38th Parallel probably should become flat and highly reflective.)
As the US continues its behavioural slide into the Abyss, our True authority shall wane, and all we shall have left to us is sabre-rattling and fiddling with the Button. The world does not hear us anymore. Our leaders seek further to strip us of national sovereignty and border integrity.
Soon the United States will be nothing more than a roadside stand on the road from Points South, a stopover for Central American touristas on their way to The Land of Maple Syrup, Hockey, and Government Subsidised Film-making.
Don't forget to try the Cactus Candy. It's really good.
I miss Pogo.
Walt Kelly was the liberal Al Capp .
Here endeth the nostalgia.
The Dread Dormomoo and I sleep with George Noory. No REALLY...we SLEEP. With the radio on.
He is the host of Coast-to-Coast AM, the venue which warped Art Bell above the Galactic Plane.
I have grown used to Noory. and have realised his apparent credulity is merely his allowing the New Age freaksters and their ilk a forum. I repent of having said thet he is so open-minded that his brain fell out. Noory is a smart cookie, and a radio animal. Last night he had "open phones", which generally causes me to bleed from the ears. The D.D. heard a caller fulminate over "if North Korea has a Nook-yoo-lur Bomb, then why don't we just "go in and stop them"?
Just go in and stop them. Simple as pi.
The Dread Dormomoo then noted that if we do not recognise the sovereignty of nations, and believe the the Yoo-Ess-of-AY should be the Planetary Defense Force (Robots...WHERE are our GIANT ROBOTS??!?), then we are therefore THE de facto One World Government. The US is the Beast, the New World Order, enter current conspiracy moniker here_______.
Mr. Just Go IN does not recognise sovereignty, OR authority, beyond of course the putative authority of the schoolyard Bully to shake down smaller folk for their lunch money and Pop Tarts. Might, sadly, does NOT make right. To get all symmetrical on your keisters, only Right makes might. De Tocqueville apparently did not say this, but the truth holds nonetheless, that "America is great because America is good." Sadly being the Schoolyard Bully is not "being good".
Bottom line...North Korea is a sovereign nation. Not a NICE one, and Kim Jong Il is a loathsome little piggy who deserved his treatment in "Team America". But it IS its own nation. Until it actually launches at us, we have NO business "going in and stopping them"
(OTOH, if they launch, then everything above the 38th Parallel probably should become flat and highly reflective.)
As the US continues its behavioural slide into the Abyss, our True authority shall wane, and all we shall have left to us is sabre-rattling and fiddling with the Button. The world does not hear us anymore. Our leaders seek further to strip us of national sovereignty and border integrity.
Soon the United States will be nothing more than a roadside stand on the road from Points South, a stopover for Central American touristas on their way to The Land of Maple Syrup, Hockey, and Government Subsidised Film-making.
Don't forget to try the Cactus Candy. It's really good.
Friday, October 06, 2006
I am surprised that there have been no outraged cries at my choice to leave the Republican Party, and throw in my lot with the Libertarians. Either no-one cares, or it is such a screamingly obvious point that all of my Faithful Reader thinks "Well, DUH...". Ten years ago, my choice would have been the Constitution Party, but even as a conservative Christian, I find them to be too fringe for my tastes; too apt to insist upon Things Not Found In The Constitution, in the name of The Faith. Give me Strict Constructionist, Small Government any day. Christians ostensibly follow The Bible as their Rule of Faith and Practise, therefore they of all people should understand the need of our Republic to follow ITS founding document.
Ergo, by my way of thinking, EVERY Christian Soul in America should be a Libertarian.
-------------------------------------------------
The Voxoscenti were dealing with the subject of forgiveness yesterday. Here was a brief thought of mine, followed by one which explains an apparent discontinuity between MY "faith and practise".
Here is the rule of thumb (re: forgiveness), Biblically speaking:
A) If I sin, I need to repent.
B) If I am "In the light, having fellowship with my Father, and my brethren" (THERE is the barometer for spiritual health) The blood of the Anointed Jesus cleanses me of all unrighteousness.
I still must repent (do a 180) and go and sin no more. If I am weak and fall again, goto B.
C) If someone sins against me, I must forgive. (Forgive us our trespasses AS WE FORGIVE those who tresspass against us.) This is not giving the evil a pass, because "I will repay, saith the Lord". My forgiving releases the debt to me. The malefactor must go to God if he wants God's forgiveness.
Thank you Vox, for holding forth on this. It finally crystallised the whole thing for me, Biblically speaking.
****************
How do you justify not embracing the person you forgave if you have wiped the slate clean by forgiving him?--VD
Because I do not have God's ability to perfectly expunge the deed. "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
My memory still carries the pain ("forgive and forget" is NOT a Biblical rubric), and I do not wish to relive the pain. Does that mean that I will NEVER embrace the one whom I forgive. No, but I must be healed of the hurt as well to wish to.
****************
A-HA!
I have sussed out the problem.
Forgiveness is NOT "a feeling".
The Greek word used for "forgiveness" is an ACCOUNTING term, signifying the cancellation of a debt.
Accounting, people. Not a huggy discipline.
If my loan shark (this is an example) chooses to forgive my $10,000 debt, he does not necessarily wish to hug me as well. The FORGIVENESS, if you will, shows his heart. A hug may be a precursor to the Kiss of Death, or other such backstabbery. Paul and Jude both warned of false brethren in the church who would do us harm.
My point again...it is my cancelling the debt (forgiveness) which is the important thing. Any warm fuzzies are optional, and may be subject to further personal growth on my part.
*****************
More as I'm able...
Ergo, by my way of thinking, EVERY Christian Soul in America should be a Libertarian.
-------------------------------------------------
The Voxoscenti were dealing with the subject of forgiveness yesterday. Here was a brief thought of mine, followed by one which explains an apparent discontinuity between MY "faith and practise".
Here is the rule of thumb (re: forgiveness), Biblically speaking:
A) If I sin, I need to repent.
B) If I am "In the light, having fellowship with my Father, and my brethren" (THERE is the barometer for spiritual health) The blood of the Anointed Jesus cleanses me of all unrighteousness.
I still must repent (do a 180) and go and sin no more. If I am weak and fall again, goto B.
C) If someone sins against me, I must forgive. (Forgive us our trespasses AS WE FORGIVE those who tresspass against us.) This is not giving the evil a pass, because "I will repay, saith the Lord". My forgiving releases the debt to me. The malefactor must go to God if he wants God's forgiveness.
Thank you Vox, for holding forth on this. It finally crystallised the whole thing for me, Biblically speaking.
****************
How do you justify not embracing the person you forgave if you have wiped the slate clean by forgiving him?--VD
Because I do not have God's ability to perfectly expunge the deed. "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
My memory still carries the pain ("forgive and forget" is NOT a Biblical rubric), and I do not wish to relive the pain. Does that mean that I will NEVER embrace the one whom I forgive. No, but I must be healed of the hurt as well to wish to.
****************
A-HA!
I have sussed out the problem.
Forgiveness is NOT "a feeling".
The Greek word used for "forgiveness" is an ACCOUNTING term, signifying the cancellation of a debt.
Accounting, people. Not a huggy discipline.
If my loan shark (this is an example) chooses to forgive my $10,000 debt, he does not necessarily wish to hug me as well. The FORGIVENESS, if you will, shows his heart. A hug may be a precursor to the Kiss of Death, or other such backstabbery. Paul and Jude both warned of false brethren in the church who would do us harm.
My point again...it is my cancelling the debt (forgiveness) which is the important thing. Any warm fuzzies are optional, and may be subject to further personal growth on my part.
*****************
More as I'm able...
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Well, the Aardvark makes it official:
This Aardvark backs Loretta Nall, Libertarian,
in her write-in candidacy for Governor of the great state of Alabama.
No more "pragmatism".
No more "Lesser of two evils".
No evils at all.
The Aardvark is rebelling, voting his conscience, and boy, it feels good.
Loretta is none-too-shy about speaking her mind, and like Diogenes, this Aardvark
searches the streets for one with no equivocation, no hedging, no fuh-fuhs.
Hi, Loretta.
This Aardvark backs Loretta Nall, Libertarian,
in her write-in candidacy for Governor of the great state of Alabama.
No more "pragmatism".
No more "Lesser of two evils".
No evils at all.
The Aardvark is rebelling, voting his conscience, and boy, it feels good.
Loretta is none-too-shy about speaking her mind, and like Diogenes, this Aardvark
searches the streets for one with no equivocation, no hedging, no fuh-fuhs.
Hi, Loretta.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Ohhhhhhhh, the OUTRAGE!!!
I was doing some reading, and ran across the makings of a "Rest of.....the stoREEE" goody.
It's about a politico who said one thing, and did something else.
(Oh, say it ain't SO!!)
He had dark hair.
He had a predilection for occult secret societies, especially ones with ummmm, selective memberships. Very pale memberships.
He was also uncomfortable with adherents of a Certain Ancient Mid-Eastern Religion, and effectively removed them from the airwaves.
I love screamingly obvious things like this, because, of course, the answer to this barely-a-conundrum is...IS....
Alabama Governor Bob Riley.
Yessss, my brethren and sistren...
Brother Bob, of course, ran on a "taxes are EEEEE-vil" platform, and won, wherupon he immediately pushed for a two billion dollar tax increase. The Pee-pul roundly rejected it.
Brother Bob is a Mason. His Grand Masonic Lodge has a whites-only membership. Welcome to the Twenty-First Century; now where's my rocket pack?
The really FUN part, though, is that he- or his Dark Forces- pushed to have Russ and Dee Fine
fired from their morning talkshow on the Crawford Broadcasting 101.1 FM-The Source in Birmingham. In case you haven't sussed it out, "Fine" is NOT an Irish name. Russ and Dee have been gadflies (and I mean that in the best possible way!) of the power brokers, political elites, and mentally challenged in what passes for Public Service here in Alabammy. They have been relentless in exposing the hypocrisy and inaction of Our Servants as regards "the business interest backed illegal alien invasion" and "the threat of Islam and its Muslim followers who seek to destroy the United States and all "the infidels" (which is every Christian and Jew and remaining non-Islamic 'unbelievers' in the country)". Add a generous helping of criticism of the guv and his contrarian policies, and you have an informative, exciting, and hugely provoking program. Russ and Dee have also put their money where their mouths are, holding Alabama Tea-Party rallies, and personally helping those in need. They are not mere political shock-jock drive-timers. They encourage ACTION, and action is an abomination to the Entrenched Powers. So Billy-Bob Riley and his cronies have forced the only Jewish talk radio couple off the air in Ber...Birmingham.
And they have been silenced. For now. Bookmark and crawl their website which they are maintaining, and will continue to update. Pray good things for these guys, and that they will get a new voice. In the short run, I would encourage their doing true webcasts, just as though they were still doing the normal morning show. I'll kick in toward the bandwidth.
(Just to be clear, they are not in penury. Russ is a tenured med prof at UAB.) This ain't Queen for a Day.
There's an obscure reference for you whippersnappers.
I was doing some reading, and ran across the makings of a "Rest of.....the stoREEE" goody.
It's about a politico who said one thing, and did something else.
(Oh, say it ain't SO!!)
He had dark hair.
He had a predilection for occult secret societies, especially ones with ummmm, selective memberships. Very pale memberships.
He was also uncomfortable with adherents of a Certain Ancient Mid-Eastern Religion, and effectively removed them from the airwaves.
I love screamingly obvious things like this, because, of course, the answer to this barely-a-conundrum is...IS....
Alabama Governor Bob Riley.
Yessss, my brethren and sistren...
Brother Bob, of course, ran on a "taxes are EEEEE-vil" platform, and won, wherupon he immediately pushed for a two billion dollar tax increase. The Pee-pul roundly rejected it.
Brother Bob is a Mason. His Grand Masonic Lodge has a whites-only membership. Welcome to the Twenty-First Century; now where's my rocket pack?
The really FUN part, though, is that he- or his Dark Forces- pushed to have Russ and Dee Fine
fired from their morning talkshow on the Crawford Broadcasting 101.1 FM-The Source in Birmingham. In case you haven't sussed it out, "Fine" is NOT an Irish name. Russ and Dee have been gadflies (and I mean that in the best possible way!) of the power brokers, political elites, and mentally challenged in what passes for Public Service here in Alabammy. They have been relentless in exposing the hypocrisy and inaction of Our Servants as regards "the business interest backed illegal alien invasion" and "the threat of Islam and its Muslim followers who seek to destroy the United States and all "the infidels" (which is every Christian and Jew and remaining non-Islamic 'unbelievers' in the country)". Add a generous helping of criticism of the guv and his contrarian policies, and you have an informative, exciting, and hugely provoking program. Russ and Dee have also put their money where their mouths are, holding Alabama Tea-Party rallies, and personally helping those in need. They are not mere political shock-jock drive-timers. They encourage ACTION, and action is an abomination to the Entrenched Powers. So Billy-Bob Riley and his cronies have forced the only Jewish talk radio couple off the air in Ber...Birmingham.
And they have been silenced. For now. Bookmark and crawl their website which they are maintaining, and will continue to update. Pray good things for these guys, and that they will get a new voice. In the short run, I would encourage their doing true webcasts, just as though they were still doing the normal morning show. I'll kick in toward the bandwidth.
(Just to be clear, they are not in penury. Russ is a tenured med prof at UAB.) This ain't Queen for a Day.
There's an obscure reference for you whippersnappers.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Friday night, and I just had church!
Well, no revivals or gospel meetings in sight.
Lily-white, two of my ancestors signers of the South Carolina Ordinance of Secession, I ran across BET. Yeppers, Black Entertainment Television. I saw Steve Harvey.
His show-stopper finale, "How he would introduce the Prince of Peace" had me jumping up and down in the kitchen with my hands in the air, shouting praises to the King.
There is real wisdom in much of the funny in the show. Brethren and sistren, if you have the chance, see it. You will laugh, you will be blessed, you will see Jesus' work in another imperfect believer.
Like you, and like me.
Well, no revivals or gospel meetings in sight.
Lily-white, two of my ancestors signers of the South Carolina Ordinance of Secession, I ran across BET. Yeppers, Black Entertainment Television. I saw Steve Harvey.
"Don't Trip ... He Ain't Through with Me Yet"
Let me tell you, not a "blue note" in the show; a paean of faith and wisdom.His show-stopper finale, "How he would introduce the Prince of Peace" had me jumping up and down in the kitchen with my hands in the air, shouting praises to the King.
There is real wisdom in much of the funny in the show. Brethren and sistren, if you have the chance, see it. You will laugh, you will be blessed, you will see Jesus' work in another imperfect believer.
Like you, and like me.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
dragonCON redux
As promised....the REST of.......................the stoRY.
As to heroes, whilst I DID see Adrienne Barbeau (breathed several of the same molecules, I did!)
and brethren, I strongly suspect that she has a Special Oil Portrait hidden in an attic somewhere, so good does she still look, she does not qualify. I got an autograph from Don S. Davis (Gen. Hammond of Stargate) and as gentlemanly and folksy as he is, neither does he qualify. Ralph Malph, Potsie, and Joanie were all there, and lo, THEIR Special Oil Portraits perished hideously in a fire. No heroes there, nor Rip Taylor, nor yet Mickey Rooney (he is small, and infinitely old, and is likely kept in cryo-sleep between signings).
I speak of the Wolff. Michael. Comic writer, Starlog commentator and reviewer, maintainer of the Sacred Flame of Things Supercar, and even Tom Swift and crew. He is discipling me somewhat in my fiction writing, and ably. He and his sweet wife broke bread with Mr. McLeod and me, and had a glorious evening. I have known him online for several years, now, and it was just neat to meet him, and talk shop, plan conventions (maybe), and reminisce about fandom Back in the Day. I have met his partner in crime Kez Wilson, the artist of the duo. They both tried to resurrect the Supermarionation franchises through the graphic novel. The first Supercar comic was released, with a toy line, and there were plans for a Fireball XL5 and a UFO series of comics. Alas, the reception was less than what was expected, and let's say fortunes were lost. It was a case of the System not responding. The interest in the Gerry Anderson series was at a fever pitch, but advertising and distribution were disastrous. (The comic industry has been moribund since the mid-nineties.)
Michael continues to write, and well. When permitted, I shall provide links.
I met and it made the rest of dragonCON worth it.
I'm looking forward to next year!
As promised....the REST of.......................the stoRY.
As to heroes, whilst I DID see Adrienne Barbeau (breathed several of the same molecules, I did!)
and brethren, I strongly suspect that she has a Special Oil Portrait hidden in an attic somewhere, so good does she still look, she does not qualify. I got an autograph from Don S. Davis (Gen. Hammond of Stargate) and as gentlemanly and folksy as he is, neither does he qualify. Ralph Malph, Potsie, and Joanie were all there, and lo, THEIR Special Oil Portraits perished hideously in a fire. No heroes there, nor Rip Taylor, nor yet Mickey Rooney (he is small, and infinitely old, and is likely kept in cryo-sleep between signings).
I speak of the Wolff. Michael. Comic writer, Starlog commentator and reviewer, maintainer of the Sacred Flame of Things Supercar, and even Tom Swift and crew. He is discipling me somewhat in my fiction writing, and ably. He and his sweet wife broke bread with Mr. McLeod and me, and had a glorious evening. I have known him online for several years, now, and it was just neat to meet him, and talk shop, plan conventions (maybe), and reminisce about fandom Back in the Day. I have met his partner in crime Kez Wilson, the artist of the duo. They both tried to resurrect the Supermarionation franchises through the graphic novel. The first Supercar comic was released, with a toy line, and there were plans for a Fireball XL5 and a UFO series of comics. Alas, the reception was less than what was expected, and let's say fortunes were lost. It was a case of the System not responding. The interest in the Gerry Anderson series was at a fever pitch, but advertising and distribution were disastrous. (The comic industry has been moribund since the mid-nineties.)
Michael continues to write, and well. When permitted, I shall provide links.
I met and it made the rest of dragonCON worth it.
I'm looking forward to next year!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc
Oy. The Dobsonoids -I have been one in the recent past- are at it again. The poor unfortunate loser Kimveer Gill shot up Dawson College, and vidya games are taking the heat. Shoot, may as well say that being on an emo loser vampire web community made him try to cleanse the college- wait, they're saying that, too, most likely.
I didn't take logic, and I have regretted it, but even I can recognise the logical fallacy here.
"Ooooooh, he played that EEEEEEEEEE-vil shoot 'em up game about Columbine, and it TRAINED him to shoot up his school." There are evangelical lawyer-types here in the South making a career of appearing at churches, conferences, and conservative chat shows "proving" the link between violent games and real-world violence. The logic displayed is as disingenuous as that usually displayed by the doubtable Nancy Grace.
After a thing, therefore, because of a thing.
Here's the deal: This guy -and guys like him- have Predilections and Tendencies. These influence Interests and Appetites. He likes violent, disturbing things, therefore he does violent disturbing things. He liked the Columbine RPG because it was violent. He was not violent because of the game. I am tired of people on "my side" (believers) acting like asses' heads to promote a book or scheme, when their logic is so fallacious.
May as well toss the Bible out of the window, with free will. B.F.Skinner, anyone?
Oy. The Dobsonoids -I have been one in the recent past- are at it again. The poor unfortunate loser Kimveer Gill shot up Dawson College, and vidya games are taking the heat. Shoot, may as well say that being on an emo loser vampire web community made him try to cleanse the college- wait, they're saying that, too, most likely.
I didn't take logic, and I have regretted it, but even I can recognise the logical fallacy here.
"Ooooooh, he played that EEEEEEEEEE-vil shoot 'em up game about Columbine, and it TRAINED him to shoot up his school." There are evangelical lawyer-types here in the South making a career of appearing at churches, conferences, and conservative chat shows "proving" the link between violent games and real-world violence. The logic displayed is as disingenuous as that usually displayed by the doubtable Nancy Grace.
After a thing, therefore, because of a thing.
Here's the deal: This guy -and guys like him- have Predilections and Tendencies. These influence Interests and Appetites. He likes violent, disturbing things, therefore he does violent disturbing things. He liked the Columbine RPG because it was violent. He was not violent because of the game. I am tired of people on "my side" (believers) acting like asses' heads to promote a book or scheme, when their logic is so fallacious.
May as well toss the Bible out of the window, with free will. B.F.Skinner, anyone?
Monday, September 11, 2006
The Aardvark's Award for Extreme Thoughtlessness
A young friend, Aaron, relates that a couple of kids started crying in school today. With all of the 9-11 celebrations and scab-pickings today, the Local Powers chose to test the Alert Sirens ranged across the county.
Today.
No warning, no thought. Students and teachers caught bad cases of "the yitters" (Dr. Lao fans, take note).
So the Award goes to the local Emergency Management crowd. We've had the scab picked from the wound today, so let's make it BLEED....
A young friend, Aaron, relates that a couple of kids started crying in school today. With all of the 9-11 celebrations and scab-pickings today, the Local Powers chose to test the Alert Sirens ranged across the county.
Today.
No warning, no thought. Students and teachers caught bad cases of "the yitters" (Dr. Lao fans, take note).
So the Award goes to the local Emergency Management crowd. We've had the scab picked from the wound today, so let's make it BLEED....
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
dragonCON
First off, let me say that the rule of thumb at Chez Aardvark is: no more Sci-Fi cons.
We started doing SF conventions in 1980, selling The Dread Dormomoo's custom airbrushed t-shirts ("Airbrush by Lanie"...remember?), and my fantasy leather belts and buckles, along with whatever other fannish doodads we happened across. We added screenprinted shirts of her fantasy designs in the late '80s. It was never terribly profitable, but was an additional income stream. A trickle here, a trickle there...
We began our own screenprinting operation in 1991, and much of our own work was SF oriented, especially Trekkish stuff. We kept doing SF cons, again, not terribly profitably, but hey, it's what we did; part of our paradigm, as 'twere.
Then we discovered anime (an-u-MAY, for the uninitiated...). Our household began to enjoy the Japanese cartoons that we came across (readers of the Plumbline have doubtless recognised my fondness for Miyazaki's work like "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Nausicaa") and ultimately decided to try out an anime convention. We developed some general-interest designs, and lo, our business changed overnight. (One medium sized anime con grossed $750 in the first hour of business. Sci Fi cons would often not exceed that for a weekend.) Happily business coincided with our personal interests, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Well, this weekend past, we did DragonCON, a media convention boasting 25,000+ attendees.
We were placed in the Exhibition Hall, in the OTHER con hotel, and were the best-kept secret in Atlanta. We consistently heard "We didn't know this was here!".
Sigh.
I made three attempts to get the Powers That Be to announce the Exhibitors' mere existence at panels and suchlike, to no avail. They were DragonCON, and in their mouth was all wisdom, all power...and no help. Thankfully we broke even...maybe...but we only did 15% of what we reasonably expected based upon per capita sales ratios from other conventions.
Sigh. I rolled a critical failure, this time.
NEXT- How I Met My Hero, And Thus Did Not Sink In The Slough Of Despond.
First off, let me say that the rule of thumb at Chez Aardvark is: no more Sci-Fi cons.
We started doing SF conventions in 1980, selling The Dread Dormomoo's custom airbrushed t-shirts ("Airbrush by Lanie"...remember?), and my fantasy leather belts and buckles, along with whatever other fannish doodads we happened across. We added screenprinted shirts of her fantasy designs in the late '80s. It was never terribly profitable, but was an additional income stream. A trickle here, a trickle there...
We began our own screenprinting operation in 1991, and much of our own work was SF oriented, especially Trekkish stuff. We kept doing SF cons, again, not terribly profitably, but hey, it's what we did; part of our paradigm, as 'twere.
Then we discovered anime (an-u-MAY, for the uninitiated...). Our household began to enjoy the Japanese cartoons that we came across (readers of the Plumbline have doubtless recognised my fondness for Miyazaki's work like "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Nausicaa") and ultimately decided to try out an anime convention. We developed some general-interest designs, and lo, our business changed overnight. (One medium sized anime con grossed $750 in the first hour of business. Sci Fi cons would often not exceed that for a weekend.) Happily business coincided with our personal interests, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Well, this weekend past, we did DragonCON, a media convention boasting 25,000+ attendees.
We were placed in the Exhibition Hall, in the OTHER con hotel, and were the best-kept secret in Atlanta. We consistently heard "We didn't know this was here!".
Sigh.
I made three attempts to get the Powers That Be to announce the Exhibitors' mere existence at panels and suchlike, to no avail. They were DragonCON, and in their mouth was all wisdom, all power...and no help. Thankfully we broke even...maybe...but we only did 15% of what we reasonably expected based upon per capita sales ratios from other conventions.
Sigh. I rolled a critical failure, this time.
NEXT- How I Met My Hero, And Thus Did Not Sink In The Slough Of Despond.
Monday, September 04, 2006
This is really kind of weird. I guess that there is life after puppets
Wonder why Mary would choose a name like "Greta van Susteren"?
Maybe avoiding typecasting?
Wonder why Mary would choose a name like "Greta van Susteren"?
Maybe avoiding typecasting?
Transformation and hogwash.
While at dragonCON this weekend (more on that later) I met an interesting fellow, tallish, heavyset in the manner that brings gravitas, not slovenliness, clad in a navy pinstriped suit.
He inquired as to our shirt that proclaims "The Philosophers Stone is people". I explained the darker nuances of "Fullmetal Alchemist" the anime series, and how we waggishly allude to "Soylent Green" as well.
He seemed disappointed.
He hoped that it would convey a deeper message, because, said he, "Alchemy is about personal transformation, not transforming base elements into gold."
Ri-i-i-i-i-ght.
The primary historical understanding of alchemy has been that of proto-chemists who sought to transform lead and such into precious metals, as well as seeking the Elixir of Life. Philosophy and theology entered in as well, but come on, turning lead into gold was a bigtime goal. As with any occultish endeavors which seek tangible results and fail, the redactors are hard at work making it all spiritual. "Personal transformation" indeed.
I guess the TRUE Fullmetal Alchemist is Tony Robbins....
While at dragonCON this weekend (more on that later) I met an interesting fellow, tallish, heavyset in the manner that brings gravitas, not slovenliness, clad in a navy pinstriped suit.
He inquired as to our shirt that proclaims "The Philosophers Stone is people". I explained the darker nuances of "Fullmetal Alchemist" the anime series, and how we waggishly allude to "Soylent Green" as well.
He seemed disappointed.
He hoped that it would convey a deeper message, because, said he, "Alchemy is about personal transformation, not transforming base elements into gold."
Ri-i-i-i-i-ght.
The primary historical understanding of alchemy has been that of proto-chemists who sought to transform lead and such into precious metals, as well as seeking the Elixir of Life. Philosophy and theology entered in as well, but come on, turning lead into gold was a bigtime goal. As with any occultish endeavors which seek tangible results and fail, the redactors are hard at work making it all spiritual. "Personal transformation" indeed.
I guess the TRUE Fullmetal Alchemist is Tony Robbins....
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
I wanted to share this most excellent news with you.
Go get this film. Really.
If you like cops and robbers, you will LOVE this.
If you enjoy great animation, well, this is a feast.
If conspiracy stuff is your bag, then put on your aluminium-foil hat and break out the Jiffy-Pop - which has its own tinfoil turban!
Romance? This is your movie.
Heroics and derring-do? This is it!
Adventure and hair-breadth escapes? Lupin (loo PAHN) is your man!
Martial artistry and gunplay? You can bet your NRA card that you will love this.
Egregious cinematic disregard of the laws of physics? Get ready to kvetch and whine...but you'll STILL enjoy the movie!
All this, and it's pretty, too!
Press Release
"...One of the Greatest Adventure Movies of All Time..."-- Steven Spielberg
FROM THE OSCAR™-WINNING DIRECTOR OF “SPIRITED AWAY” --
IDT ENTERTAINMENT’S MANGA ENTERTAINMENT OPENS THE
“CASTLE OF CAGLIOSTRO” SPECIAL EDITION DVD
Chicago, IL -- Before he enthralled audiences all over the world with such magical animated features as Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke and the 2001 Academy-Award™ winning Spirited Away, renowned Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki held audiences spellbound in 1979 with his first feature-length animated film, The Castle of Cagliostro. Now, Manga Entertainment, an IDT Entertainment company, proudly presents The Castle of Cagliostro Special Edition DVD, digitally remastered with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, available August 29th at the enchanting SRP of $24.98. Pre-book is July 19th.The Castle of Cagliostro (also known as Lupin III: Cagliostro No Shiro) spins the fantastic tale of master thief Lupin III, traveling to the European province of Cagliostro (pronounced “Cal-ee-os-tro”) to pull off a huge job. When a chance encounter with the Princess Clarice, engaged to the evil Count Cagliostro, distracts him from his original plans, he also stumbles upon a secret kept for over 500 years and now struggles to keep one step ahead of Cagliostro. Torn between his professional objectives and his increasing affections for Princess Clarice, Lupin is locked in a race to solve the mystery of a fabulous hidden treasure, dating back to the Renaissance...
Filled with Miyazaki's trademark rich animation and imaginative storytelling, The Castle of Cagliostro Special Edition DVD takes the experience even further with a treasure chest of bonus features including: