I really like this idea, although I have no verification from a legitimate entertainment news source.
Comicbookresources reports:
According to Latino Review, Steve Martin cut out of preparations for his stage play "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," playing in Palo Alto, CA. Why is this important? The allegation from a cast member's spouse is that he left to meet with Bryan Singer about taking on the role of editor-in-chief for a certain major metropolitan newspaper ... the Daily Planet's Perry White.
Latino Review has but one fault... usually they're so far ahead of the game, they're reporting meetings, etc... which DO happen, but usually its so early on that whatever they're reporting isn't definite yet, and things change after they report them.
I loved Michael McKean as Perry on Smallville, but I'd like to see Steve Martin in suspenders, too.
Friday, October 08, 2004
In case you missed it, the Scaled Composites group has claimed the X-Prize.
More importantly, civilians have taken the first step toward punching beyond Earth's gravity and taking us to the stars. I'm sorry. I can't believe this isn't the biggest news of the year.
Instead of a booster rocket, SpaceShipOne is carried into the air by this interesting craft before separating and launching from high up in the atmosphere
A crew of a few dozen people with private funding built and successfully tested a spacecraft capable of reaching space twice in a week. That's engineering. That's the kind of achievement we should be throwing parades for and fiestas and whatever the hell else.
While I'm a huge fan of NASA and government led space exploration, the fact that we live in a country and a time in which a small company can put together the technical know-how and ability to safely place a man in space and return him twice in a week? This is Wright Bros territory.
SpaceShipOne prepares to land
And yet the press treats these guys as if all they've done is eaten 50 hot dogs in a minute, or tied the land speed record or something. I mean, why don't we already know the names of these civilian astronauts? Shouldn't they be on the front page or be getting their face on Wheaties boxes or something?
SpaceShipOne returns safely to Earth
Read more about SpaceShipOne here.
More importantly, civilians have taken the first step toward punching beyond Earth's gravity and taking us to the stars. I'm sorry. I can't believe this isn't the biggest news of the year.
Instead of a booster rocket, SpaceShipOne is carried into the air by this interesting craft before separating and launching from high up in the atmosphere
A crew of a few dozen people with private funding built and successfully tested a spacecraft capable of reaching space twice in a week. That's engineering. That's the kind of achievement we should be throwing parades for and fiestas and whatever the hell else.
While I'm a huge fan of NASA and government led space exploration, the fact that we live in a country and a time in which a small company can put together the technical know-how and ability to safely place a man in space and return him twice in a week? This is Wright Bros territory.
SpaceShipOne prepares to land
And yet the press treats these guys as if all they've done is eaten 50 hot dogs in a minute, or tied the land speed record or something. I mean, why don't we already know the names of these civilian astronauts? Shouldn't they be on the front page or be getting their face on Wheaties boxes or something?
SpaceShipOne returns safely to Earth
Read more about SpaceShipOne here.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
So... if you've been avoiding watching the WB's "Smallville" because it seemed to hinge too much on being a Dawson's Creek show... The League has got both good and bad news.
The 4th season of Smallville shall henceforth be dubbed "Nakedville".
In the first two episodes, we spent an undue amount of time seeing a naked Clark Kent, and capped the episode with a naked moment from Lana Lang (craftily using a body double. Kristin Kreuk is lovely girl, but if that was her body in those shots, I'm Slim Goodbody).
Now that's either good news or bad news, depending on what you want out of your TV.
This evening's episode didn't feature a naked Clark, but it did have a naked Freak of the Week and wet and half-naked victim-guy. And there were some other various and sundry naughty scenes which are breaking new ground for Nakedville.
But here's the thing about the show which is making me uncomfortable this week, and maybe this happens all the time on the WB. You tell me. This is the only show I watch on the network.
Lana Lang is secretly dating one of the coaches at the high school. The character, 17 year-old Lana Lang, is dating a member of the faculty.
Now, she met Mr. Coach when they were both backpacking in Paris, as complained about LAST week. So, really, I didn't think much about what age the guy was supposed to be. I did think Lana's aunt is moving into criminally negligent territory for 1) leaving her frequently hospitalized niece behind in a town where she spends as much time in the hospital as out 2) letting her accident prone legally-a-minor niece go off to Europe without any supervision 3) abandoning her legally adopted niece because she met some dude who had no problem splitting legal guardian from legal liability.
Okay, so the aunt's not important, but what is creepy is that this ex-star of the Univ. of Metropolis football team is picking up high school girls in Europe and then moving to their po-dunk town and getting a job at their high school. Which makes him at least 22. Maybe 23.
So Mr. Coach is young and stupid, and he gave up Europe for Armpit, Kansas. But I think he'd at least have the common sense to know that a) this is a small town. Sooner or later, people are going to put 2-and-2 together and figure out he's dating Lana. b) this isn't just The League's prudish ways here. Faculty+student+smoochy = going to get him fired and blacklisted. And, depending on Kansas law, it could be construed as statuatory.
Begin tangential rant here: And we're supposed to believe there's a forgotten "drama room" in the school which the drama kids aren't already hiding out in to smoke cigarettes during study hall? Especially with all that cool junk in it? And what kind of budget does Nakedville high have, anyway, where they can have a room ful of props and costumes that isn't being used?
End tangential rant
Okay, League, you're tiredly saying to yourself. It's a TV show. And you're willing to accept that the guy from outer space can shoot fire out of his eyes, and yet you have a problem with the logic behind Mr. Coach?
Right, but it's dumb writing. There were a million ways to get this clown back to Nakedville from Paris. And its not that weird to have, say, a college guy dating a high school girl, or a guy working at the coffee shop, or the guy doing mime on the street or whatever... But a coach and a student... that's lazy. And the guy is going to be rich, anyway. Just watch.
Stalking your girlfriend from Paris doesn't make this guy appear romantic. It makes him the weird guy who's trolling for high school girls. Which, as my brother's criminal record can attest to, can get you in trouble.
To add to the mayhem, this season Lex (the already twice married Lex) now appears to be pining for Lana. Lex has got to be... what? 25? His Lana-love and tendency to hang out with high school kids pretty much makes Lex the billionaire Wooderson of Nakedville High.
I have to give the writers props, though. I am enjoying the Lois and Clark chemistry they're developing, and I still think that Erica-girl is making a great Lois.
Next week's Nakedville preview has hard-nosed reporter Chloe dressing up as a cheerleader and then more than likely getting naked. The League is setting the TiVO now.
I guess Nakedville is going for a lighter, sexier tone, but having a sexy plastic surgeon named "Dr. Fine" just drives the whole show toward a sort of campiness that isn't going to serve them well in the long run. I am enjoying the lighter touch for an episode or two, but after a while... let's say I hope this isn't indicative of the entirety of the rest of the season.
To make matters worse, I think I may be giving up on ABC's "Lost" already.
Given an opportunity to discover a major character's dark, dark secret, the writers used a dumb soap opera dodge so they can drag this out until I utterly don't care anymore.
Spoilers begin
Not a damn person alive would have told a wanted criminal that they didn't need to hear what the wanted criminal did wrong. Not after an FBI agent warned repeatedly about how "dangerous" the wanted criminal was. But our supposedly responsible friend the doctor tells criminal-Kate that "it's all in the past" or whatever horse hockey... That, my friends, is just stupid writing which not even the guys over at Passions would try to pull. I guarantee you, if Kate were a 400 pound dude in a Luchador mask, he would have been asking what happened.
Spoiler end
And that blonde girl is supposed to be annoying, but its working a little too well, if you know what I mean.
I am just getting a bad feeling about the way this showing is spinning into Soap Opera Island. I want to see some monsters, or I want my money back.
next time: The Legion of Super Heroes.
The 4th season of Smallville shall henceforth be dubbed "Nakedville".
In the first two episodes, we spent an undue amount of time seeing a naked Clark Kent, and capped the episode with a naked moment from Lana Lang (craftily using a body double. Kristin Kreuk is lovely girl, but if that was her body in those shots, I'm Slim Goodbody).
Now that's either good news or bad news, depending on what you want out of your TV.
This evening's episode didn't feature a naked Clark, but it did have a naked Freak of the Week and wet and half-naked victim-guy. And there were some other various and sundry naughty scenes which are breaking new ground for Nakedville.
But here's the thing about the show which is making me uncomfortable this week, and maybe this happens all the time on the WB. You tell me. This is the only show I watch on the network.
Lana Lang is secretly dating one of the coaches at the high school. The character, 17 year-old Lana Lang, is dating a member of the faculty.
Now, she met Mr. Coach when they were both backpacking in Paris, as complained about LAST week. So, really, I didn't think much about what age the guy was supposed to be. I did think Lana's aunt is moving into criminally negligent territory for 1) leaving her frequently hospitalized niece behind in a town where she spends as much time in the hospital as out 2) letting her accident prone legally-a-minor niece go off to Europe without any supervision 3) abandoning her legally adopted niece because she met some dude who had no problem splitting legal guardian from legal liability.
Okay, so the aunt's not important, but what is creepy is that this ex-star of the Univ. of Metropolis football team is picking up high school girls in Europe and then moving to their po-dunk town and getting a job at their high school. Which makes him at least 22. Maybe 23.
So Mr. Coach is young and stupid, and he gave up Europe for Armpit, Kansas. But I think he'd at least have the common sense to know that a) this is a small town. Sooner or later, people are going to put 2-and-2 together and figure out he's dating Lana. b) this isn't just The League's prudish ways here. Faculty+student+smoochy = going to get him fired and blacklisted. And, depending on Kansas law, it could be construed as statuatory.
Begin tangential rant here: And we're supposed to believe there's a forgotten "drama room" in the school which the drama kids aren't already hiding out in to smoke cigarettes during study hall? Especially with all that cool junk in it? And what kind of budget does Nakedville high have, anyway, where they can have a room ful of props and costumes that isn't being used?
End tangential rant
Okay, League, you're tiredly saying to yourself. It's a TV show. And you're willing to accept that the guy from outer space can shoot fire out of his eyes, and yet you have a problem with the logic behind Mr. Coach?
Right, but it's dumb writing. There were a million ways to get this clown back to Nakedville from Paris. And its not that weird to have, say, a college guy dating a high school girl, or a guy working at the coffee shop, or the guy doing mime on the street or whatever... But a coach and a student... that's lazy. And the guy is going to be rich, anyway. Just watch.
Stalking your girlfriend from Paris doesn't make this guy appear romantic. It makes him the weird guy who's trolling for high school girls. Which, as my brother's criminal record can attest to, can get you in trouble.
To add to the mayhem, this season Lex (the already twice married Lex) now appears to be pining for Lana. Lex has got to be... what? 25? His Lana-love and tendency to hang out with high school kids pretty much makes Lex the billionaire Wooderson of Nakedville High.
I have to give the writers props, though. I am enjoying the Lois and Clark chemistry they're developing, and I still think that Erica-girl is making a great Lois.
Next week's Nakedville preview has hard-nosed reporter Chloe dressing up as a cheerleader and then more than likely getting naked. The League is setting the TiVO now.
I guess Nakedville is going for a lighter, sexier tone, but having a sexy plastic surgeon named "Dr. Fine" just drives the whole show toward a sort of campiness that isn't going to serve them well in the long run. I am enjoying the lighter touch for an episode or two, but after a while... let's say I hope this isn't indicative of the entirety of the rest of the season.
To make matters worse, I think I may be giving up on ABC's "Lost" already.
Given an opportunity to discover a major character's dark, dark secret, the writers used a dumb soap opera dodge so they can drag this out until I utterly don't care anymore.
Spoilers begin
Not a damn person alive would have told a wanted criminal that they didn't need to hear what the wanted criminal did wrong. Not after an FBI agent warned repeatedly about how "dangerous" the wanted criminal was. But our supposedly responsible friend the doctor tells criminal-Kate that "it's all in the past" or whatever horse hockey... That, my friends, is just stupid writing which not even the guys over at Passions would try to pull. I guarantee you, if Kate were a 400 pound dude in a Luchador mask, he would have been asking what happened.
Spoiler end
And that blonde girl is supposed to be annoying, but its working a little too well, if you know what I mean.
I am just getting a bad feeling about the way this showing is spinning into Soap Opera Island. I want to see some monsters, or I want my money back.
next time: The Legion of Super Heroes.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
A special belated Thank You to Randy (who recently described The League as kooky...).
Randy located a DVD of the 1940's era Superman cartoons at Wal-Mart.
These cartoons were created by Fleischer Studios, and are a hallmark of animated achievement. In fact, the 1990's Bruce Timm/ Paul Dini batman series tried very hard to emulate the original quality of the these Fleischer cartoons in the art-deco style, dark atmosphere and Golden-Age America feel.
For my dollar, I'd just as soon catch these one-reel adventures as watch nearly any other motion-picture version of Superman. This is pure, unaltered, Seigle/ Shuster era Superman, when Superman was a sci-fi idea with limitless potential. In these cartoons, the Superman insignia (the familiar yellow and red "S" shield) is still black, yellow and red. Superman CAN'T FLY. He can jump astounding distances, but he's not really, truly airborne (ever wonder why "able to leap tall buildings in a single bound" was part of the Superman intro...?)
For more info on the cartoons, check out this link and this link to the Superman Homepage.
Thanks again, Randy! And I encourage all you folks who might see these DVD's on sale to pick them up. Cool stuff.
Randy located a DVD of the 1940's era Superman cartoons at Wal-Mart.
These cartoons were created by Fleischer Studios, and are a hallmark of animated achievement. In fact, the 1990's Bruce Timm/ Paul Dini batman series tried very hard to emulate the original quality of the these Fleischer cartoons in the art-deco style, dark atmosphere and Golden-Age America feel.
For my dollar, I'd just as soon catch these one-reel adventures as watch nearly any other motion-picture version of Superman. This is pure, unaltered, Seigle/ Shuster era Superman, when Superman was a sci-fi idea with limitless potential. In these cartoons, the Superman insignia (the familiar yellow and red "S" shield) is still black, yellow and red. Superman CAN'T FLY. He can jump astounding distances, but he's not really, truly airborne (ever wonder why "able to leap tall buildings in a single bound" was part of the Superman intro...?)
For more info on the cartoons, check out this link and this link to the Superman Homepage.
Thanks again, Randy! And I encourage all you folks who might see these DVD's on sale to pick them up. Cool stuff.
Ah... Halloween is just around the corner, my creepy little minions of morbid mirth!
And as such, The League must prepare!
Already at League HQ the decorations are in place and costumes are being planned for the annual candy dispersal. Pictures shall be forthcoming of the many chilling tsotchkes Jamie and I have dug up. We've already gotten the annual viewing of Frankenstein out of the way and will be moving through the League Library of horror favorites.
Salma Hayek atop a pumpkin is not just a good reason to celebrate Halloween, its a good reason to go on living.
This year The League has decided to try to slap together a Green Lantern outfit, just to see how many of the kids recognize who The League is. We think kids will recognize us. Jamie will once again go as perennial favorite: a bee.
A Batman-cape has already been slected for Mel. We shall see how this goes.
We haven't yet settled upon a candy to dispense, but those are details.
Because, my ghoulish guests, it's time for a little interactivity!
It's the 2004 Horrifically Hasty Halloween Heckstravaganza!
That's right, Leaguers. It's time for another creepy contest here at League HQ!
It seemed like such a swell idea at the time, just like this contest...
So what is this year's spine-chilling challenge?
It's Halloween storytime!
So dig deep into the spookiest place in your mind, slap on your writer's cap and submit a story in one or all of the following categories:
1) Best/ worst Halloween costume. Don't forget: Who, what, why, when and how.
2) Real life creepy stories, personal experience (must be SPINE TINGLING!!!!)
3) Real life scary stories, happened to someone else (must be TERRIFYING!!!!)
You may submit a story in each catgory. All entries WILL be published at The League, with a few stipulations.
1) Stories should be kept clean for the most part
2) Writers should avoid writing entire stories intended to make The League look like a jerk (this rule applies mostly to Mrs. League and Brother of League)
3) Stories MUST BE TRUE (as far as you know). False stories can be submitted to some other low-rent blog, but NOT this low-rent blog.
The Phantom contemplates what scary story HE might want to send to The League of Melbotis
Here's what's going to happen. This is your chance to get published here at The League with a truly scary story of your own. I'm going to cut and paste your story/ies and then publish. It's up to you to spell things correctly and have excellent grammar.
Try to get submissions in by Friday, October 22nd so we can spread the stories out throughout the week prior to Halloween. On the Friday before Halloween (October 29th) I will publish my favorite entry in each category. The winner will receive a grand prize worth almost $5.00 (or whatever is in the League treasury these days). All other entries will receive, oh... hell, I don't know. But if you send something in and include your snail mail, I'll send you something via USPS.
Does that sound good?
Drac waits for this Leaguer to wake up and begin her entry.
Submit all entries to Melbotis, who has our shared e-mail address over there on the left somewhere.
<------------- the arrow points to your left
This should be a frightfully good time!
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
ahem.
And as such, The League must prepare!
Already at League HQ the decorations are in place and costumes are being planned for the annual candy dispersal. Pictures shall be forthcoming of the many chilling tsotchkes Jamie and I have dug up. We've already gotten the annual viewing of Frankenstein out of the way and will be moving through the League Library of horror favorites.
Salma Hayek atop a pumpkin is not just a good reason to celebrate Halloween, its a good reason to go on living.
This year The League has decided to try to slap together a Green Lantern outfit, just to see how many of the kids recognize who The League is. We think kids will recognize us. Jamie will once again go as perennial favorite: a bee.
A Batman-cape has already been slected for Mel. We shall see how this goes.
We haven't yet settled upon a candy to dispense, but those are details.
Because, my ghoulish guests, it's time for a little interactivity!
It's the 2004 Horrifically Hasty Halloween Heckstravaganza!
That's right, Leaguers. It's time for another creepy contest here at League HQ!
It seemed like such a swell idea at the time, just like this contest...
So what is this year's spine-chilling challenge?
It's Halloween storytime!
So dig deep into the spookiest place in your mind, slap on your writer's cap and submit a story in one or all of the following categories:
1) Best/ worst Halloween costume. Don't forget: Who, what, why, when and how.
2) Real life creepy stories, personal experience (must be SPINE TINGLING!!!!)
3) Real life scary stories, happened to someone else (must be TERRIFYING!!!!)
You may submit a story in each catgory. All entries WILL be published at The League, with a few stipulations.
1) Stories should be kept clean for the most part
2) Writers should avoid writing entire stories intended to make The League look like a jerk (this rule applies mostly to Mrs. League and Brother of League)
3) Stories MUST BE TRUE (as far as you know). False stories can be submitted to some other low-rent blog, but NOT this low-rent blog.
The Phantom contemplates what scary story HE might want to send to The League of Melbotis
Here's what's going to happen. This is your chance to get published here at The League with a truly scary story of your own. I'm going to cut and paste your story/ies and then publish. It's up to you to spell things correctly and have excellent grammar.
Try to get submissions in by Friday, October 22nd so we can spread the stories out throughout the week prior to Halloween. On the Friday before Halloween (October 29th) I will publish my favorite entry in each category. The winner will receive a grand prize worth almost $5.00 (or whatever is in the League treasury these days). All other entries will receive, oh... hell, I don't know. But if you send something in and include your snail mail, I'll send you something via USPS.
Does that sound good?
Drac waits for this Leaguer to wake up and begin her entry.
Submit all entries to Melbotis, who has our shared e-mail address over there on the left somewhere.
<------------- the arrow points to your left
This should be a frightfully good time!
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
ahem.
Monday, October 04, 2004
The League is always looking to cultivate comics readership. Shamelessly campaigning for comics is one thing, but shamelessly campaigning for Superman is a little easier to slip under the radar.
Associates of The League who recently had themselves a kid may have found The League trying to win friends and influence people with the power of The Man of Steel.
Below is Isaac, seen here chillin' with Kal-El.
I think Jill sent me a picture of Arden w/ Superman, but I can't find it.
Associates of The League who recently had themselves a kid may have found The League trying to win friends and influence people with the power of The Man of Steel.
Below is Isaac, seen here chillin' with Kal-El.
I think Jill sent me a picture of Arden w/ Superman, but I can't find it.
Sunday, October 03, 2004
A Grand Day Out
That's one small step for a cat...
Mrs. League here. Jeff the Cat made his way into outer space (the backyard) yesterday for the very first time. What a brave, brave kitty. He didn't even barf or poop (his usual reaction to being removed from the safety of League HQ).
Outer space is tiring.
Mel doesn't know what the big deal is. Stupid cat.
That's one small step for a cat...
Mrs. League here. Jeff the Cat made his way into outer space (the backyard) yesterday for the very first time. What a brave, brave kitty. He didn't even barf or poop (his usual reaction to being removed from the safety of League HQ).
Outer space is tiring.
Mel doesn't know what the big deal is. Stupid cat.
Friday, October 01, 2004
A lot of people are going to want to talk about the debates. Not The League.
The League is going to want to talk about something ultimately more important, and that is: The new Burger King commercial where the dude "wakes up with The King."
This is The League's new favorite commerical. Why? This commerical:
1) Includes the return of the old 1970's Burger King mascot, The Burger King.
2) Has character in a plastic head
3) has a pleasingly disquieting way of selling breakfast
I always wonder why companies abandon mascots, but I like it even better when they bring them back. For example, I love the burger-headed guy McDonald's uses in its retro-style ads when they pretend to be a classic burger joint. So the return of the Burger King is timely and welcome.
When I think of the Burger King, I think of one of the final places I saw him before BK ditched him for... I guess Herb the Nerd.
In 1984, the Steans clan moved to Austin and frequented the BK at 183 and Anderson Mill Drive. Inside, they had free ballons for the kids, and regular air filled ballons not being good enough, they had a helium tank. It helps to know that the helium was dispensed from a mold of the Burger King's head. I believe it may have come from the mouth, but that can't be right.
Anyway, Jason and I had placed our order and were waiting for Dad to pay, and, hey... free helium, right? So Jason was just sucking back helium to make funny voices. And, so, with a brain full of helium and deprived of oxygen, dude just kind of flopped over on the floor. Which was funnier than I'm making it sound here. But all I can remember is looking for help and seeing that menacing frozen smile of The King as the curious looked over to see what that "thud" was.
Jason was okay, btw... he just went from being an honors student to being one of those kids in the back of class who doesn't talk much, likes to light things on fire and always smells like syrup.
On an unrelated note, I finally watched last night's episode of "Lost." The League is still somewhat skeptical even after two episodes, but we may have found a new show. Funny how it airs at exactly the same time as Smallville. Last year, this would have been a problem. God bless my DVR.
And, just to tease me all the more, the kid on the show was flipping through a DC comic a few years old starring the once profiled Green Lantern, Alan Scott and Flash 1, Jay Garrick. Kind of cool.
The League is going to want to talk about something ultimately more important, and that is: The new Burger King commercial where the dude "wakes up with The King."
This is The League's new favorite commerical. Why? This commerical:
1) Includes the return of the old 1970's Burger King mascot, The Burger King.
2) Has character in a plastic head
3) has a pleasingly disquieting way of selling breakfast
I always wonder why companies abandon mascots, but I like it even better when they bring them back. For example, I love the burger-headed guy McDonald's uses in its retro-style ads when they pretend to be a classic burger joint. So the return of the Burger King is timely and welcome.
When I think of the Burger King, I think of one of the final places I saw him before BK ditched him for... I guess Herb the Nerd.
In 1984, the Steans clan moved to Austin and frequented the BK at 183 and Anderson Mill Drive. Inside, they had free ballons for the kids, and regular air filled ballons not being good enough, they had a helium tank. It helps to know that the helium was dispensed from a mold of the Burger King's head. I believe it may have come from the mouth, but that can't be right.
Anyway, Jason and I had placed our order and were waiting for Dad to pay, and, hey... free helium, right? So Jason was just sucking back helium to make funny voices. And, so, with a brain full of helium and deprived of oxygen, dude just kind of flopped over on the floor. Which was funnier than I'm making it sound here. But all I can remember is looking for help and seeing that menacing frozen smile of The King as the curious looked over to see what that "thud" was.
Jason was okay, btw... he just went from being an honors student to being one of those kids in the back of class who doesn't talk much, likes to light things on fire and always smells like syrup.
On an unrelated note, I finally watched last night's episode of "Lost." The League is still somewhat skeptical even after two episodes, but we may have found a new show. Funny how it airs at exactly the same time as Smallville. Last year, this would have been a problem. God bless my DVR.
And, just to tease me all the more, the kid on the show was flipping through a DC comic a few years old starring the once profiled Green Lantern, Alan Scott and Flash 1, Jay Garrick. Kind of cool.
Thursday, September 30, 2004
So Smallville has gotten off to a fairly good start this season. And since it's Clark's senior year in high school, someone at the WB corporate office has decided to up the nakedness level by a factor of five. It's nakedness, ahoy! on the USS Smallville.
I'm neither for nor against the nakedness, but it's an abrupt change and far more interesting than my senior year of high school.
I have to say I've been thoroughly impressed by the girl playing Lois, Erica Durance. I don't know if it's the scripting or the actor or the combination of both, but they seem to have finally breathed enough life into one of Clark's potential romantic interests for me to believe Clark would actually dig on her. From the publicity stills, I admit, I rolled my eyes and thought... "ah, another WB ingenue." But this dame is okay.
Unfortunately, Clark's previous romantic interest, Lana, has now been to Europe. And if high school and college taught me one thing: beware the folks who've just been touristing in Europe, for they will now spend endless hours (1) insisting they are now more cultured and refined and no longer recognize Mequite, TX as their place of origin (2) telling you stories that are exciting only to them (3) not seeing the irony that much of what they tell you about would seem silly if the exact same situation had happened in the States, insisting it's better because That's How They Do It in Europe (4) affecting some idiotic accent that's not really from the US, but it's not identifiably European, unless there's a secret land of Pretentiovia, and that's the secret accent of all who dwell there.
I'm being a little harsh, because The League never had funds to make it to Europe, and The League is, admittedly, a little bitter about that one. But The League has decided when he finally DOES go overseas, he's going to Tokyo. He thinks he's seen most of Europe on TV now and he's ready for some Japanese fun. And, Leaguers, I wanna eat a squid.
In addition to Lana's post-vacation sure-to-be-silly-and-who-cares-? subplots, she's now ditched pink for a more continental black. Actress Kristen Kreuk has decided that the new Paris-infused-Lana is going to be cranky. Whiney-Lana was bad enough, but now we've got three years of whiney under our belt, so I'm not sure dumping cranky on top of that is going to win me over as a viewer. Especially if we're to understand being a tourist in Paris justifies a turn to crankiness.
Anyhoo... after Smallville, I watched Nova from beginning to end. I know. Nova! I hardly ever watch Nova unless it's Sunday afternoon and I'm avoiding homework.
This episode was about the likelihood of finding intelligent life out there somewhere in space. And, unlike the video we watched when I was in 8th grade science with the the evil Ms. Napper, this video was actually fairly encouraging about our chances of finding intelligent life. You know... eventually.
The show's producers didn't suggest we're going to be palling around with awesome aliens tomorrow, but in the past 15 years, it appears that astronomers and astrobiologists have come to some new conclusions based upon mounting evidence that there could be many more planets out there like our own Earth than they once believed.
Using our own planet's history, they did plug a lot of reality into the situation, and did point out we ARE the only iPod slinging species on the planet, so I can see why the presence of life on a planet might not necessarily suggest that every planet teaming with life is going to sprout a SETI dish. Nonetheless, this program was better than that video in 8th grade which basically said: we are alone on our dinky little rock. We're a cosmic hiccup. Quit looking, you morons.
Luckily, Virgin Galactic will be there to take us to our new friends when we find them. (thanks to RHPT.com for the link)
I'm neither for nor against the nakedness, but it's an abrupt change and far more interesting than my senior year of high school.
I have to say I've been thoroughly impressed by the girl playing Lois, Erica Durance. I don't know if it's the scripting or the actor or the combination of both, but they seem to have finally breathed enough life into one of Clark's potential romantic interests for me to believe Clark would actually dig on her. From the publicity stills, I admit, I rolled my eyes and thought... "ah, another WB ingenue." But this dame is okay.
Unfortunately, Clark's previous romantic interest, Lana, has now been to Europe. And if high school and college taught me one thing: beware the folks who've just been touristing in Europe, for they will now spend endless hours (1) insisting they are now more cultured and refined and no longer recognize Mequite, TX as their place of origin (2) telling you stories that are exciting only to them (3) not seeing the irony that much of what they tell you about would seem silly if the exact same situation had happened in the States, insisting it's better because That's How They Do It in Europe (4) affecting some idiotic accent that's not really from the US, but it's not identifiably European, unless there's a secret land of Pretentiovia, and that's the secret accent of all who dwell there.
I'm being a little harsh, because The League never had funds to make it to Europe, and The League is, admittedly, a little bitter about that one. But The League has decided when he finally DOES go overseas, he's going to Tokyo. He thinks he's seen most of Europe on TV now and he's ready for some Japanese fun. And, Leaguers, I wanna eat a squid.
In addition to Lana's post-vacation sure-to-be-silly-and-who-cares-? subplots, she's now ditched pink for a more continental black. Actress Kristen Kreuk has decided that the new Paris-infused-Lana is going to be cranky. Whiney-Lana was bad enough, but now we've got three years of whiney under our belt, so I'm not sure dumping cranky on top of that is going to win me over as a viewer. Especially if we're to understand being a tourist in Paris justifies a turn to crankiness.
Anyhoo... after Smallville, I watched Nova from beginning to end. I know. Nova! I hardly ever watch Nova unless it's Sunday afternoon and I'm avoiding homework.
This episode was about the likelihood of finding intelligent life out there somewhere in space. And, unlike the video we watched when I was in 8th grade science with the the evil Ms. Napper, this video was actually fairly encouraging about our chances of finding intelligent life. You know... eventually.
The show's producers didn't suggest we're going to be palling around with awesome aliens tomorrow, but in the past 15 years, it appears that astronomers and astrobiologists have come to some new conclusions based upon mounting evidence that there could be many more planets out there like our own Earth than they once believed.
Using our own planet's history, they did plug a lot of reality into the situation, and did point out we ARE the only iPod slinging species on the planet, so I can see why the presence of life on a planet might not necessarily suggest that every planet teaming with life is going to sprout a SETI dish. Nonetheless, this program was better than that video in 8th grade which basically said: we are alone on our dinky little rock. We're a cosmic hiccup. Quit looking, you morons.
Luckily, Virgin Galactic will be there to take us to our new friends when we find them. (thanks to RHPT.com for the link)
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Hey! Guess who just tracked me down? High school and college chum Madi "Mad Dog" Hinojosa.
God bless the magic of ego-driven/ self-delusional weblogging for making me dangerously easy to locate.
Last I saw of Madi, she was an English Major at UT. Well, I also thought I saw her once at a movie a few years later, but the movie was just about to start, and I didn't want to yell across the crowd. I also always think I see people I know, but then I'm wrong. It's invariably a complete stranger.
Madi is most famous for:
-reading a lot more than me (she reads those books WITHOUT pictures of people in tights)
-actually joining Amnesty International, and not just because she thought she might meet Bono
-Having a peculiar love of the original art from the AA Milne Pooh books
-Locating booze for me in college more than once
-Being the single most patient human being alive
-Is somehow related to Tish Hinojosa
-Having a perfectly formed plan to overtake North America which she just hasn't enacted yet
It's good to hear from Madi once again! Let's hope she replies to MY reply, and I get to catch up with my pal.
God bless the magic of ego-driven/ self-delusional weblogging for making me dangerously easy to locate.
Last I saw of Madi, she was an English Major at UT. Well, I also thought I saw her once at a movie a few years later, but the movie was just about to start, and I didn't want to yell across the crowd. I also always think I see people I know, but then I'm wrong. It's invariably a complete stranger.
Madi is most famous for:
-reading a lot more than me (she reads those books WITHOUT pictures of people in tights)
-actually joining Amnesty International, and not just because she thought she might meet Bono
-Having a peculiar love of the original art from the AA Milne Pooh books
-Locating booze for me in college more than once
-Being the single most patient human being alive
-Is somehow related to Tish Hinojosa
-Having a perfectly formed plan to overtake North America which she just hasn't enacted yet
It's good to hear from Madi once again! Let's hope she replies to MY reply, and I get to catch up with my pal.
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Smallville may tell the story of a young Clark Kent as he comes to terms with his destiny as Superman, but it also tells the story of a young Lex Luthor on his way to becoming a criminal mastermind.
For a quick look at WHY Lex turned evil, let's review from the pages of Superboy comics...
Yup. For years, Lex's early hairloss was the entire motivation for his criminal activity. Prior to that, he'd been Superboy's pal. I'm not really sure a lot of thought went into that one.
For a quick look at WHY Lex turned evil, let's review from the pages of Superboy comics...
Yup. For years, Lex's early hairloss was the entire motivation for his criminal activity. Prior to that, he'd been Superboy's pal. I'm not really sure a lot of thought went into that one.
All you Wallace & Grommit fans will be happy to hear that Shaun the Sheep is getting his own show!
Yay Shaun! -- Mrs. League
Yay Shaun! -- Mrs. League
Today will see the release of Smile, the lost Brian Wilson/ Beach Boys project.
It's taken 37 years, but the album is finally available.
It's taken 37 years, but the album is finally available.
How about them Cowboys?
Damn you Monday Night Football. You have swiped my Monday night away from me once again.
Damn you Monday Night Football. You have swiped my Monday night away from me once again.
Monday, September 27, 2004
Mrs. League here. If you have a cat, you might be interested in:
The Infinite Cat Project
The most bizarre thing I've seen in quite a long time, and I have *got* to get Jeff the Cat involved. I wonder what they would do with a Mel picture looking at all of the kitties?
The Infinite Cat Project
The most bizarre thing I've seen in quite a long time, and I have *got* to get Jeff the Cat involved. I wonder what they would do with a Mel picture looking at all of the kitties?
Okay.
So I'm driving into work, and the car in front of me is going sort of slow on this stretch of road which is marked as a 40MPH zone, but which is usually driven at 50-55 (it's a 4 lane road with a median).
I look up at the driver and I notice that he's:
smoking a cigarette
enjoying a cup of coffee
reading the paper
Wow. I'm not really sure if I was (a) terrified of this sort of willfull stupidity, or (b) if I really admired the guy for his moxie. Clearly, he did not have the same kind of quality instruction I once received at The Austin Driving School (who once had the odd slogan: We taught a burro to drive, people are easy). Instructor Joe would never let us smoke and drink and read while we were at the wheel, no matter how much we begged.
The guy was going the speed limit, but not with traffic... and unfortunately everyone behind me was speeding up and going around me, so I couldn't even pass the guy. I considered leaning on the horn, but I was afraid of what that would stir up if he spilled his coffee or dropped his cigarette.
How is it I can barely drive with my hands at 2 and 10 o'clock and totally focused and some guys can drive while partaking of a ritual which usually involves a couch? I am so jealous.
So I'm driving into work, and the car in front of me is going sort of slow on this stretch of road which is marked as a 40MPH zone, but which is usually driven at 50-55 (it's a 4 lane road with a median).
I look up at the driver and I notice that he's:
smoking a cigarette
enjoying a cup of coffee
reading the paper
Wow. I'm not really sure if I was (a) terrified of this sort of willfull stupidity, or (b) if I really admired the guy for his moxie. Clearly, he did not have the same kind of quality instruction I once received at The Austin Driving School (who once had the odd slogan: We taught a burro to drive, people are easy). Instructor Joe would never let us smoke and drink and read while we were at the wheel, no matter how much we begged.
The guy was going the speed limit, but not with traffic... and unfortunately everyone behind me was speeding up and going around me, so I couldn't even pass the guy. I considered leaning on the horn, but I was afraid of what that would stir up if he spilled his coffee or dropped his cigarette.
How is it I can barely drive with my hands at 2 and 10 o'clock and totally focused and some guys can drive while partaking of a ritual which usually involves a couch? I am so jealous.
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