Idle Speculation

I am not a detective. I don't have any clues other than what's on CNN. But does the whole thing with this Karr guy getting picked up in Thailand for the death of JonBenet Ramsey not just feel... off?

Like most folks, back in 1996 I assumed that JonBenet's death had been at the hands of a family member. A few years ago I was watching a news magazine program or true-crime show (thought I think it was Dateline or 48 Hours) and they brought on a retired federal agent who had gone into business as a consultant and had eventually been hired by the Ramseys. Since watching that guy, who always seemed a lot more credible than the Sherriff's Dept. of Boulder, CO, I've more or less believed that the Ramseys didn't committ any crime. Or else they went way out of their way to leave evidence pointing to someone else and the Boulder cops didn't pick up on it.

Anyhoo, I'm willing to put money down that this Karr guy may have committed many crimes in his life, but that he was not in Colorado on the night of JonBenet Ramsey's death. That said, it would be nice to see the actual perpetrator brought to trial.


COMICS

Well, Leaguers, you've probably noticed a sad lack of reviews around here, but you guys also haven't really been clamoring to find out what's going on with the All New Atom or anything, so until I'm in a state of mind to jump into reviews, etc... once more, you will have to go without.

If I had to make some suggestions:

The new Checkmate series by Greg Rucka is written so well it makes my head hurt. It's rife with the frustating political tango/ espionage sort of stories that makes you want to pull your hair out, but you suspect is a lot closer to how the real world works than you want to spend the energy thinking about. Well characterized, mature stories, nice art and, hey... it's got Mr. Terrific! The League loves Mr. Terrific.

All-Star Superman continues to be very good. I'm eagerly anticipating issue #5.

The first issues of the post OYL core Batman titles are uniformly good. The new editorial team has already pulled Batman out of the endless cycle of being a jerk to everyone around him.


You Say Goodbye, I Say Wha-?

So, I was supposed to end my job on August 25th, but I pushed the date back to September 8th. My co-workers had already planned a goodbye party for me, so on Wednesday I had a pretty elaborate good-bye party.

We had a nice ice cream cake and apparently everyone was given a dollar limit and told to go buy me a Superman themed gift. So, consequently I am now the proud owner of the Superman Returns Heat Vision Scope, a Superman basketball and severla other Super items. Plus a red towel with a super-logo taped to the back. I tacked that to the wall, cape style. It looks sharp.

As I'm not gone yet, it was a bit like attending your own funeral. At UT I went to the party, said my good-bye's, went back to my office, checked my e-mail and left. Here I have to start a new semester and continue through what is our busiest time of the year for the next few weeks.

Anyhow, it's nice to know the people you work with can at least fake liking you. I was both genuinely surprised and moved. I sort of expected a happy hour and that would be that.

What Up With The League?

DC Direct... it is as if you can read my mind (such as it is).

Can a Helen Slater Supergirl statue be far behind? Well, probably, yes. But I'm betting 2008 gets us a Christopher Reeve Superman.

Whoo-Hoo! Wonder Woman. My first and oldest crush.


Today has been sort of crazy. Again. We agreed to an offer on our house. So... now we have to have the house inspected, have something called an LSR approved, and then wait for some interminable amount of time for full loan approval for Ryan of Earth-3.

We've got a few days before we can move from "active-with contingency" to "pending". The whole pending thing is key, because it means that realtors are far, far less likely to keep showing League HQ to the public. Which means we can live in our house again and breathe.

But it also means we can start thinking about a house in Austin. Hopefully the future League HQ we'd picked out will still be available. Otherwise, we gotta head back to town and start looking again. Bleh.

Honestly, I totally DO NOT understand the house buying/ selling thing. You can't buy a different house until you sell your own house. So, what I don't get is that, if all goes well, we're supposed to close on the 15th. Which means that, in theory Ryan of Earth-3 could move in his stuff that day. Which means we have to move our stuff out by the 14th. BUT, because it takes about the same amount of time to run the process for us on our end, we would probably close after the 15th.

My point is, for all the houses that are bought and sold in the US, I've as of yet heard a satisfactory explanation for how people usually get their stuff from one place to another, and where the hell their stuff is inbetween houses. If we're out on the 14th, doesn't it stand to reason we should already have a place for it to be on the 14th?

Of course we keep hearing stories of gloom and doom about how someone's loan can fall through at the 11th hour and we'd be stuck with a house we now can't afford because we have two mortgage payments, plus we're stuck with having to put the house on the market again.

It seems like there's got to be a smarter way to do this, but nobody seems to know what it might be.

All very confusing.

Comic Dorkout

Is it just me, or did Civil War: Frontline #5 dip into DC territory?

Essentially setting up The Negative Zone as Marvel's answer to The Phantom Zone, complete with a Kingdom Come-style Gulag.

However, this is Marvel U which is usually set up to not have quite the crazy technology or have characters popping around between dimensions at will. I get the whole Gitmo thing, but this series is turning into a well plotted and scripted, yet somehow ham-handed, allegory. Okay.

So... Just who the heck built that Negative Zone prison thingy? Normally I don't dwell on these sorts of tidbits, but I was just having a hard time buying government contractors hanging out in the Negative Zone for the year or so it would take to build a facility of the scope that they're suggesting. Which also suggests a massive government payout to build the thing, not to mention the fact that we're only a few months into Civil War, which may mean the facility has been there for quite some time.

In the DCU you can build a massive underground evil-shrine/ terrorist complex under a major metropolitan area and nobody will notice. Marvel's never really been into anything that wacky.When a transdimensional fortress appears in the DCU, there's usually some sorry explanation like "We contacted Orion and Big Barda and they brought us New Genesis technology, which we used to construct the facility in a few weeks". You just sort of learn after a while of reading DC books that this sort of stuff just sort of occurs.

So, no wonder Annihilus is so irritable these days over in Annihilation. He's got all these humans in his front yard, tearing the place up. It would make me want to destroy the universe, too.

And uhmmm...


(located by Superman Homepage)

1) For Jim...

Who is making the great escape.





2) Sometimes even The League doesn't know what to make of some Superman fandom.

I can't believe it's butter.


3) I don't think we're going to jinx it, so I'm going to go ahead and share this:

Some dude named Ryan has made us an offer on the house.

Apparently he's a big comic geek.

I don't even know what to make of that.

I hope he enjoys our Spider-Man wallpaper border. And getting my junk mail.


4) This means we can probably move forward with thinking about departing for Austin.

5) I have a vision of Jason sitting on my front porch with his guitar, pickin'n'grinnin.

6) I'm pretty busy. Tonight has been sort of odd and crazy.

7) Flavor of Love Season 2 is somehow even more disturbing than Season 1. I can't look away.

8) I have no way to document or prove it, but I was flipping channels this evening and went past an infomercial where they had printed across the bottom of the screen that a woman had achieved "FINANACIAL SUCCESS".

sound it out, kids... sound it out...

Arden Update



Arden continues to rock out...

This photo reminds me of a fine tune by the Presidents of the United States of America.

Poke & Destroy

Girls, girls, girls, girls are so polite
They don't crush everything that they see
You can take 'em to a funky funky forest with big glass spiderwebs
Hangin' from the ceilin'
They wouldn't feel the uncontrollable urge
To tip and push and kick and rip and tear and smash and squish and...

Poke and destroy
Poke and destroy
Poke and destroy
I'm a boy, I wanna poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy
Poke and destroy
Poke and destroy
I'm a boy, I wanna poke and destroy!

([Spoken:] "Poke and Destroy")

I want to poke!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

(and destroy!)

Boys, boys, boys, boys are set to kill
They wanna crush everything that they see
You could take 'em to a creepy museum with dinosaur bones
Hangin' from the ceilin'
They'd feel the uncontrollable urge
To tip and push and kick and rip and tear and smash and squish and'

Poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy!
I'm a boy, I wanna poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy!
I'm a boy, I wanna poke and destroy!

(poke, poke, poke, poke, poke, poke, poke, poke, poke, poke, poke and destroy!)
I want to poke!

(kick it down, rip it down, burn it down and kick it! Yeah!)
And destroy

(and we'll do it 500 more times!)

Ahhhh...Ahhhh...Ahhhh...Ahhhh!

Out in the wild with a girl I know
She see a little thing in the sand
She pretend to leave it alone, leave the creature in it's home
But I don't understand

If I find a delicate thing
I wonder how it would look split at the seams
Girls talk, say "it's beautiful"
I gotta poke it to know it, I gotta LIGHT IT ON FIRE AND...

Poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy!
I'm a boy, I wanna poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy!
I'm a boy, I wanna poke and destroy!
Poke and destroy! (and destroy)
Poke and destroy! (and destroy)
Poke and destroy! (and destroy)
Poke and destroy! (and destroy)
Poke and destroy! (and destroy)
Poke and destroy! (and destroy)
Poke and destroy! (and destroy)
I'm a boy, I wanna poke and destroeeeee...ahhh...(cough cough)...ahem!

Letter from Nathan

Hi Ryan,

I thought this might be of interest to you and Superman fans around theLeague.

When I found out earlier this year that the "Richard Donner Cut" of Superman II would be coming out in the fall, I began to wonder if all the product placements would still be in the film. After all, wasn't some 75%of the footage for Supes II already in the can when the Salkinds wrested the film away from Donner? And then wasn't it re-shot? The memo on this page seems to indicate that as late as 1979, new footage was being shot for product placements (and more action). The document is from Marlboro, who received an amazing 20 mentions in the film. A far cry from "You know, you really shouldn't smoke, Lois."

http://tobaccodocuments.org/youth/AmCgPMI19791018.Lt.html

I'm thinking the Donner cut will have fewer product placements. By the way, the current "Superman Returns" also reminded me of this whole thing when Superman drank himself a tall cool Budweiser with Jimmy Olsen. And then went flying to save that airplane! (editor's note: in Superman Returns) Not a good message.

--Nathan

We all saw Superman III, and we're just glad Superman didn't manage to get his "mean drunk" on. Although I remember, as a kid, almost jumping out of my seat when Clark kicked Red-K Superman's @ss. I need to review again, but did Superman hook up with the blonde in Superman III? I kind of think he might have...

FUN FUN FUN

I was re-reading some recent postings and it's nothing but a litany of the drudgery of moving. Bleh. I said from the outset that it would be some heavy lifting, but I didn't mean for it to come back to Loyal Leaguers as a dull recitation of our status.

So what's fun?

"Talladega Nights" turned out to be really funny. I usually want to hit people with a frying pan when I hear that they aren't going to the movies for any reason other than to be passively entertained. I do not accept that you should "turn off your brain" when you sit down in a movie theater. Usually that's the last, gasping excuse someone uses when you start to tear apart a movie for being woefully inconsistent and insulting to the viewer's intelligence. I don't think "Talladega Nights" is the Citizen Kane of NASCAR comedies (that title now and forever belongs to "Six Pack", starring Kenny Rogers). But Talladega Nights does well what so many Apatow/ Ferrell movies have done over the past few years: it manages to make jokes that work terrifically well as part of a very silly universe just next door to our own. The story isn't anything we haven't seen before, but it also isn't just a lame excuse to foist a character upon us and then let the character appear in set pieces (just think virtually any SNL skit-to-movie translation). In short, the movie has it's own internal logic and character arcs that are all tied up neatly in order to ensure that everything else can hang on the internal structure.

I'm overthinking this. Anyway, the movie is funny. Go see it. Everyone in it is hilarious. For some reason they cut Michael Clarke Duncan's funniest part and put it back in during the closing credits. You still get to see it, so I guess that's okay. I'm a fan of the "Smokey and the Bandit" insert of outtakes for comedies.


Rumors are swirling for a Superman Returns Sequel. I'm also eagerly awaiting the final announcement from Warner Hoem Video regarding what DVD's we can expect for the Fall. There's a new boxed set of the Reeve movies with a lot of additional material set to be released, the Donner version of Superman II (the Zod movie), and, of course, whatever they decide to do with Superman Returns. There was supposed to be a 14-disc collector's edition of Superman Returns, plus the Reeve movies, but I have no idea if that will happen now or not. I'm seeing a lot of conflicting reports.


Yes, I will be going to see Hollywoodland.


I am now obsessed with the idea that I chose NOT to pick up New Gods #1 at Austin Books. Argg... and I also thought I had Mister Miracle Vol. 3, Issue #7.... but I don't. So now I need to get that issue to truly complete my Mister Miracle collection. Then I shall feel free to move on to New Gods, Forever People and Jack Kirby's Fourth World.


The item I still dream about, my personal Holy Grail? Action Comics #252.

Also, DC Presents #87.

I found the Action Comics with the debut of the Supermobile over the weekend. As a kid I had a toy of the Supermobile. I think it's in my parents' attic with my Matchbox cars. I've been meaning to retrieve it for years, but it was too darn hot in Houston when we were home last time, and there were too many boxes of Christmas decorations between me and the toys.


I saw over at CBG's blog that JAL and CBG have somehow found one another once again, and I like to blame LoM for the happy reunion. JAL, CBG, Michael and The League were all once co-contributors to media projects in the glory days at UT-RTF, and also, once upon a time, watched "The Price is Right" together between classes. Truly, it was CBG and JAL who got me onboard with PiR as the ultimate gameshow. I used to be a "Sale of the Century" and "Jeopardy" kind of guy, but now I'll take Plinko any day.

Oh, and CBG... Hope you're feeling better. Very sorry to hear about your incident.


Oh, and before I close up... "Who Wants to be a Superhero?" is shaping up to be a really unique gameshow. Even by the third episode, some of the contestants haven't quite clued in to what's going on. Backstabbing and the usual machiavellian tactics for winning reality shows aren't going to work here. Superheroes don't operate that way. Nor do they swear revenge, Fat Momma. And poor, poor Monkey Woman. Exposed as a fraud!

The producers have an excellent understanding of the unwritten code of superheroics, and the traits akin to true superheroes that joe-average on the street doesn't usually contemplate. The twists and turns of the comics creep their way into the story in a well-timed manner... right down to me asking out loud "How long before we see Ty'Veculus again?" Sure, he learned the value of honesty, but he failed to get the idea that self-sacrifice doesn't just apply to civilians.

Anyhow, I hope the show has a long life ahead of itself. The League can admit when it's wrong...

I was sort of complaining that Tarzan the Ape Man with Johnny Weismuller was boring, but now he's wrestling with a lion. Maybe the photography is awesome, but it looks like Weismuller really went toe-to-toe with a lion. How do you get the insurance company to cover that?

"Uh, yeah... and on page 46, Tarzan fights a lion."
"...a stunt man fights a lion?"
"No. Well, ha ha... See, we want to do it pretty close-up, and he ain't wearing nothing, so we can't fake it... So, yeah. This guy we got to play Tarzan, he said he WANTED to fight the lion."
"Sounds like one hell of a picture! Glad you guys are casting this athlete guy and not some name actor. Just shoot the lion fight first."

After watching for a while, I think I need a chimpanzee for a pal. But like Tarzan, not Michael Jackson.

We spent the weekend with Jason. It was a working weekend, so... sorry to all of you Leaguers in Austin I didn't get to catch up with. All in due time.

It feels good to be back in Austin. I was honestly concerned I'd lost the map of the city I had in my head, but a few minutes on the road, and it was back. Businesses might switch out, but most of the landmarks remain. A lot of faces are new, but the crowds are still familiar, the food and music and the feel of the city are fairly much the same. In time, I know the four years in Chandler will melt away into one of those things you bring up at dinner parties or when somebody else mentions it.

Austin continues to fight for it's Austin-ness. Occasionally the "Keep Austin Weird" movement can feel a bit too much like a marketing slogan, and sometimes you sort of want to throttle some of the folks revelling in their weirdness at the expense of everyone around them. But after four years in the land of cookie cutter homes and haircuts, I appreciate the sentiment more than a little. The citizens want a say in how their city grows and changes, and not to necessarily just give in to the whims of every developer who can scrape together enough coin to put down a strip mall. The city may not meet everyone's definition of beauty, but I've seen what happens when a whole city decides to be "tasteful".

As Jamie and I return, we can't expect Austin to make our fun for us, but it's nice to sit down with the Chronicle and see literally dozens of options on any given night and hundreds of options for activities per week, college football, and all the stuff that isn't listed. And that's not including the fun you make for yourself with friends, a grill and all that jazz.

Report out of Austin

Well, we looked at houses with the woman formerly known as Duda. It's been actually a pretty good bit of fun, and I suggest that if you want to find a way to spend your weekends, find a realtor and go through other people's houses.

I can honestly say, every comment we got back regarding other people's houses sort of makes sense now. I didn't mind other people's stuff being in the house. What was odd was that some people didn't appear to have actually cleaned their house, and one house just had a sort of "crime-scene" vibe. It didn't take a lot of imagination to think some bad hoo-doo had gone down.

We found three houses I could move into tomorrow. That's good news, to me. The down side is that we haven't sold our hourse in Chandler, so all this looking is a crap shoot. A lot of things have to fall into place for us to get one of the three favored homes.

We finihes after 2:00 today, so I hit Austin Books. Jim asked for a report-out, but, honestly... it was mostly me digging through long boxes and trying not to wear Jamie's patience too thin. Jamie has sort of found her own niche of comics, so that was okay. She's fine to look on her own and doesn't get too bored.

But here's the deal with Austin Books... I could walk around all day in that store. And with a few hundred bucks to keep me going, I could probably be a happy man.

Here's a big confession I made to Jamie: I now have every issue of all three volumes of Mister Miracle. Hooray, Austin Books! Together, we finally finished my collection. Now to move on to New Gods, Forever People and all the Simonson stuff I don't have yet.

Also, I found some Superman back-issues to pick up, some issues my comic shop apparently just never ordered in, and the Public Enemy comic. Yes, PE put out a comic. It is morbid curiosity which drives me forward.

As much as I enjoy my weekly jaunt to my LCS (local comic shop for you non-comic types), Austin Books is just ten times more awesome. They treat comics as an artform, not as tawdry collectibles, and the organization of the store is testament to their intent. All the indie stuff is near the entrance, prominently displayed. Creators get their own organization, with guys like Kirby, Jack Cole and Gil Kane getting their own sections right beside guys like Mark Millar.

Back issues are easy to get to, easy to rifle through and the store often has multiple copies in many different forms of condition (I found one copy of an issue of Superman where the villain had been clipped right out of the cover). All the usual other stuff is well displayed, from toys to statues to T-shirts.

Dizzam. One nice shop.

I need to go back and buy that New Gods #1.

GET THE @#$% OUT OF DODGE (FOR THE WEEKEND)

Wednesday evening Jamie and I will be touching down at Austin-Bergstrom Airport. We'll be spending some time with the woman formerly known as Duda as we scout for homes in the greater S. Austin area.

If you are in Austin and have time, League of Melbotis may also have time, and maybe we can meet up at Gatti's or something. I know I officially owe Peabo and Adriana dinner, and definitely owe Jeff Shoemaker a visit. We also need to pop in to see Meredith "The Destroyer" Shaw and maybe grab a bite with her parents. I also feel bad as I have as of yet to meet The Man Named Harms, who also recently re-relocated to Waterloo. Not to mention seeing the recently engaged Lala, and maybe finally meet her mystery beau.

I'd feel more pressure to squeeze in more fun, but we do plan to live in Austin within the next two months, if all goes well. So, you know, if you're feeling like we're ignoring you, just imagine all the fun we'll have each and every day once LoM relocates. Our doors are always open, except when they're not.

The realtor came by this evening. She's going to run open houses while we're gone. Just Pat the Realtor and Jeff the Cat, hanging on Hawken Way. I sort of wonder how many neighbors will wander through just to see what we've been up to for the past four years.

Both the job hunt and house-selling bit are going slowly. Part of me is hoping to land in Austin with some free time, but the dollars and cents part knows a job now is better than a job later.

Speaking of, Sunday marked my 4th anniversary in my current job. While the job is okay, I do not see how people make a career in a single job. I definitely am feeling the itch to move on. Perhaps I shall become a soldier of fortune. Or an NFL linesman. Or a Weinermobile Driver. Or some combination of all three.

I need to find time, while in Austin, to hit Austin Books. It's been too long. And I am sure they have a kick-ass selection of Superman, Action Comics and DC Presents back-issues (but can any top the DC Presents: Superman & Santa Claus team-up book Jim D. sent me?).

Also, looking for Kirby's Fourth World stuff. I have reprints of some of the original 4th World, but it's in black and white. I'm looking for original issues. Not just of Kirby's original runs, but the later series as well by Simonson and Co. Still, nobody writes Fourth World like Kirby. Especially the dialogue.

Anyhow, this is pretty much it from me until Sunday night, I'd guess. Have yourselves a good few days, Leaguers. We'll be back next week.

The League promotes a few shows...

Okay, if you have Sci-Fi, Channel, the League once again suggests "Garth Marenghi's Darkplace" running Sunday nights on Sci-Fi. And, once again, if I try to explain it, I'm just doing the show a disservice on many, many levels.

And "Who Wants to be a Superhero?" on Sci-Fi is actually a good show. All of my fanboy worries are wiped away. Stan still really knows what it is to be a superhero, and it's interesting to see the contestants facing challenges, both physical and of character. It's not all about putting on a costume and acting like a lunatic, Leaguers. The rules of polite society (and not so polite society) sort of go out the window when you're hanging with the cape and cowl set.

Ok, Steans Family. So my 4th of July "Mentos + Diet Coke Display of Patriotism" was less than a roaring success.

Here's what we're trying next time.

Dry Ice Bomb.

Ka-POWWWWWW!!!!

Roy's Taxi - RIP

read here

When I was but a wee League living in the suburbs of Austin, one of my earliest impressions of town was Roy's Taxi service's fleet of red and (aqua? turqouise? What's that color?) taxis which could be seen all over the place.

The first time I moved away from Austin, KareBare was a sport and took Steanso, the League and a few others to see "Slacker" at the River Oaks theater. The movie, of course, opens with Richard Linklater getting a ride in one of Roy's taxis and getting all metaphysical on the driver about his choice to take a taxi and how that would effect him for the rest of his days.

There are always local establishments which are truly part of a city, and Roy's Taxi was certainly one of the least appreciated of those establishments. After all, you had to be going somewhere without your own transportation in order to call upon Roy's. I can honestly say I think I called a cab a total of three times in 16 years in Austin, and that was never going to be enough to keep those red and tuquoise cars in service. But I always called Roy's.

So long, Roy's. Austin's streets will be a little poorer without your services.

Not much to report.

We went to see "Talladega Nights" and walked out before the movie had even started. I've gone on at length about Gilbert, AZ movie audiences, so I shall elaborate only in bullet form.

-crying baby, no older than 6 months
-mom of crying baby sitting in center of theater, conveniently placed so she can't escape, constantly bouncing baby with synchronously timed "SHHH, SHHH, SHHH!!!" to weeping infant
-teenagers arrive during trailers, and despite row of empty seats in front of us, sit beside me and begin talking
-teenagers arrive just as movie begins, and despite row of empty seats in front of us, sit beside Jamie and begin full blown conversation

Anyway, we left.

Movies are quiet time. Even silly NASCAR movies. Silencio!

Perhaps that is what I should have done years ago. I should have become the masked crusader of the Gilbert WTC. Dressing in a Zorro-like outfit, I could have walked to the front of the theater at the beginning of each movie, address the audience with my concerns regarding their noise making and text-messaging. Politely informed, it would then be their responsibility to adhere to the rules of basic etiquette. Should the rules be broken, they would then be adequately prepared to face the wrath of Silencio the Vengeful.

I'm not sure what would have embodied the wrath of Silencio, but I'm fairly sure it would involve a handful of roofing nails and a string of profanities.



The fortress is de-fortressed. I am sad. I have no idea what my next house may be like. I do not know if there will be another fortress like it again. Jamie is promising me I will have a fortress once again, but I know how these things go. We're not going to find the right kind of house, or the house we do find will have some sort of lay-out where I can't really pull off the fortress once again with quite the same panache.

It was a beautiful dream.

Jamie is very understanding, and she DOES want for me to have my space. But the problem sort of becomes the insistence on the ghetto-ization of that space. I may once again get a back room, but I want a functional room. I want room to move around and do things in my fortress. The fortress of Arizona was always too small and cramped. It had bad airflow. There was not room to just sit and relax. In fact, the only seating I ever had was the stool I had at my drawing table. Consequently, each time I sat in the fortress to read, it was on the floor, where I'd soon be joined by dogs and cats and the wife. And it all felt a little stupid, us all sitting on the floor....

I want square footage. Space for my drawing table, somewhere to sit to read or watch the tube, and maybe some space for organizing comics. Is that crazy? Is that completely insane? We'll see.

We're headed to Austin for a house hunt this weekend. Keep your ear to the ground.

Saturday Night

Just proving that either old age is setting in, or that the Arizona sun has finally melted my brain... I've come to enjoy baseball.

Originally I watched the sport to humor the in-laws and because I like hot dogs. And I'm lazy and like sitting still for hours on end. Then I sort of got into the whole Americanness and nostalgia factor. Baseball is a common thread from generation to generation, it's been there across three centuries, and is simple proof that people really like to watch people in funny pants while they enjoy a beer and peanuts. Then I kind of started digging the idea of The Cubs. The League loves an underdog, and if you want to find a perennial underdog... hey, why not the Cubbies?

Baseball is also on TV 24 hours a day for six months of the year. So it's accessible. And each team plays like 800 games a season. And it's mind-blurringly slow, so you can turn on a game and sort of wander in and out of the room and do other stuff while the game is on. Initially I couldn't get past the fact that it's not the rapid-fire style of play like basketball where you can see change on a half-second by half-second basis. I've slowly come to appreciate the flow of the game, the challenge of each pitch and the face off between each pitcher and batter. Also, I like the Taco Bell taco race in the 5th inning.

We've been to a few games this season. Tickets are $10 a seat, so how can you go wrong?

Anyway, this evening we saw the Astros beat the tar out of the D-Backs. I can now say I've seen Roger Clemens pitch, and I've seen my first grand slam. Good game. For Astros fans.



Our process for evacuation is slow going. But ongoing.

We've had a lot of people walk through the house. It's sort of depressing as realtors and people walk through the house and you never hear anything afterward other than "your house is too cluttered." Well, we're working on that.

The Fortress of Nerditude is slowly being disassembled. I've packed all my graphic novels and toys away. Most of the pictures have been pulled down. So now it's mostly empty shelf space and a half-assed blue paint job. I have no doubt we'll continue to get those same comments. Apparently humans and realtors alike fear blue walls. I haven't quite yet decided that I need to paint the walls yet. I'm willing to wheel and deal. I'll negotiate. But I also don't want to paint walls if the people plan to paint them a different color later, anyway.

It's all very irritating. Who wants people who you don't even know walking through your house and thinking you're insane? Because you have blue walls.

Anyway, the realtor today called and said "we'll be there between 11 and 12". And then showed up at 2:30 when I was talking to a new potential landscaper in the front yard. After the realtors are an hour late, you sort of give up on them. But, if you want to sell your house, you have to act like a trained monkey every time they want you to hop.

No, I am not enjoying this process. I had always dreamed of just going ahead and buying a house in Austin, moving into it, and THEN putting the house up for sale. You could then actually clean the house and it would stay clean. You wouldn't have to worry about buyers having no sense of spatial relationships as they "can't imagine their furniture in your house." And you're sort of standing there wondering how anybody ever @#$%ing sold a house before when that's what everybody says.

It's a couple of rooms and a toilet. Try to use your imagination.

Must be patient. Must. Be. Patient.

Anyway, I'm going to bed.

Goodnight, Leaguers.

LEAGUER ROUNDTABLE ARGUMENT

Okay, here's a topic of conversation...

Are bloggers reporters or public citizens? or something else entirely new?

Consider the case in Connecticut.

Are Lieberman's people morons? Or are the other guy's handlers a bunch of liars?

Should The League be forbidden from donating money (ethically) to campaigns for my favorite candidates because I have some cheap webspace and an opinion?

Do you believe that there is a secret handshake deal between bloggers and politicians? How is that different from political radio hosts like Al Franken and Rush Limbaugh?

Give me feedback, Leaguers. The Rev. Al Sharpton's 2008 campaign needs my $3.00, but I am afraid to send it if that is somehow unethical.

Quick Items

I know there's like three things up from tonight, but...

1) Here's the first trailer I've seen for the upcoming film "Hollywoodland". The film is about the mysterious death of "Adventures of Superman" actor George Reeves.

here

Thanks to Nathan for the link!


2) Austin-based pal JAL has joined in the Alamo Drafthouse's competition. In the spirit of "Snakes on a Plane", the idea is to make a short film which also joins animals with a mode of trasportation in the title. Dig around for JAL's "Kangaroo on a Segway".

There's uhmmm... some non G-Rated words in this video. But go watch it anyway.

Alamo Drafthouse compettiton page here.

JAMIE'S GREAT LIP GLOSS TASTE TEST!!!

The other night Jamie and I were walking through the Walgreens, and there, upon the rack, were many a flavor of new lipglosses. All of the flavors were crafter from some recognizable artifical flavoring.

Well, The League isn't above sampling some lip gloss, but Jamie got all crazy, the same way she does when she's had a bowl of Sugar Smacks.

The Flavors:

Berry Skittles, Dr. Pepper, Grape Crush, Skittles



the flavors, all lined up

Now you have to forgive me... usually Jamie takes the photos. This time I took the photos and the quality kind of sucks.



Jeff checks out the lip gloss... and starts licking the counter. Nice.

Stupid cat.



Jamie is a bit skeptical of the liquid, brush applied, Skittles-flavored lip gloss.



Jamie takes a sniff...



Hmmm.... the skepticism continues...



application...



Not so good... A little blechy. Maybe wiping artifical Skittles flavoring on your lips isn't the best idea.



Berry, Berry Skittles!



Berry, berry gross...



eeeuugghhhh....



Jamie sad. No more Berry, Berry Skittles.



Grape Crush, eh...?


grapey...



Sold! Like rubbing Grape Crush all over your lips.


Ooooohhhh... Dr. Pepper! The McBride ladies love them some Dr. Pepper. How can some lip gloss stack up?



Mmmmm..?


Dr. Pepper! MUST DRINK!!!! MUST.... DRINK...



No... must apply...



APPLY!!!


APPLY!!! MUST HAVE DR. PEPPER!!!


THE WINNAH!!!!

Jamie loves her some Dr. Pepper! Whooo-HOOO!!!



Somewhere between drinky and glossy, there is Dr. Pepper lip gloss...


There you have it, Leaguers! Jamie's exciting foray into the world of branded, flavored lip gloss. I liked Grape Crush best.

Sorry, team. I had a mind-blowing post planned, but I am very tired. Busy day and I have comics to read.

Jason, Creeper #1 just hit the stands. You might want to seek this one out.

From AICN...

Apparently Tim Burton had planned a Batman musical based on his movie.

Here's a song from the scrubbed project...


And here's an article on the Appalachian State video...

It's rare that The League is embarrassed for an entire university...



***update***

Apparently Joey Fatone (of N'Sync) and I have more in common than I thought.

Jump about 1:25 into this video.



I'm a little jealous.