Monday...

I need to draw, and catch up on some other things...

I COULD gripe about things like fat bitches who park in fire lanes, or Dierbergs only catering to people who need to pay a fortune for the same shitty margerine that's half the price at Wal Mart... but, I'm going to try to lower my stress level.

Just watch Icon War

Things learned from Google earth!!!

Today's installment.

Don't try to dig a hole to China!

From the U.S., you'd drown. Going straight through the globe will put you in the southern half of the Indian Ocean, in those toasty warm Antarctic waters. They're famous for their weather too ;) Actually to dig a hole to Beijing, you'll need to start in the middle of Argentina.

Movie: Howl's Moving Castle

I should just star using the X-Play scale. If so, this would probably be the 3rd movie of the year to get a 5 out of 5.

It's August, and I just got to see this. I know I slack occasionally but still, This just hit town. I'm going to list a few things; iced tea, waffle cones, toasted ravioli, Budweiser, Energizer batteries, Tums... If any of those ring a bell then St. Louis isn't a total cr@p-berg in the global sense. But when it comes to so many events relating to entertainment, we're just shit on constantly.

In the comic book store the other day, the owner and I were discussing how concerts barely sell through here in many cases and more often than they should, they pass us by completely. The niche movie market thinks suburban St. Louis is a bunch of beer stupored illiterates who, aside from sporting events a few watch as drones, after a trip to church the day before we mow our lawns, we have no interest in anything outside Wonderbread and the three most heavily marketed movies of the week.

This town is just killing me, and anyone I know with even a hint of intellectual curiosity, or verve. This is a town of neatly kept lawns, no bookshelves in homes, and sports on EVERY TV in ANY bar or restaurant. Would having ONE set on cartoon network fucking KILL THEM? I'm hating sports more than ever for what it represents in this town. It's a symbol of antidiversity. It's the symbol of a boring town, where if you are remotely capable of enjoying the beauty in a movie like Howl's Moving Castle, and are above the age of eight, you're a God-Damned freak, a social pariah... You're untouchable, unfuckable and frankly deserve to die, they just don't say that... they smile and ask "How about those Cards?" Then they try to run you over in their SUV, while living in denial that they made such scarlet lettters of RPG's, comics, toys, and animation that their suburban children have nothing left but METH.

By the time the film ended, I was overcome with tears of joy. I was joyous for the rest of the day. Simple things could, would, and should often time bring elation and delectation! Of course if a cartoon can make you weep for joy in this town... I'm fucking surprised I wasn't torn from my home and shot for being an adult male with emotions and whimsy... I can't mention imagination or intellect, they were banned in South County in the mid nineties.

Error correction: Aeghty Aeght pointed out that Red Robin doesn't show nothing but sports on their TV's. That's a good thing. I would point out that they were started in 1969 in Seattle. [Where many good geeks go when they die ;) ] and that one time he and I took the kids there, had some burgers and shakes and dropped 50 BUCKS. In a land of dreams making better money, I'll eat there once a week.

Sorry, had some HD issues....

Coming up... a belated review of Howl's Moving Castle, and a bit on a new cell phone!

Peeved!!!! "Touch base"

Anytime... ANY TIME someone on the phone says "I just wanted to touch base with you." I get pissed. Only assholes say this, assholes and complete bitches... those phonies who you wish would fall off the surface of the planet and hurtle into the sun as scorched pain ridden corpses. Anyone who says that... hates you. If you don't want to be an asshole, quit using that phrase, quit being so freaking phony! Thank you assholes for spreading the culture of hate in our lovely society.

Xena on Galactica

Boy, I do love the casting car wreck that is the current Sci-Fi crop. Richard Hatch from the classic Galactica being on the new one. The cast of Farscape basically walking out of a Stargate, to find Romy (Lexa Doig) as their doctor (and she had an appearance on 4400)... Hell Stargate was even able to eek out some Louis Gossett Jr. for us. That's some classic TV geek cred since he was one of the leads in The Powers of Matthew Star. Well... even though Kevin Sorbo is off the map for now (new baby on the way), Sci-Fi Channel was recently boasting that Xena, Lucy Lawless, is going to be on Galactica!!! PROBLEM! You might not be able to recognize her... Here's some help.

Yes, that's her. :)

The Lining's listed on Blogwise!!!

Blogwise - details about Tin Cage Lining
and Blogarama...

Yay!!! Moving up in the Blogasphere! Earning that Google rating 2/10....

Candy company has better agent than Diddy...

Look at this... Milky Way bar really satisfies scientists - Science - Features - In Depth I had read a brief about this in the paper this morning, and found myself Googleing "Milky Way Bar" too read more... alas, until they name a galaxy Reese's and find a peanut butter cup in it's center, I won't be happy ;)

Diddy must have the best agent in the world.

I remember a number of years ago reading a story about David Hasselhoff having this big concert, live on pay per view, and walking backstage during a break, and saw a white Bronco going down the Santa Monica freeway. That has to be the worst timing ever.
Last night, and even in this morning's USA Today, the fact that P. Diddy dropped his P was all over the place. Owner-operator truckers are making less right now than the kid you gave me my McBiscut and Diddy can get that type of press, while there is a war on... I am in awe of his press agent. Awe. He's changed his name more than Constantinople times any city in Russia plus the Balkans. What ever field you are in, get his agent!
Confession: I am so un-hip, a few years ago I thought he was actually a number of people with similar names. Of course, as a kid in the '80's who damn near couldn't name more than three or four bands, I thought u2 was actually a bunch of bands too...

Google Earth as an eye on history.

If you don't have Google Earth, I can't recommend a more entertaining or cheaper download. If we had had tools like this in grade school... Anyway, once you get past looking at your friends houses and figuring out if your girlfriends' car was in front of a friends house back in winter of '01-'02, or looking down on every MLB stadium to catch batting practice in session... and after you've noticed the Capitol Building is mosaiced but Area 51 isn't... or that there are some surprisingly clear pictures of North Korea, I mean stunning... you can see more shit there than in Indiana... (spooky voice) We're WATCHING YOU!!!! AFTER you've done all of that... Look at the world, the places you hear about on the news all the time, look at the countries...

They're BROWN. They're DIRT. It doesn't take long to realize that aside from Europe, Canada, US, Japan and New Zealand this planet is a piece of SHIT. Okay a CHUNK of China looks okay too... but most of this planet looks uninhabitable, there are moons of Jupiter and many parts of Mars looking friendlier than anyplace ending in -stan. You might even begin associating problems in the world with the amount of ugly a country has. Results may vary, either way Google earth is a cool toy.

My NEW Blog...

No, this one isn't going away, but there's another topic I feel strongly about. You do too. I may not even know you, but I know you do too.

It's a boring little blog.

I don't even call it a "blog", blog being short for weB LOG. So, I call it a Slog.

I hope you start one too.

Please give it a look... http://63129slog.blogspot.com/

If you blog, start one for your own Zip-code.

I update it whenever I see the price change up the street...

I wish I had started it sooner, then I would be able to look back, and more easily remind myself that exactly 360 days ago, basic unleaded was $1.10 cheaper a gallon. For every tank of gas, that's one less DVD...

DVD: Meet the Fockers

Mourning period over. Back to the soul of this lil blog.... what was it? Oh, movies and such. So I saw Meet the Fockers today. My DVD player was having a helluva time, as it does with borrowed DVD's. It's old and has little tolerence for how others store their collections, seemingly face down in birdcages. I haven't seen Meet the Parents. Actually, this may sound odd, but I don't GUSH over DeNiro, or even Hoffman. I've always liked their work, but it has always felt like a requsite love fest for both of these men. If you LOVE film, you gush like a Bratz doll over DeNiro. Screw that. Really. Actually there's nobody I really GUSH over... maybe some actresses... you know what. I'm in a bad mood. You'll be here when I get back, I'm gonna take a few minutes, maybe when I get back, I can FORCE myself to be a good moivie geek and GUSH over Robert De Niro. Okay, I'm back... boy, a phone call with Eighty-Eight can sure kill time. I'm in a better mood... wait, straing to LOVE De Niro, and... nope. Nothing. He's so good at what he does, so why don't I gush over these great actors who set the bar. Simple, that's really where the bar should be. He's a great actor, yes, but I won't gush. It's sad that we live in a world that when people do their job well it's exceptional. It's just a reminder that most people do a shittty job at anything. We brag when auto mechanics or dentists do their job well for us, when they don't screw us out of a couple bills for work that didn't need to be done. The shyster has become the norm. Phoning it in is expected. C averages and 100 IQ's all around! Yay. Expecting mediocrity leads to gushing over proffesionals. With this movie, everything is on a proffesional level. It was funny, and that was it's job. It made us laugh. We had a good time. I could complain, but comedy shouldn't be held to surgical critisism if it works. Here, it works, so why even dwell on anything to complain about? Any critic who sees a comedy and can write a positive critism, didn't really enjoy it. They're lying. With comedy it's either, I laughed or I didn't and here's a lengthy explination why you would never wish this torture on white collar criminals. It's a worthy rent. Worth more recorded off of cable. Worthless on commercial TV, as if it should ever be shown there. Okay, fine, I DO have a bone to pick with this movie... would it have been TOO MUCH to get Gwyneth Paltrow in these two movies. Have her play her mother's daughter? I've nothing against Teri Polo, except she doesn't look like Blythe Danner. I guess I should say something nice to... GUSH over something.... This is Andrew Neskoromny's BEST art direction to date. The whole art department and set design team did a damn fine job, and their work is ussually overlooked. Oh, and yes of course De Niro and Hoffman kick tail in this... they were cast, and showed up. They did what they always do, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Peter Jennings: A Eulogy

July 29, 1938 - August 7, 2005

Anyone who has known me, knew what a nightly habit "Peter" was. In our family, that name, that word, was synonymous with "news". My children even called the news "Peter". My son even "dressed" up as Peter for his first Halloween. He was only a few months old, but he did have a blue dress shirt and tie that he hadn't fussed about wearing. I wasn't about to be like so many parent and put him in one of thosefloppyy eared full body costumes that babies hate so much, so I printed up a name tag with a picture of Peter Jennings dressedsimilarlyy to put on his shirt. I never knew the man personally, the closest I have to that is an autographed photo, but knowing someone personally, for a man in his position isn't required for mourning.

An artist may die, and leave behind a catalog of work. This isn't like Stanley Kubrick dying, or even Gene Rodenberry to me. With Stanley and Gene, as artists they left behind works like Dr. Strangelove, 2001 or Star Trek. We'll always have those works at least. Both of those men in particular left works that lived on after them; A.I for Stanley Kubrick and Andromeda for Gene Rodenberry, not to mention the rest of Star Trek (an open bitching to Rick Berman here is compelling but has no place here.) This is akin to, if not worse than Jim Henson's passing.

When Jim Henson died, we felt that Kermit died to. Afictitious s character is supposed to have a quality that even artists don't, they're immortal. But, to everyone of OUR generation, Kermit will always be partly dead. There are many who can summon a likeness of his voice, I can do it well enough to please my children and those easily amused, but the true essence of him died with Jim Henson.

With artists you have art to keep. I went into this to show what a different niche Peter was in. All he did was tell the news. It doesn't sound like much. Rodenberry gave us a dream for a bettertomorroww, withoutprejudicee or poverty, but with boundless unexplored potential. Kubrick gave us intricate visions of lust, status, war...Alll perceptions of man's limitations [mostly] through arrogance. Jim Henson cultivated a spirit in a generation that could appreciate the simple, and relax in a world of ever accelerating change. A generation of kids coming up in his diminished influence arefrightenlyy uncomfortable. A vision of the future. Reflections on human weakness. Peaceful, easy going comfort in ambition and dreams. All Peter Jennings did was report the news.

How could his be the greatest loss of this group of men? He embodied what made those other three so great. To look ahead, or reflect back, you need a clarity of what is "now". Every week night, Peter provided that clarity of the world, as it was that day. Every night the news was given a purpose for how you could use it fortomorroww. It's important to pause here, and say that I stated "could use" not "should use". Many journalists are accused of having agendas, and for many intoday'ss news world, even at Peter's own World News Tonight, this is shamefully evident. With Peter, we never really knew where he stood. That was his job, to allow us to interpret the news. It is also to his credit, that he kept reigns on his broadcast to shy from the easy and the sensationalistic and appeal more than many of his rivals, to the intellect. Information to go intotomorroww, and reflection open to your interpretation. I'd like to think that Rodenberry and Kubrick would both be proud, of such a substantial day to day contribution to so many lives.

But it is in the spirit of Jim Henson that the true appeal to Peter Jennings resided. Only Kermit the Frog could have possibly delivered true anddevastatingg world events with such a calming charisma. Peter Jennings was telling you what was going on, never panicked or overtly sentimental in situations where it was uncalled for. He wasprofessionall, a calm in so many storms. No matter what he was telling me, I knew it would all be okay, even on some of the worst days in history. That, is an air of tranquility that Jim Henson, I believe, could have been proud of.

I still havecontributionss of those men, those artists, on DVD. Their art will live on, regardless ofreinventionss maintaining the integrity of their work, the originals remain as art should. The news, the events of any given day, and of the historical days...Wee have already been feeling the loss for some months. We will never again have the worlds events through such imperturbable clarity, embodied in an unmet friend. It was appreciated, and is now gone

Get a Galactica Picture Fix!!!

SuperiorPics Celebrity Forums: Battlestar Galactica Season 2 promos

Ya know. If the Cylons had built JUST women, and built enough for every man in the colonies... they'd have surrendered, gladly. Okay, I might of... you would too.

Oh, while on Galactica, mega props to Michael Hogan (Col. Saul Tigh) for playing the worst scum I think I've ever seen on TV. Damn near in anything. Mr. Hogan, I felt hate watching you these past few weeks. Worse hate than watching politicians trash real world things you really care about. There was some powerful acting mojo. If it wasn't award worthy, then it's proof awards are bullshit. Oh, Kate Vernon (Tigh's wife) gets a little credit too. They have achieved negative chemistry. When they're in a room together, you want to pry them apart with a sharp and rusty crowbar before you puke. Pure cumbustable evil when combined, yet it's never over the top or cheesy like so many attempts at that type of character dynamic.

Movie: Steamboy

Back in May, I saw Kingdom of Heaven. It's blog entry was almost entirely about a films pedigree. Well, after a 16 year wait, the guy who made Akira crawled out of his hole, didn't see his shadow, and made another feature. I've had the DVD since it came out, but waited to watch it with family. This was a special occasion. I still remember coming home with that first VHS of AKIRA. My first viewing, the first week I had it. Akira is one of my favorite movies. So, if you've seen Akira, I tend not to pay attention to movies... Then This is NOT what Steamboy is... Kaneda did not get telleported to an alternate Manchester England of 1866 where the Colonel has become A) Breetai from Robotech, B) Darth Vader C) His Father D) All of the above, piled up in a cathouse orgy of WTF!!! But, at NO point will I bitch about the characters, including the rich bitch girl who DOESN'T know weapons actually kill people. Maybe that work, it's 1866 and she's dress up like a slut in the making. Nothing but pink can touch her ass.
I bought this movie sight unseen, regardless of reviews. Based solely on Otomo's name. Whether I ever thought about wanting my money back while watching it tonight is a private matter. I won't drone on about it, for I've had to much droning. I won't go into the unspecial features... and lets see.... Nap would be pissed if I didn't say something nice... The backgrounds are amazing. It's an amazing film to watch. It just doesn't do much. It's BIG, and LOUD, with great sound... but.... It's not the layered multi-faceted amaze-fest Akira was. This is visual, and occasionally kinetic.
I don't disslike this movie at all. It's good. I'll repeat....

IT'S GOOD

Got that. But, it's not Otomo.... well, not AKIRA. This is the sad reckoning, that there will never be another AKIRA, and that Otomo, is no where close to being what we really wanted him to be, another Miyazaki.
I hope Otomo does more anime, more frequently than this... I don't want to be nearly fifty the next time I see one.
Rent it. At least to see how pretty the pictures are.

Sketchbook entry. 0002

Yay, another one. Maybe I'm on a roll... or at least back on the horse. I know it's been awhile on this guy, but some DAYS I was only getting a few minutes with him, and there was a week or more where I hadn't drawn at all. Between Eighty-Eight's soap-operatic life and the more dire factor of my wife cutting me off from non-diet soda. The only "Diet" soda I'll drink is Diet-Rite, and it is.... WITHOUT CAFFINE! Hard indeed. ;)

Trailer park roundup...

It must be boring and hot in the burbs... probably going to do a Borders run in a bit... wander around a bookstore wishing it were more quiet than it is. But, as I'm stalling on that, it was a good time to catch up on some movie trailers. We used to have to pay to see these things in front of movies we couldn't care less to see. Now we just need Quicktime. I, like a whorish bitch downloaded Quicktime 7 JUST FOR the...

Ghost Rider trailer. This one is already stinking up the place. Why, why a star? I love Nicholas Cage... but he's NOT a box office draw... frankly he's too good of an actor to be. National Treasure, Gone in 60 Seconds, Matchstick Men... Fuck. His movies shoot out right, left, sideways and crooked at all types of different audiences. So, you take a movie, lets be honest, and FX Horror / Comic book movie... and plug a STAR into the lead role of FLAMING SKULL FOR A HEAD? He's NOT supposed to look like a star... he's supposed to be a FLAMING SKULL. Changing back and forth is... OK. BUT, this movie will live and die buy the amount of time that skull head is on screen. Don't be cheap... your trailer looks cheaper than a fan film.

A Sound of Thunder: I've been waiting for you. Fuck me. ANYTHING I liked in print, has FUCKED me this year on screen. This thing has been hosed with the uncreative juice... doesn't even look like the same movie we saw trailers for a couple of years ago... but, hey, it might still have a chance, I mean, if ANACONDAS : THE BLOOD ORCHID can be good... anything can be right? Moving on...

Thumbsucker: I didn't make it up, it has to be an indie flick. Indie alert! But, Neo is an orthodontist, and (lemme to be the first to say) the era of Swingers is dead. You hear me Keypunch, the age is over... Vince Vaughn... plays a High School teacher. If you're allergic to idies, this one will go right past you... If you're a fan of Swingers... I'm talking to at leat one out there... go to apple and look at it.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Ooooo science can't work cause the DEVIL is REAL. I loved Constantine... Devils Advocate, even the Excorsist. I hate "Based on a True Story" What CRAP. IF it were based on a true story, then the title would be The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel. Of course her real story has a "Demon" who says he's Hitler, speaking with the wrong accent, and a bunch of clergy and her parents serving time for starving her to death in her bed, since they were freaked out apparently by the movie "The Exorcist". This movie doesn't look to be any of that. Based on a True Story... my ass.

Just Like Heaven: Oh crap... I should just quit now. It's Ghost... but with singles. What is this, Church? Fuck. Thanks Mel Gibson. Quick, greenlight a movie based off Prescious Moments figurines.

The Chumscrubber: Indie alert. Great cast. The Kevin Bacon Game has to be down to like 4 degrees after this one. Looks like the plot is more agnst about having a great life in white suburbia. If I could afford to live here, I wouldn't have any agnst at all. Looks.... boring.

Barnyard. I'm done. I can't take anymore. I know, and Nick Films kids CG cartoony flick... BUT if your combination of Kleenex spared man juice and one that missed making a splash on a Kotex, are old enough to sit, for over 30 minutes in a dark movie theater, and don't KNOW THAT COWS, that give MILK are NOT BOYS, as in NOT MALE. Then you are a waste of a parent. Please use birth control.

So, the parents who would raise small children to find Barnyard funny, are pretty much the ones in Chumscrubber, the demographic that Just Like Heaven and even The Exorcism of Emily Rose are trying to reach. Fuck it. Maybe Ghost Rider and A Sound of Thunder won't be that bad at all.

Oh in Ghost Rider... Peter Fonda is the devil. Nice. Too young to know who the hell he is... it's okay, the bike is purdy.