Jill solves dog energy crisis

Arden puts cute doggy in inescapable death grip


Of course! If the dog is hyper, obtain a child. Apply child to dog...

It's really the only way I can think of to get Lucy to quit trying to sit on me when I'm playing Wii or on my laptop. I'm totally going to the Mall and looking for a lay-a-way plan for a kid this weekend.

Transformers Plus Robosaurus = Awesome x 1 Zillion

Tonight was Transformers + Robosaurus = Awesome. Peabo, if you heard lots of roaring of both crowd and robotic dinosaur from your home, you were right to tremble with fear and awe.

We were joined by JackBart and his fried, Tara. We also caught up with Denby (and hubby Mike) as well as Amy C. Steanso, of course, was in attendance.


The Alamo South promised a transformative experience

I am afraid I am at a bit of a loss for how to describe "Transformers". Some parts seemed set for an adult crowd, and then, literally the next moment, you would be reminded "ah... this is for kids".

Little boys will love this movie. And big boys, like myself, will be severely disappointed one moment and then rapt in amazement at the craziness I am seeing on screen. If nothing else, Transformers delivers a superhero picture on a scale worthy of the Transformers franchise. It's a bit tough to convey how amazing some of the sequences really were. It's also a bit stupefying how utterly goofy I found much of the movie.

I've decided to come down on the side of "Wow, what a crazy technical achievement". But I still think Michael Bay is one of the most questionable talents in Hollywood. As much effort as he was willing to put into the movie, it wasn't that he didn't seem to take the characters seriously, it was almost as if he was experiencing some of that embarassment that directors used to feel making big budget superhero films in the 80's and early 90's, before Spidey made it respectable.

But, as Jason said, "What did you want? A grown up movie about a line of toys for kids?" I dunno.

Pair that with some of the most incredible stuff I've seen on film in quite a while, and I have to state that it's at least worth seeing on teh big screen for the damn spectacle of it all. And... Optimus Prime.

Wow.

But if you're looking for 4th of July viewing, I'd probably still recommend Ratatouille first, which is a cartoon about a rat which is probably better suited to adults who like a good glass of wine than kids looking for fart jokes.

But let's get real... we came for the movie, we stayed for the Robosaurus!


ROBOSAURUS!!! He's destroying cars for the Spirit of 1776.

Apparently folks who landed tickets for the 8:45 show got rained on and Robosaurus spit no fire. We were dry and got two shows' worth of fireballs and amazing carnage. Add in a live band, wanton destruction, the fire department (on hand in case an audience member spontaneously combusted from sheer awesome overload)and the most baffled MC to hit S. Austin in many a moon...

The poor MC was clearly used to Monster Truck shows and dirt bike rallies and seemed a bit confused by the fact that the mention we were in Texas did not elicit applause, nor when he went oddly jingoistic and declared (with no trace of irony) that Robosaurus was tearing cars apart for the 4th of July and the The Spirit of 1776.

What did get applause? Fireball.

Okay, you guys got my cameraphoen shots, and I'm tired. I'm going to bed.


The car-nage

Robosaurus Chaos

I received an e-mail from the Alamo South in regards to the Transformers/ Robosaurus event. After seeing the chaos at Alamo South for just a regular showing of Ratattouille this evening (totally awesome movie, btw), I can only imagine the chaos which shall be associated with Transformers. They're actually opening the doors at 1:00 PM for this event, so I have no idea what to expect. Chaos, I think.

I plan to be at the theater prior to 6:00 if I can help it.

I guess if you see me, give me a shout. I'll also have on my phone if you wish to coordinate.

Thanks to Carla and David

Before I forget... a special thanks to Carla and David for having us over for dinner on Friday. Or to Carla. I don't think David knew we would be there when he arrived from the airport. But he was still willing to talk turkey about Galactus and other important topics when he did arrive.

Carla made sloppy joes, which sounds less exciting than it was. I don't know where Carla gets her recipes, but these sloppy joes rocked the casbah. Well done, Carl.

We shall reconvene in the not-too-distant future.

Interview I forgot to do

This is a blog game, courtesy of Amy C.

Here's how it works:

I answer the questions from my 'interview' here. Then if you want to play you do this:

1. Be one of the first five people to reply with INTERVIEW ME.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions (not the same as you see here).
3. You will update your blog/site with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

1. Who would win in a fight: Wolverine or Batman?

Batman. Please. And if I have to explain it, I'm taking away your comic geek membership card.

2. How do you like your new vehicle?

I like it just fine. It drives forward and backward. It gets me to work, and it seems to have better fuel efficiency than the Forester. I have adorned it with a Superman sticker, so you know it has my seal of approval.

I have realized that one in every four vehicles on the road in South Austin is an Element, so I do not feel as if I shall be cast as a trend setter in this matter. According to a salesman at Honda, the car is sold largely to people who own dogs.

3. If you had to choose between cutting off your right index finger or your left foot, which one would get the chop, and why?

My right finger would go in a heart beat. While my usual method of making accusations might be confusing at first as I waved a four fingered fist at the accused, I am certain I could get a novelty rubber finger to attach to the stump for particularly meaningful blame sessions.


4. What's your favorite food?

Anything that doesn't still have enough fight left in it to bite back when I begin chewing.

5. What's your theme song?

Probably "Send in the Clowns" or "Turn on Your Heart Light". Curiously, this is the second time I've been asked this question in an interview. I find this odd. Perhaps others perceive a musical quality about me, or, more likely, see me as a supporting character in a mid-range budget summer comedy in need of a theme. At the time of the first interview I thought "Bastard Wants to Hit Me" was fairly accurate.

Today, I am unsure.

There just aren't many songs about chubby comic collectors.



Also... I believe I am now duty-bound to interview five people who ask to be interviewed. So, drop a note in the comments.


Happy Way Late Birthday, Randy (aka: anonymous)





Austin Books is my Secret Mistress

So recently a book was released entitled "I Shall Destroy all the Civilized Planets", and, surprisingly, it is not the memoirs of JMD, it's a collection of features by comic creator Fletcher Hanks. "I Shall Destroy all the Civilized Palents" is a fairly geeky comic to want to get your hands on as its reprints of third rate comics from fourth rate publishers, but Hanks' work has been one of those secret hand-shakes of comic geeks for a while, I guess. It just hasn't really been reproduced in any way that I'm aware of.



Anyhow, I was unaware the book was actually coming out quite yet until I found out from Amy C that not only was the book out, it was sold out at Austin Books and had already been re-ordered. By the time I got in touch, much to my dismay, even the re-orders had been sold out.

But that didn't stop them from seeking out the book for me. I think they talked to three or four distributors when they finally found it and got it in for me on Thursday.

That, Leaguers, is customer service.

I did pick up two issues of Jimmy Olsen as well, and the new issue of Black Coat (Black Coat...! Think masked mystery man in service of the Patriots in 1777 or so) and a comic about outlaw Belle Starr.

I'm now looking forward to the Labor Day Sale at Austin Books. I need to assemble a list of some sort for maximum effieciency as I figure out how much Jimmy Olsen is too much Jimmy Olsen and if the 4th volume of New Gods is really a comic I want to get into.

I salute you, Austin Books. Thanks for finding my book for me.

Sweet iPhone Justice

I know I said I had no plans to get an iPhone, but that doesn't mean I think it's okay for other people who DO want one to get gouged by eBay speculators...





And because I can't think of anything else...

Here's Lynda Carter

Your Zombie Non-Sequitur of the Day

Thanks to Denby/Ruffino

No iPhone for me

It hasn't even crossed my mind yet to get an iPhone.

It doesn't help my chances of getting an iPhone that I have a phone contract to which I'm beholden for another 18 months, and I feel I'm getting decent service. And, of course, my phone was free with my contract. The phone is the LG Chocolate, which also stores music and takes pictures. And the phone sucks, in no small part because it ALSO has a faux-touch screen capability that goes off when you stick the phone in your pocket. It likes to call whomever was the last person I intentionally dialed, a feature I can't find when I actually want it, of course. I suspect Jason gets a call at 8:00 most mornings when I'm putting keys and phone in my pocket.

I keep looking at the touch screen of the iPhone, and it's a real turn off. I ponder how scuffed the screen was on my iPod (I couldn't keep it in the protective sleeve and take it running in my arm band, so I quit using the sleeve). And how messy it looked with fingerprints all over it. I look at the iPhone and I just imagine a grease-smeared box which will keep calling Jason every time I put the damn thing in my pocket, if it will even fit. The Chocolate fits in the change pocket of my jeans. It doesn't seem the iPhone will fit in that pocket, which means at some point that glistening surface will come in contact with my keys, and that will be that.

I'm intrigued with the varying capabilities of the iPhone, but, honestly, do I really need to see the skateboarding dog YouTube video while I'm standing in line at the grocery? (That's sort of what they're pitching in the commercials for the iPhone). If I want to check e-mail, I can get the Motorola Q for a few bucks on my existing plan, or surf the web from a Treo. All without the awkwardness of tiny touchscreen buttons.

Yes, I prefer rubber buttons. There's nothing more frustrating than poking at a touchscreen that's decided it no longer wants to recognize your electrical field.


the only time you'll see the damn thing without thumb prints all over it

iPhone is contractually bound to use AT&T as their carrier until 2012. Not my current carrier, and so I would necessarily have to change services to a service not of my choosing for five years (most likely six as contracts usually run in two year cycles.)

Also, with the luck I've had with my iPod, I don't like the idea of losing all of my music, phone numbers and videos of skateboarding dogs should the thing decide to take the silicon-dirt-nap.

I know its totally un-hip not to salivate at the iPhone, but there's nothing in my lifestyle that makes me think that I need one. I have a free phone. I'll continue to get free phones with a series of upgraded features. Heck, in 18 months I can probably expect for my mobile provider to carry a competing product. Hopefully one lacking a touch screen interface.

Right now I get the feeling the Apple-Zombies have bought into Jobs' hype hook, line and sinker when a cost benefit analysis offers no real benefits. I was a bit appalled to hear a report last night about how plans of action are being circulated by Apple-geeks to contact the BBB, etc... with false claims regarding their cell-phone carriers so they can wrongfully be released from their contracts (hint, Apple geeks: by telling NPR's Marketplace this was your plan, you just screwed every person with a legitimate complaint out of any hope of being released from their contract for the next year).

The iPhone is sleek looking, but in that EPCOT "in the future we'll all use video-phones" sort of way. I'm just not seeing the value in this doo-hickey.




POST EDIT: I had mis-spelled Treo as "Trio". This is what happens when one does not do their research and hasn't thought too much about PDA's in a year.

I also mis-identified the carrier as Sprint. This was horribly wrong. The carrier is AT&T/ Cingular. I have no experience with AT&T or Cingular, but I have been known to get grouchy about Sprint.

I shall include my original rant, anyway, as I sort of think Sprint's customer service stinks:

Further, I have nothing nice to say about Sprint mobile service, who dealt me a list of offenses between 2000 and 2001 (including the now unheard of practice of "slamming"), and whose call center staff has the single worst customer service I've ever experienced, including dropping calls after an hour, not correcting charges after literally a dozen tries, refusing to believe I couldn't get coverage at my house in Chandler and turning off my phone on the day I was moving out of Austin thanks to their screwed up charges, which wound up with me having to pay the charges just to reinstate service so I could find my damn moving van.

POST POST

On the touch-screen front... while I foresee an ocean of blue-screened gaming tables in Vegas, I can actually get my head around the practical usage for the new Microsoft touch table.

That's not to say that consumer apps will make sense quite yet, unless you're Batman, but I can visualize a couple dozen educational uses, advertising, gaming, menu's at restaurants and all kinds of Blade Runner/ Diamond Age good stuff.