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Category: Commentary

Cuil: Totally useless

Published by NiteMayr on July 28, 2008

I read about cuil this morning while looking through the posts on my iGoogle page.  Interested in new things and not willing to simply discount it out of hand, I fired up the ethernets and typed my name and interests into it’s waiting inputs.

And didn’t find the website you are reading this on.

Not at all.

Not even if I searched for things I knew were on this page.

So, yeah. Cuil sucks.

Sorry guys, you have a long way to go if someone can’t ego surf their own website from your engine.

More Boring Canadian Politics

Published by NiteMayr on July 28, 2008

“An election will come between now and October 2009,” he said on CTV’s Question Period on Sunday.

“(Calling an election) is a decision that belongs to me, that’s true … I will choose a good moment.”

—Celine Dion on Calling an Election

Stephane Dion continues to play coy rather than stating the facts.  Things aren’t bad enough to call an election, when things are good people vote for incumbents.  In this case “The Tories”.  If Stephane would just drop the act and state that he knows there is no point in calling an election; as his team would just lose.  The general populace is nothing if not forgetful, the years of peace and prosperity under the Liberals are too easy forgotten it seems; lost in the dust of minor controversy.

American Politics are Sexy

Published by NiteMayr on July 24, 2008

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans next week to slash the pay of more than 200,000 state workers to the federal minimum of $6.55 per hour to help ease the state’s budget crisis, according to a draft executive order obtained by The Chronicle on Wednesday.

Schwarzenegger’s staff would neither confirm nor deny that the governor plans to issue the executive order, but sources said he could take action as early as Monday. The state, facing a projected $17.2 billion budget deficit for the fiscal year that began July 1, has not approved a budget.

You see, WOW!  The Governator is going to actually destroy the earning power of thousands of people.  That’s some exciting politics,  it would only be more exciting if he announced it while “California Uber-Alles” was playing in the background.

It's hard to write about Canadian Politics

Published by NiteMayr on July 24, 2008

Some days, when I’m not writing about Miniature Popes and Singing Peas I look at the Google News Page for inspiration;  I’d like to write more about Canadian Politics but it’s far too dull and I simly can’t get excited about it.

For Example:  Dion sensing mood for an election

I hoped initially that this was going to be about Celine Dion and quietly replaced all of the references to Stephan to Celine in my head; thus:

OTTAWA–Canadians are increasingly in the mood for a federal election this fall, says Singer Celine Dion.

“More than before,” Celine Dion said yesterday when asked what he was hearing on the road about voters’ desire to go to the polls. “We have seen over the winter and the spring, more and more interest for federal politics and more and more appetite for an election.”

But it may be another election – the U.S. presidential contest – that will also help the Liberals in any electoral battle here, Celine Dion says.

Now we’re getting somewhere; you can actually imagine that animate skelton crooning these lines out on stage, butchering the English language while she belts it out.   That would make the whole idea of anyone named “Dion” running for Prime Minister that much more exciting.  He’s just not that much of a character.  Which is a detriment in politics (if one was to ask me).

Stephen Harper angries up my blood when he ISN’T the prime minister because he gets to say and do outrageous crap.  As Prime Minister, he has his cabinet to do that for him.  Sure, he has a shocking lack of humanity and the look of a “true believer” that is equal parts unnerving and creepy; but let’s face it being in the public eye has really mellowed him.  He’s no George Bush Jr. He’s George Bush Juniors monkey.

Are you a Splitter a Risen or Just Abiding in Sodom?

Published by NiteMayr on July 23, 2008

My first mini book expo book has arrived; “Therefore Repent!”  Jim Munroe‘s Graphic Novel about a post-Rapture Chicago and two new arrivals “The Raven” and “The Mummy.” George W. Bush is on a tour of the “Loyal” Red States with “Mr. Christ” in tow and the newly faithful are engaged in a protracted battle to win the favor of the God who left them behind.

It was interesting to see a world post-Rapture world from another point of view. It contrasts well with “The Chrysalids” and “Left Behind” where in both cases the focus was on the Faithful and The Newly Faithful as the protagonists, facing and evil world; “Therefore Repent!” is led by the meandering Gen-X’ers and lacksidasial hippies or spiritualists who had long given up on a Christian paradise.

“The Mummy” is revealed to be a spiritual person; whose own convictions are stronger than his own faith.  I think many an agnostic who grew up in the Church can see themselves in his character, someone who has examined their faith and come to terms with it.  While sympathetic “The Mummy” isn’t heroic, he is simply a vessel for the story and helps to guide us from point to point in the story.

“The Raven” is an enigma, a woman hidden from the world in a Raven Mask, hiding more than just her face.  I felt that her presence as protagonist was the strongest in the novel.  She is clearly running from her past; while traying to come to terms with something in it.  The Rapture appears only to have solidified that she is cursed in some way and that curse appears to have become unpredictable and dangerous.

Post-Rapture Chicago is populated by the people who have accepted that the Rapture has come and they have been left behind.  This is the most striking aspect of the world that we’ve been given.  There doesn’t appear to be any denial or suspicion of what has happened.  It has simply been accepted and the remains of humanity have moved on.  Even the media have simply accepted it into their news cycle.  Some of those who are left behind are trying to buy their way back “Splitter” and some are acting in the stead of Jesus “The Risen” but the majority have either given up or just moved on and accepted the new way.

Then the Dog talks and the dead keep rising.

It is clear that the world hasn’t just continued as normal; Angels are culling the west coast and Did I mention that Jesus is on tour with George Bush?

Now,  as a Graphic Novel I feel obliged to mention the Art.  I won’t linger on it.  Salgood Sam doesn’t present a stand out world of destroyed buildings and smoking craters.  Instead we are given a strong visual record of a normal world, populated with miracles and loss.  It’s like a hand-drawn history.  I valued the strong messages that were portrayed in the art of the characters that became more and more poignant as the story progressed.

All of that aside, I have read a very similar story before, I hesitate to list it by name but wonder if perhaps Mr. Munroe  was influenced by the same nietzcheian notions that led to it?  Nevertheless, this is an enterrtaining read and a strong graphic novel. “Therefore Repent!” is well presented, bound as a nice quality trade and distributed by Insomniac Press it is available from Jim Munroe’s website no media kings. I’d recommend it for fans of Post-Apocalyptic fiction, Gen-X prose and the religious aunt in the family.

I make Love to them

Published by NiteMayr on July 22, 2008

I make Love to them, originally uploaded by NiteMayr.

You know, when I think about it more “Wanted” the movie fell pretty far short of the bar set by “Wanted” the comic. Here you have a series of panels that illustrate this fact fairly succinctly.

Mr. Rictus (The Joker) is the main villain, he’s crazier than two syphilitic mimes from the middle ages. He is tired of the status quo and is leaving a meeting of the 5 most malevolent beings on earth when he is confronted by Wesley Gibson, who’s Nom de guerre is “The Killer”

They are Super Villains.

SUPER

VILLAINS

The Hero of the Comic Murders cops and commits innumerable crimes. It is vile and inhuman, and immeasurably entertaining. The Bad Guys DO win in the end; it’s all a matter of which bad guys.

Review: The Dark Knight

Published by NiteMayr on July 21, 2008

I’ve had some time to consider “The Dark Knight” and to get over the whole “No More Joker like that” feeling that it left me with when it was over; time to consider the whole put some thought into its merits and failings.

Gotham Itself

Foremost in those Merits is the Art/Photography.  The whole film feels like it was filmed on Location, instead of a series of sets.  Where Movies like “X-Men 3” felt like the scale of the film should have been epic and was instead tabletop sized; a movie about the conflict between two men was so grand in scale and broadly shot with sweeping backdrops.  It was masterful; as I stated earlier Gotham was shot as another character in the film without gaudy makeup and CGI flourish.   It was a welcome change.  The “Batcave” was also exceptional; instead of the visual cacphany of the traditional Batcave we are treated to a spartan and functional HQ that serves as the home of the Batman.  Did anyone else notice how BRIGHT the “Batcave” was?  It wasn’t until the Lights went off at the Batcave that things really got down to business; which I imagine was the metaphor that ran through the whole movie.

Alfred

Speaking of unvarnished Characters; Alfred gets a back story in this film that precludes some of his own history.  He has served the Wayne Family for how long?  He used to be a mercenary/soldier in where?  Hmmm.  It seems that a former soldier might not take to the life of a butler as readily as the former actor.  Can we get a nice firm Public School Education and life of service in place for Alfred and just leave it there?  Please?  Michael Caine was (as ever) a fine character actor; he has settled into the “wise older guy/father figure” role very well.  The next man to fill the role after Mr. Caine will have trouble shaking the dignified and meaty role that Michael Caine has carved from Alfred.  Not Camp. not “Fussy School Marm”, just a Man’s Man who happens to be a butler.

Rachel Dawes

Maggie Gyllenhall; gah.  I think I just don’t like her as an actor.  Sure, she is more of a character than Katie Holmes carried in “Batman Begins” but only because she pouts and acts more upset with Bruce Wayne than in the former.  I jsut don’t buy her as a lawyer, she seems far to passive to be a real lawyer, especially as an Assistant DA.  Speaking of that; why isn’t Rachel the DA?  She has Bruce Wayne backing her for gosh’s sake.  That is kind of emblematic of the uneven writing that makes Rachel so poor; she motivates two big characters but isn’t self-motivating.  She just reacts and her biggest moment comes. <spoiler>post-mortem</spoiler> which kind of sucks for the actress.  She scores her points by looking alternatively annoyed, scared or sad.

Harvey Dent/Two-Face

Aaron Eckhart; Harvey Dent.  What can be said about the blonde-haird blue-eyed Harvey Dent that wasn’t repeated over and over again in the press about him all over Gotham?  Gotham’s white knight!  The guys on the force had another name for him: “Two Face”.  The only thing is that they don’t establish WHY they called him Two Face; only that he was called it behind his back.  If I remember correctly; in some far-off corner of my mind there was a portrayal of Harvey that showed him being bad-ass in private; thus showing the schism in his personality up front.  Aaron tries to demonstrate this schism on screen, in a hoarse scream that appears as if by magic at points; but I don’t think his performance was strong enough.  It was good; but not great.

The Joker / The Batman

I give Christian Bale and Heath Ledger equal billing here.  They are as much the same character as the source material allows.  In the comics; other heroes will often decry that Batman will always go over the edge and too far when solving the world’s problems.  The opposite is true; of course, The Batman doesn’t ever go too far; he is always prepared and has planned this out.  The same is true for the Joker; who WANTS to be caught and stopped by The Batman.  The Batman and The Joker occupy the same space; with both seeking to make the world see things and do things their way.  The Joker might be doing it for the Lulz, but it’s still the same psychology that drives them.   “The Dark Knight” does a great deal to illustrate that neither the Joker nor The Batman gamble and both seem to have all the angles covered.  The conflict that ensues is epic; if not exhausting.  The yawning physical gulf between the two characters (demonstrated through sweeping helicopter shots showing each character’s approach to looking over the city) is also lost when you can see how close the two man are to each other.  They are shadowy men with pasts that are known only to their intimates.  It seems that the only thing that keeps The Batman from being The Joker are those around him.  All of this is beautifully portrayed by both actors; with Bale continuing to play his “Patrick Bateman” Bruce Wayne to great effect.  Heath Ledger pulls in a performance of the Joker that reaches new highs that I don’t imagine would be easily eclipsed.

Continue readingReview: The Dark Knight

Ghoulish Disapointment and Why I can't tell you about it

Published by NiteMayr on July 21, 2008

Zombies

I was excited for months about the prospect of a Zombie Walk here in London this past weekend, but as the day came closed it became clear that the whole thing was some kid’s idea and not anything serious.  Not that Zombie dress-up needs to be serious, but it didn’t seem to have anything behind it save a desire to get out on the weekend.  No permits no organization not even a flash mob kind of thing, just some kids.

Oh well.  It was called off at the last minute (as far as I know) maybe there will be one in the fall.

Twitter

I finally appear to have contracted the same twitter disorder as Joel Johnson, where my twitter kinda-sorta works.  I guess I’ll reserve complaint (as it IS free) but SweetCron can’t come quicker, really.

Yeah, Well I got a big Rocky FIST! *Smashes Troll*

Published by NiteMayr on July 17, 2008

If you’ve been under a rock and you’re not a member of the Extended Troll or Fairy family then you’ve been at least periferally aware that they made a movie where the Son of the Devil is the hero; and it doesn’t feature one song by Dio OR Slayer.  Q’uell Suprise!

Yup, your faithfull blogger has been to see a movie in an actual theatre with real people and a screen and everything.  A Chain theatre.  Let me go off on a tangent for a moment to fill you with the type of terror I was filled with when I sat in said Chain Theatre.  The SCREEN WAS NOT FILLED WITH PICTURES WHEN WE ARRIVED!!!! DUMM DUMM DUMM DUMMM!  The screen was about 7/8 filled with the ads and previews.  That’s it.  AND IT WAS BLURRY!!!! WOOOOOOooooooo!  Scary stuff, huh?  At Nine Buck a pop it was.  I was so worked up about it that if the screen had not become filled with sharp previews a full 10 minutes after we had arrived, I would have become PERTURBED!  Please consider this tangent complete, save this one point.  The “Dark Knight” line was empty.  There are enough nerds in London to justify two comic stores in walking distance from each other downtown, and they are neither of them failing, one had to move to a bigger location recently.  In a town that can support two busy comic stores SO CLOSE THAT THEY COULD TOUCH WEINERS, there should have been a line for The Dark Knight.  I think that says more about the Theater than the town.

Anyway, the Son of Satan is back with another hit and now he is not tethered by David Hyde Pierce!  We get all the Abe Sapien goodness with some heavy Hellboy asskicking; while Selma Blair pouts, looks cute but mixes it up as much as a woman in her condition should.  Now at this point you are saying to yourself, why is Kevin getting down on the Crazy?  Crazy heroes are the best!  I mean, Ambush Bug, the Creeper, CandleJack  the list goes on and on.  But hold on, I’m not getting down on the Crazy.  I love the Crazy and it’s twin the Zany.  They are not at issue.  I’m just saying that the action is great, the fights are awesome and even the wire-fu is weighty and meaty instead of fairy light and tepid.

Speaking of the Wire Fu.  Why does the clearly “European” Elf even know that particular type of wire-fu.  I could have accepted Savate or some kind of acrobatic fencing, but Kung-Fuy with a halbred?  C’Mon.  Not that the fighting was bad, but I half expected him to yell KeeeeyAAAAAA! Go Elf Prince and so on.

As for the Drama, the relationships on screen were great, there’s a great “guy” moment between Hellboy and Abe that has to be seen to be understood and Seth Mcfarlane does himself proud as the character with all the substance of a really good beer fart.

So, Yeah.  You should go see HellBoy 2; it’s GREAT.  Better than the first one by MILES!

More Newswire Crap!

Published by NiteMayr on July 16, 2008

reprinted from: Agencies Help Owners Take In Strangers To Keep Their Homes

”Where we see it being of value is if someone is having short-term problems,” she said. “The average stay of a sharer is about a year, and some are much less. It’s good for someone leaving a marriage or a relationship, or going to school. You can’t count on it as a regular income. It’s a stopgap.”

(STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.)

After counselors from St. Ambrose interviewed Terry and Ongiri, Terry drove to the house where Ongiri was living alongside three men. Right away, Terry said, “I’m like, she don’t need to be living here with three males. I felt as if I could help her, get her out of that area and that living arrangement. I hoped she felt the same way.”

Ongiri said she was relieved to know “I wasn’t going to move in and find the house was in foreclosure or something equally distressing.”

Yes, that “STORY ENDS HERE…” section is in the actual article.  I was looking for more about the subjects of the story and hit a bunch of reprints of the wire.  Why post a story with no further research or at least a care for editing? This is just laziness on the part of the news director/editor from this site.

I went ahead and searched for that phrase on “the google” and hit upon a bunch of sites that just didn’t care enough to edit the newswire.  It’s what passes for “news” I guess, it explains a great deal about how and why people aren’t up on the news and have their opinions formed by Talk Radio and Cable news, doesn’t it?