What makes him a superhero: Mr. Terrific is not infused with super powers, per se. Instead, Mr. Terrific is, as many DC characters, born with superior intelligence, intellect and athletic ability. Terrific holds multiple PhD's, speaks dozens of languages and is trained in some form of martial arts. He's also quite the inventor, utlizing his gravity defying T-spheres for everything from video conferencing to tracking enemies to shooting lasers.
What he's about: Mr. Terrific is all about "Fair Play" (it's written on his jacket if you don't believe me). He's there to even the odds for the underdog and to make sure justice is served.
Why The League digs him: Mr. Terrific came on the scene with a minimum of fanfare in the mid-90's when DC was resurrecting the names and ideas behind several of their World War II era characters. The original Mr. Terrific was Terry Sloane, a sort of Bruce Wayne type. In 1997, Terry Sloane was fairly outdated, and so DC decided to revitalize the property by updating Terrific's origin and giving him Terry's story as inspiration.
Since then, Mr. Terrific has served as a mainstay of the JSA comics. He's quickly risen in fan popularity, and even serves as Chairman of the JSA (Justice Society of America), playing the role of cool, confident leader.
You don't see Mr. Terrific actually having to get into fights too often. Usually he's too busy outsmarting the competition.
Justice League Unlimited premieres this Saturday night.
Should be cool. Mr. Terrific, Atom Smasher, The Creeper, Green Arrow, The Question and a host of others will be making small appearances. You can also see Captain Atom, Supergirl, Dr. Fate, etc... etc...
I hope this show does well enough to continue to extend for several more seasons. DC comics, like Marvel, have a massive number of characters and stories to share. And seeing them brough to the television medium is a huge amount of fun.
Look, I know many or most of you aren't going to read a comic, but if you want to see some crazy super hero action without the shame of actually buying a comic, Justice League is the place to do it. And this episode is perfect for the uninitiated as they kick off a new series. Give it a try!
Jim may have found his entire rise to fame completely exploitive, but we can now safely quell the rumor that William Hung has not ended his meteoric rise (and life) with an intentional heroine overdose.
You know, I can definitely see how see how folks might see William Hung's fame as a bad thing. But I don't. And here's why:
Jessica Simpson's sister.
I missed the whole part where Jessica Simpson became famous, but we all know that it's not exactly like Jessica Simpson worked her way up and out of the club scene, paying her dues and performing at humiliating shows at Astroworld for years before she got her lucky break. She was a pre-packaged deal, a face for magazine covers and album jackets. Don't mind if she can't dance at all, and she has voice as bland as Kroger brand Vanilla ice-cream.
According to certain factions, we live in a meritocracy. But it ain't a perfect world, and that's not really how it works in certain realms. At least in the entertainment business, it's who you know and how you know them. Hundreds and thousands of bands can tell you: even if you do get a record deal, the chances of you getting the kind of promotion that Jessica Simpson, et al, have enjoyed is nil. That kind of marketing is based solely on marketing research and not on years of a steady build-up of fans. But, hey... it's America. If that's what the record companies want to do... whatever.
So now, riding on Jessica's coat-tails comes Ashlee Simpson. Who, you know, is some sort of rocker. Like Johnny Lydon and shit. But she is still managed by mom and dad, and she has a TV show. Never mind she's like 12, doesn't write her own music, and let's face it... she's maybe a good enough singer for a high school production of Annie, Get Your Gun.
Does this mean we should automatically dislike Ashlee? Nah. Again, this is America. If Ashlee Simpson turns your crank, best of luck to you. But at least recognize her as being as pre-packaged as a Happy Meal.
Then I think: When Avril Lavigne was announcing Grammy nominations and misprounced David Bowie, shouldn't she have been euthanized just then? I'm no music snob, but, I mean... holy moley. This girl is making MILLIONS of dollars, and she's a cardboard prop. And she can't identify one of the most important pop stars of the past forty years.
So maybe William Hung doesn't know who David Bowie is either, but he knows what he likes. And, darn it, he at least TRIES to know something about the tunes he likes. And he was willing to go all out at the AI auditions. And he took his rejection with grace, which is more than you can say for most of the bozos who pass before the AI tribunal.
So William Hung sucks. So what? So does 90% of what comes out in any given year.
My point is, if Ashlee Simpson is given carte blanche to make millions of dollars with her talentless self, then why can't William Hung? Because he doesn't have a pretty, talentless sister?
I'd like to see William Hung rewarded for daring to dream in a cynical world. He doesn't have parents working around the clock to get him face time with record producers and record execs. Nope. Instead he stood in line and patiently waited his turn and gave it his all when the opportunity arose. How many of us can say we did the same?
So he's a little goofy and sweetly-naive? And unsure of what to think, folks want to write their own readings onto the William Hung phenomenon. You cannot honestly say that you think William is doing this with anything but the best of intentions. So as long as he gets a big fat check at the end, I'm happy for the man. I hope he makes a billion dollars.
Hmmm... this tells me absolutely nothing. After Warner Bros.' last foray into superherodom with Catwoman, I am a bit overly skeptical. However, it all looks fairly accurate to the comics.
I'll be curious to see if the studio sees fit to foist an unnecessary love interest upon Batman once again.
Just watched a chunk of a PBS documentary called "People Like Us".
There was a section in which they attempted to use high school as a microcosm to demonstrate the formation of class consciousness at a young age. As you can imagine, the producers let the rich kids talk long enough to sound like real boneheads and like a bunch of ignorant and bigoted maroons.
Funny thing.
The high schools they interviewed were some Austin, TX high schools. The rich kid school being Anderson high school. You know, I went to high school briefly in Austin and I don't remember it having a reputation for being full of rich a-holes. Upper middle class a-holes, yeah. But rich a-holes? That was reserved for the Westlake kids when I was in Austin. (ex: they had astroturf on their high school football field).
Nonetheless, it's a good doc. Worth watching, even if it makes you uncomfortable from time to time.
Oh, and the guy who runs UT's film department was somehow attached in the credits. I should have scrolled back on my DVR to see if I knew anybody, but I went and changed the channel. If anyone from Austin knows anything more about this doc, let me know.
Not so much loathsome as amusing, Mr. Warren Roderick Ashe is a real card. In his Votesmart Bio he tells us "I have poetry, music, television publications that have remained a publication secret in Radio and television broadcasting." Huh? He is also has special talents in "Astronautical and Astrophysics computer math involving saucer technology and time travel."
Scaljon
Kucinich. What could be appealing about the Bela Lugosi look? And what did you do to Willie Nelson, you freaky SOB?!
Harms
The Republican president has already lowered the bar so low that this question doesn't make much sense anymore.
Valdez
No Answer
Nord
a. Wesley Clark - paper general, paper candidate b. Albert "Al" Hamburg - Crazy MF from Wyoming
The League posts a vote
This all seems so moot this week. Didn't see a plurality here. So, uh... I gotta go with Maxwell on this one.
Best book you read
Jim D.
The Time Traveler's Wife
Jamie
Identity Crisis. Because it's the only one anyone here might also have read and it made me want to cry
Jilly
all of them are boring but dissertation necessary
Randy
No answer
Maxwell
Just finished Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera, a sprawling classic story of unrequited love that is "unfaithful, but not disloyal". Also enjoyed Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees even if it is everyone's favorite book of the month to trash.
Scaljon
The Templars, by Piers Paul Ried
Harms
What Should I do with my life - Po Bronson A Scanner Darkly - PK Dick
a. Inside Al Qaeda by Rohan Gunaratna b. Memoirs of U.S. Grant (in progress)
The League doesn't read books without pictures
And the stuff we read this spring for school was boring. Looks like a nifty book list for people looking for a good read. I can safely recommend "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" as not just a biography, but an excellent peak into a part of American history and culture which was not so long ago, but might as well have been a million years ago.
Other blogs of wonder
Jim D.
Rationator Mirus (Nord)
Jamie
Musings of the Queen Mum. I wonder if this *is* a blog....
Jilly
don't read any others (aren't you flattered?)
Randy
No answer
Maxwell
In addition to the blog that got me started, Pamie.com, and my entire blogroll, new blogs Verbose Coma and The 'soon to be added to blogroll' Rage Diaries rock my socks.
Scaljon
hmmm... so many to read. I like baseball musings
Harms
boingboing.net
Valdez
No Answer
Nord
a. Electronic discovery blogs b. The chinese sex-blog that caused a ruckus in the republic.
The League
See the blogroll
Which former POTUS (President of the United States) do you know least about, but want to know more?
Jim D.
Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce
Jamie - it appears that Jamie believed I was referring to which member of the band "Presidents of the United States" did she wish to know more about...
Chris Ballew. Because 'Kitty' is an *awesome* song. (btw I just found out they are releasing a new album soon!)
Jilly
Jimmy Carter
Randy
No answer
Maxwell
MARTIN "The Little Magician" VAN BUREN
(editor's note: it appears Maxwell has joined The Van Buren Boys)
Scaljon
Franklin Pierce
Harms
Polk - I just picked a random one out of the bevy of presidential streets in the Fillmore / Marina districts of San Francisco
(editor's note: please refer to They Might Be Giant's Album "Factory Showroom" for more info on Polk)
Valdez
No Answer
Nord
a. Zachary Taylor b. Chester A. Arthur
The League takes to the Bully Pulpit
Looks like Franklin Pierce is our winner. I'll see what I can do to learn more about the man myself. Unfortunately, I have 100 pages left to go in the Roosevelt biography, and then I have to read the next 800 page volume of "Theodore Rex". Maybe I'll take a little break in between and read up on Pierce. I do recall some info on Pierce from my days as a history major, but jeez... not much.
maybe I'll do a little report. Right now, The League promises nothing.
And that's it
Stick a fork in me. I'm done. Next time I'm making this easier for all of us.
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
I forgot to mention, as Nord already has, that Unky George has given a name to my pain.
Star Wars, Episode III shall be entitled: Revenge of the Sith
Well, good for Unky George, then. When I was 21 years old I could not envision a world in which Star Wars was not the be all and end all of what I loved about movies. Insert Episode I, and then a helping of Episode II, and voila! Ambivalence.
I was duped into seeing the last two movies at the midnight premiere. Never again. Maybe a Tuesday matinee, if I get around to it. Sure, I want to see how UG tries to tie it all together for me. And, sure, I want to see what I assume to be the final installment in the franchise.
Or maybe I'll go rent Spaced Invaders or something. I haven't decided yet.
The construction of the Chick-fil-A at Stapely and US60
Jilly
Reagan's death. Most tragic: the endless coverage
Randy
No answer
Maxwell
The breakup of Barbie and Ken. Traditional family values? I don't think so. Everyone knows those two have been kinking it up for years.
Scaljon
charlie murphy's true hollywood stories becoming available for download online.
Harms
The Cardigans release their new record, "Long Gone Before Daylight"
Valdez
The kidnapping of Audrey Seiler. The survellience video of this University of Wisconsin-Madison sophopmore was replayed for days on major news networks. Turns out, she faked her own abduction. Oops.
Nord
a. The long-anticipated death of Ronald Reagan. b. The Siege of Fallujah.
The League ponders recent tragedy
The League technically finds that the sale of the Paris Hilton video on DVD under the title "One Night in Paris" to be the least tragic event (a portion of all proceeds go to charity. No. Seriously. I think this is a real first).
It seems a portion of Loyal Leaguers took the partisan route and placed the death of Reagan as being least tragic. Perhaps this sentiment was amplified due to the endless coverage of... well, not much going on... and then the move to place Reagan's name and visage on every Federal building, coin, mountain, etc... may have seemed like overkill.
I gotta give Valdez some props for bringing up the self-created melodrama of the Audrey Seiler case. Man, was that ever annoying. Nothing like letting your little pity party turn into a national crisis.
(editor's note: what did happen? Well, a few things. Just when I should have been working on "A Present for Randy", my semester at work came to an end which means a lot of work. Simultaneously, I need to overcome months of procrastination on a project for the grad class I'm taking. So, Randy, I apologize. But no need to wait any longer, because Molly won. You shall be receiving your present whenever I get around to ordering it for you.)
Jamie
The recap of 'Home on the Range'. Because you made me relive it
Jilly
Hmm. You're brilliant, so all of the topics must be. (this is the kiss ass answer. Notice it comes right before the naming of my child)
Randy
No answer
Maxwell
I guess, after reviewing the archives, Friday 2/6/04: I saw Bowie last night. You did not. Because, yeah, you did see Bowie last night. And I did not.
Scaljon
No Answer
Harms
I find it all equally ... equally ... equal.
Valdez
No Answer
Nord
a. Anything to do with new comic hero logos. b. Anything to do with new comic hero uniforms.
(editor's note to Mr. Nordstrom Smarty Pants: I have never covered either topic. Just everything else regarding superheroes. But just for you, one day I shall wax philosophic on Superman Red/ Superman Blue)
The League Strikes Back:
Clearly Jilly wins for her insightful answer. These days I am voting for "The 2004 Mellies".
Best item at Taco Bell
Jim D.
Chicken Baja Gordita Chalupa (Nacho Cheese)
Jamie
Cinnamon Crispies
Jilly
ugg
Randy
No answer
Maxwell
We here at Cowgirl Funk HQ in a nod to the vegetarian days keep it real with the taco bell bean burrito.
Scaljon
much like kmart, taco bell sucks
Harms
The plain old taco. Simple in its conception, flawless in its execution
Valdez
Mexican Pizza. Two crisp pizza shells filled with seasoned ground beef, hearty beans and then topped with pizza sauce, a blend of three cheeses - cheddar, pepper jack and mozzarella, melted to perfection and topped with diced ripe tomatoes and fresh green onions.
Nord
a. Double Decker Taco b. Beef taco, no lettuce
The League makes a run for the border
I always dug the chicken soft taco, but these days I'm kicking it vegetarian style, so I no longer chow down on my formerly feathery friends. These days I'm going along with Maxwell and the bean burrito.
However, once again Jilly wins, as she accurately describes how I feel each time I complete a meal at Taco bell, no matter what I eat.
This movie was meant squeeze the last cash out of the first season American Idol winner and runner-up. Fortunately (I guess) Kelly Clarkson is still able to sell records to somebody out there, so it's not all a loss. Unfortunately, Justin Guarini (the Justin of From Justin to Kelly, and first-runner up from AI Season 1) was already let go from his record contract after lackluster sales of his premier album.
I had watched most of AI Season 1, and had not really supported either of the two finalists.
With that context in mind, From Justin to Kelly (henceforth FJTK) hit cable roughly... oh... roughly six months after Guarini was back sacking groceries at the Winn-Dixie. I hope he has a good broker.
This movie surpasses so many others in it's awesome badness. Nothing is good in this movie. Not the plot, not the script, not the concept, not the constumes, not the casting, not the dancing, the music or the lighting.
The semitalented stars of AI light up the silver screen
The story, as I have pieced together from watching bits and pieces on cable, is this:
Kelly comes to Florida for Spring Break from Texas (I'm not sure dissecting her decision to forego the equally popular Texas coast is necessary) in order to get away from, basically, Texas or the south or somewhere. Rest assured, according to Hollywood, you MUST GET THE HELL OUT OF WHEREVER YOU ARE FROM AND GO TO WHERE THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE ARE. You know. LA.
I have to tell you, I watched a good chunk of this movie, and I got more out of the synopsis on the web-site about what was happening than anything I saw in the movie. In fact, as lacking in plot as FJTK is, I wasn't really aware the characters were supposed to have any motivation.
But FJTK is nothing, if not a musical. And it is nothing if not a poorly directed musical.
The first sign of music that I recall is some really, really good rapping and beat boxing by Justin and his "Playah" friend with whom he has come to Florida. While a family-friendly movie, the Playah is there to get laid, and his tools of the trade are about as refined as those of Grease's T-Birds. The largest danger is not that your kid is going to learn something he shouldn't from this movie, but that your kid will believe he or she will ever be able to talk to anybody like this without getting punched in the crotch. Because this guy seriously needs to be punched in the crotch.
Now, Kelly's introduction bears what will most surely be a controversial criticism, but a criticism nonetheless.
Kelly Clarkson is a lovely girl, pie-faced though she might be, and she is a decent singer and dancer and blah blah blah.
Kelly is also the least attractive girl to appear in the movie, and not the strongest singer.
I don't know where they cast this movie, but every character in the cast is camera/ swimsuit friendly, can dance their pants off (the choreography being what it is), and can sing like a pro. Except for, sadly, our friend Kelly Clarkson. Who is lovely. But with the rest of the cast uniformly beautiful and synchronized, Kelly's Elaine-like dancing and "prettiest girl at her 2A school" looks, it's kind of... sad.
Especially as, after tossing off all of her opening lines about not needing a guy, or doubting she'll meet one or blah blah blah "look what a normal, chaste girl I am", Clarkson then leads everyone on the beach in some dirty dancing involving beach balls and lots of hip grinding.
At this point, I might add that Justin Guarini is also not, exactly text-bbok attractive, and he sort of acts like an ass throughout the film, so why Kelly is so interested in Justin is impossible to determine. It might help to know that Justin gets into a fight with Kelly's Texas boyfriend (who wears a ten-gallon hat), and the dispute is resolved with a jet-ski race. I might add that this is how the Steans clan likes to resolve it's difficulties. So don't piss me off, lest I RACE YOUR ASS.
Anyway, Kelly kind of meets Justin, gets shy and... you know... the plot is totally irrelevant and involves a lot of text-messaging. And dancing. Lots of bad dancing and worse singing. And I probably wouldn't have noticed that they used the same twenty dancers, except one dancer has neon red-hair, as if to say "look, I may not be all that talented, but I'm interesting to look at, and I know this movie is going to suck, but I want to be able to point myself out easily when I rent the DVD".
The movie ends with Justin and Kelly finding each other on the beach and... Jesus, does it really matter? Anyway, they sing and dance to their own unique cover of "That's the Way (Uh-huh Uh-huh) I Like it (Uh-huh Uh-huh)" to end the movie.
But the real question remains: What, exactly, is being given from Justin to Kelly? The AI crown? The chance to look less ridiculous than himself in a movie? Or, God forbid, his sweet, sweet lovin'? We may never know. And we may not want to.
Wow. What a great movie. It's too bad it signals the end of all that it is good.
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Upon Randy's advice, I have switched from Squawkbox to Haloscan.
All is going swimmingly.
All my old comments are gone. Hope you wrote down and saved anything you said you found particularly clever.
I shouldn't admit this, but I'm watching the early 80's movie of Annie with Aileen Quinn. What the heck ever happened to Aileen Quinn? And if I am not mistaken, FDR just leapt out of his wheelchair to sing "Tomorrow" with Annie, Eleanor and Daddy Warbucks.
This movie rules.
Oh, Randy. I bought that Eightball comic. It was pretty good.
I leave Leaguers to go off and discover this one on their own, but I seriously don't think I ever quit laughing during the entire length of this movie from the opening credits until the last frame.
And I don't know who the actors are who played Napolean and Pedro, but these guys are geniuses. And watching this film, once again, I was forced to say it:
Damn. I haven't kept up with Shark Week in years, but there was a time (in the early 90's... must have been late high school or early college...) when I tuned in to every night of Shark Week for several years in a row.
I drifted away at some point as they began to recycle old docs from previous years... but now I'm watching Primal Scream, and this show is freaking me out.
I took Scuba lessons in middle-school and did some diving between middle-school and early college. And ever since I started diving, one of my two or three recurring anxiety dreams has involved being trapped in an enclosed structure with a scuba tank, very little air, and a large shark who hasn't yet realized I'm hiding in the corner. Lately, the dream takes place in open water (which is, coincidentally, the name of a new scary movie about this exact topic).
I don't think that I ever die in the dream, but who knows?
What does the dream symbolize? I think it's my fear that the Austin Public Library will come find me for not returning that book on trains I checked out in 1996.
Sorry for the break in Melly postings. We've had some recent turns of events in La Familia which were unfortunate, unavoidable and not a lot of fun. This has also interrupted my workout schedule. Which meant that tonight was my frist trip back in a week. Tonight sucked. It's like starting all over.
Must never miss a whole week again.
I may be switching to Haloscan as per the recommendation of RHPT.com. RHPT.com is wise like Papa Smurf.
Anyway, on with the show!
Best television commercial
Jim D.
The trailer for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Jamie
The ING commercial with the talking kitties. Because one of them is wearing a monacle
Jilly
the master card ads with the dog that looks like my dog
Randy
No answer
Maxwell
The Six Feet Under Promo featuring the amazing Nina Simone, the Red-hot Lauren Ambrose on roller skates, and Peter Krause x 2.
Scaljon
isn't there a good one with monkeys out there now? if not, then we'll go old school with the Mssr. Cheppy e-trade ad.
Harms
iPod ads. They have defined a whole decor motif, launched a thousand parodies, and launched the careers of several artists. Even if you don't like them they have been incredibly influential.
Valdez
This Honda commerical. According to numerous websites, this ad was shot in one take. Not true. My sister works for The Mill, who did the post-production effects.
Nord
a. http://www.fuckallyall.com/article2007.html b. The Screaming Kid in the Grocery Store Birth Control Commercial
The League watches TV, too...
and yet a single commerical from the past six months doesn't really pop into my mind. I mean, the Quizno's Sponge Monkeys had a certain je ne sais quoi, but those commercials appeared terribly ineefectual, and weren't my favorite ads.
I guess the Dennis Haybert Allstate ads qualify as pretty high up there, as they did lead The League to throw our endorsement behind the man for POTUS. But, again... not my favorite ads.
Oh, and, uh... since there's no plurality or anything for a winner, I say that Scaljon's answer wins as it shows not his desire for an actual product, but his desire for a certain, chimpy, form of salesmanship.
Clearest, bluest day
Jim D.
Wednesday, March 24, 2004 - At 4:45 p.m. CST, on this day, my niece, Olivia Alexandra Dedman, was born in Columbia, South Carolina
Jamie
May 8. Because it was so clear that I almost passed out at the animal park
Jilly
The day I realized that, indeed, Ryan 2 would be the perfect name for our child. In fact, the name will be Ryan 2 Jamie Steans Hermann-Wilmarth. Regardless of sex, of course.
Randy
No answer
Maxwell
June 8, 2004. For Art and Mudpies out of the clear blue sky
Scaljon
day after i was accepted to law school
Harms
In Northern California all the days ending with "day" are clear and blue. A day that was particularly good was the day at Bondi when I caught my first real wave and rode it all the way to the shore with a few sweet turns.
Valdez
No Answer
Nord
a. April 3, 2004. Although it was a bit cloudy in Central Park, 'tis a day that will shine forever. b. Sunday, May 31, 2004. A wonderful 2 hour round of golf.
It's always blue in Arizona... and The League thinks that's half the trouble...
Sunshine has come to mean grueling heat in the mind of The League. It means it's hot as hell between May and October (although I might say that, as I type this, it just began to rain).
My clearest, bluest day...? I dunno. But every day is clear and blue when Jamie is around.
Best candy
Jim D.
Tear Jerker Sour Gumballs
Jamie
Hot Tamales
Jilly
sweet tarts--satisfy all of my pregnancy cravings
Randy
No answer
Maxwell
Jason Lewis. Yummy.
Scaljon
jujy fruit.
Harms
Sour gummy peaches - so tangy, so sweet, so citric. Keeps scurvy away - Arr!
Valdez
No Answer
Nord
a. M&Ms. b. Whatchamacalit
The League
Hot Tamales, fool!
But I gotta say, this inspires me to try the few on this list I haven't yet tried.
Especially Gummy Peaches, which sound like either they'd be real good or real bad.
Archives
