I actually bought less this year than in Con visits past. A big part of that is that a big part of previous purchases was Trade Paperbacks, and I tend…
I actually bought less this year than in Con visits past. A big part of that is that a big part of previous purchases was Trade Paperbacks, and I tend to now pick those up (or at least Wish List them) as they come available.
Still, I did my part to support the Con exhibitors:
In no particular order, our Saturday cavalcade of Comic-Con Activities. (I’ll be doing some follow-up linking to actual articles on these events later on, once I get some time.)…
In no particular order, our Saturday cavalcade of Comic-Con Activities. (I’ll be doing some follow-up linking to actual articles on these events later on, once I get some time.)
For having actually decided to do this with about 2-3 hours before we had to leave for the airport, all the packing and such was pretty straightforward, and Jackie drove…
For having actually decided to do this with about 2-3 hours before we had to leave for the airport, all the packing and such was pretty straightforward, and Jackie drove Doyce and me to DIA with plenty of time to spare.
Since we weren’t checking anything, we sauntered over to the check-in kiosks to electronically get our boarding passes. Hey, looks like emergency exit rows are available — leg room city! Cool. We swiped our respective credit cards, selected seats across the aisle from each other and …
Doyce’s pass popped out. I got a message saying, “We need more information. Please see an attendant.”
Hrm.
Well, that was fun. I took many notes on my Palm, but time constraints at both Mary’s and the Ks’, and exhaustion when I got home yesterday, kept me from…
Well, that was fun.
I took many notes on my Palm, but time constraints at both Mary’s and the Ks’, and exhaustion when I got home yesterday, kept me from posting until now.
Overall — much fun, as expected. Many, many thanks to Mary, whose house guest list got expanded from one (Michelle, whom it was also great to see) to three at a moment’s notice, and who rearranged her schedule to go to the Masquerade, and who found us the place to eat with the World’s Greatest Margaritas.
And apologies to both Mary and Michelle for just driving away from the con without hooking back up with them first. We were both a bit spacy by Sunday afternoon, and just kind of suffered a catastrophic politeness error.
And kudos to both Jackie and Margie for noodging us into it. Next time, they get to go, too. 🙂
More anon.
I am not one to leap into big plans quickly. I am, indeed, a stick in the mud. Changes to expectations are usually met with shock, dismay, and a detemination…
I am not one to leap into big plans quickly. I am, indeed, a stick in the mud. Changes to expectations are usually met with shock, dismay, and a detemination to bully things through as they were.
So when I first saw Doyce’s note about the Serenity movie and cast and Joss and all that appearing at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), and how bummed he was to miss it, I thought, heh, that’s funny.
Then I made a comment about how he could crash on Mary’s floor while out there.
After that — I’m not sure what happened. It all just spiraled quickly out of control, and now, here I am, flying to San Diego, along with Doyce, staying at the In-laws’ tonight, and going to the Con for the rest of the weekend. Oh, and I promised my first-born, or lots of swag, or something ominous to my wife, who insisted that it was a cool idea. I’m not sure — it’s all a blur.
Anyway, things might be a tad quiet here, but I expect to be posting a bit from Mary’s (she has broadband, ha-ha!) and when I get back and all that.
I’m still not quite sure how it all happened. But I’m not complaining too much …
I am not one to leap into big plans quickly. I am, indeed, a stick in the mud. Changes to expectations are usually met with shock, dismay, and a detemination…
I am not one to leap into big plans quickly. I am, indeed, a stick in the mud. Changes to expectations are usually met with shock, dismay, and a detemination to bully things through as they were.
So when I first saw Doyce’s note about the Serenity movie and cast and Joss and all that appearing at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), and how bummed he was to miss it, I thought, heh, that’s funny.
Then I made a comment about how he could crash on Mary’s floor while out there.
After that — I’m not sure what happened. It all just spiraled quickly out of control, and now, here I am, flying to San Diego, along with Doyce, staying at the In-laws’ tonight, and going to the Con for the rest of the weekend. Oh, and I promised my first-born, or lots of swag, or something ominous to my wife, who insisted that it was a cool idea. I’m not sure — it’s all a blur.
Anyway, things might be a tad quiet here, but I expect to be posting a bit from Mary’s (she has broadband, ha-ha!) and when I get back and all that.
I’m still not quite sure how it all happened. But I’m not complaining too much …
I’ve been quite neutral over the announced adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere into a comic book. But this article has piqued my interest again. Now, if we could just get…
I’ve been quite neutral over the announced adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere into a comic book. But this article has piqued my interest again.
Now, if we could just get a decent TV version (bringing things around full circle).
Super President was an actual cartoon, running back in 1967. But for today, we can consider that a lead-in to the Top5.com “Little Fivers” Comics list: The Top 10 Differences…
Super President was an actual cartoon, running back in 1967. But for today, we can consider that a lead-in to the Top5.com “Little Fivers” Comics list:
The Top 10 Differences If Superheroes Ran the Government
10> We could finally lift the trade embargo with Cuba. Heck, we could lift Cuba.
9> After President Starfox, the Clinton Years are looked back on fondly as a time when the President knew how to behave himself.
8> The Secret Service isn’t concerned with taking a bullet for the President — they’re more worried about bullets ricocheting off him.
7> Stringent new Federal sentencing guidelines for people convicted of secret-identity theft.
6> Lower Defense budgets, but the White House “permanent reconstruction fund” is *huge!*
5> The administration flies all over the country and the world, but Air Force One is never used.
4> President Punisher deploys every resource of the government to deal with whatever threats he perceives, regardless of due process or national sovereignty. So, no difference, really.
3> The trains would run on time. They would also be derailed daily by giant mutant ape-creatures and multi-limbed super-villains, but other than that, they’d run on time.
2> The threat of nuclear retaliation is replaced by the threat of sending Ambassador Bruce Banner for a visit.
    … and the Number 1 Difference If Superheroes Ran the Government…
1> Assassination does not necessarily end a president’s term in office.
Contributers: Eric Severstad (1), Eric Wakeford (2), Craig Israel (3), Alvaro Ibanez(4, 9), Marc Berard (5, 8), Marcelo Rinesi (6), Bernard Donohue (7, 10)
Been finally getting some books finished during lunch hours. Here are some reviews. I’m dispensing with the usual multi-element reviews, though, for time’s sake. Instead, reviews in 40 words (or…
Been finally getting some books finished during lunch hours. Here are some reviews.
I’m dispensing with the usual multi-element reviews, though, for time’s sake. Instead, reviews in 40 words (or less).
Mort, by Terry Pratchett: Funny, light, breezy, witty, digressive fantasy about a peasant apprentice to Death. Entertaining, high re-readability, mildly profound. First Discworld novel read (thanks, Doyce), but not the last.
Crocodile on the Sandbank, by Elizabeth Peters: Victorian Amelia Peabody adventures in Egypt, plays archaeologist, shepherds a “fallen” woman, and faces menacing mummy attacks. Well-written, strong personalities, charming, even romantic. What, no movie yet? Decent re-readability. First in series (overall and for me), but not the last.
Callahan’s Con, by Spider Robinson: Entertaining, overly-self-indulgent, quick-reading tale of the Key West Callahan crew. Plots come and go; tragedy strikes, but sticks (mostly) only once. Too lazily deus ex machina, but better than last time. Not for first-timers. Decent re-readability. Heinlein — on a bad day.
There’s any number of elements in this analysis of the statements by Marybeth Peters, Register of Copyrights of the US Copyright Office on how the IICA/INDUCE Act is really a…
There’s any number of elements in this analysis of the statements by Marybeth Peters, Register of Copyrights of the US Copyright Office on how the IICA/INDUCE Act is really a keen thing, even if it doesn’t go far enough, which deserve highlighting (and subsequent staring-aghast, eye-roilling, or brickbats toward Ms Peters), but this one caught my eye:
Let me be clear, however, that our concern about its future application should not hold up this bill.
Actually, it’s clear from any number of laws that such concerns should lead one to hold up passage. The DMCA is a perfect example.
The IICA would make it illegal not just to violate copyright law (which is, of course, illegal), but to manufacture anything that might “intentionally induce” people to do so (such induction and intent to be at the discretion of prosecutors, courts, etc.). An amusing collection of items that could arguably be considered such verboten contraband can be found here. Other folks have suggested “paper” and “radio” and “TV” (not to mention TiVos and PCs) could fall under its aegis.
Outrageous exagerration? Maybe. But, as another politician (LBJ) who understood the law-making (and law-bending) game a lot better than Ms Kelly does once noted:
You do not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harms it would cause if improperly administered.
(via Stan)
First off, I thought the unveiling of the 9/11 Commission findings was probably the least rancorous and non-partisan event that’s happened in DC for a long time. Given the partisanship…
First off, I thought the unveiling of the 9/11 Commission findings was probably the least rancorous and non-partisan event that’s happened in DC for a long time. Given the partisanship regarding the Commission’s establishment, membership, process, and so forth, it was pretty amazing. Not that there wasn’t grandstanding and pontificating, but the Commission report’s spreading of the blame (and, more important, focus on what could be done better in the future instead of wall-nailing of folks in the past) seemed to set the needed tone.
Yesterday, at least. Doubtless today we’ll be back to the usual bickering.
The big question, of course, is, what now? Several recommendations by the Commission got a lot of press. And the big question is, when, if ever, will they get implemented. My thoughts:
It will be interesting to see. I hope it’s not depressing, too.
It goes without saying that Native Americans got a raw deal from Europeans on this continent. That said, it doesn’t justify blackmail. The Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks project could be…
It goes without saying that Native Americans got a raw deal from Europeans on this continent. That said, it doesn’t justify blackmail.
The Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks project could be stalled by Indian land claims filed by an organization seeking to build a tribal casino near Denver International Airport.
Steve Hillard, who founded Native American Lands Group to pursue the casino plans, said the organization is “now involved in due diligence for filing land claims on several major public projects and FasTracks is one of them.”
The claims could stall the proposed $4.7 billion rail and bus project for months or years. Hillard declined to provide any specifics on the claims themselves.
Hillard was involved in similar claims regarding the Alaska Pipeline, which did similar schedule holding-up, and was eventually settle for Much Land and Lots of Cash.
Hillard already has filed a formal tribal land claim with the Interior Department, which oversees American Indian issues, on 27 million acres in Colorado that were the Cheyenne and Arapaho homelands.
The Native American Lands Group offered to settle the claims if Colorado allowed a casino and cultural center on 500 acres the project’s investors would buy. Gov. Bill Owens has opposed the project, so Hillard’s attorneys are preparing to file claims on land that state and federal transportation agencies planned to buy for FasTracks and other projects.
“We give the governor credit for consistency in his opposition, but we are going to proceed with asserting the tribes’ rights,” said Hillard.
Unless, of course, he’s willing to cut a better deal.
I admire attempts by Tribes to better themselves, and casinos certainly aren’t the worst way of doing that. Nonetheless, filing spurious claims in order to pressure the governor to allow casino gambling on one site would be dirty pool from anyone doing it.
Six Apart has named its Plug-in contest winners for MT3.0: Jay Allen’s MTBlacklist 2.0. The 1.x product is sine qua non in the blogging world, and the screen shots of…
Six Apart has named its Plug-in contest winners for MT3.0:
Of these, only MTBlacklist is one I’m familiar with, though some of the others could be of future use. Nicely done, folks, and congrats to all. It all makes MT3 look like a more solid eventuality for me.
Holy Moley. CafeAirship Online Store | CafePress” href=”http://www.cafeshops.com/airship/”>Airship Press swag! That’s Phil Foglio’s publishing group, which means plenty o’ CafePress Consumer Goodness with Girl Genius, Phil & Dixie, Buck Godot,…
Purchase and install 512Mb of RAM in her PC. Well, it works for my wife, at least. And I imagine anything that gets resolves “performance problems” would have a similar…
Purchase and install 512Mb of RAM in her PC.
Well, it works for my wife, at least. And I imagine anything that gets resolves “performance problems” would have a similar effect with most wives …
I would like to use your article of Monday Sept. 9th, 2002 regarding The Rules Of Jaywalking in a document I am putting together for the [State] Department of Revenue…
I would like to use your article of Monday Sept. 9th, 2002 regarding The Rules Of Jaywalking in a document I am putting together for the [State] Department of Revenue intranet. The document will only be in house and will not be published. If this is OK with you, please let me know. Thank you.
Huh. As far as I can tell, it’s legit (the return address looks correct — name@rev.state.xx.us) — and I can’t imagine giving permission would somehow get me in trouble (it’s been many years since I travelled to that state, at least), so …
Wow. I’m honored. Certainly.
I would be interested in knowing the context of the article (“Stupid Things People Post on the Net”? “Sites you shouldn’t visit while on company time”?), and if you happened to make a PDF of the web page it’s mentioned on and sent it to me, or shoot me a copy of the document it’s in, I’d be much obliged.
I’ll let you know if I ever hear anything back.
While I can imagine in polite conversation asking if someone has kids, and in conversation with good friends if they are going to have kids, it’s hard to believe that…
While I can imagine in polite conversation asking if someone has kids, and in conversation with good friends if they are going to have kids, it’s hard to believe that people still ask couples, “When are you going to have kids?“
Fortunately, should someone ask you, now you have some good answers to give them. My favorite:
“I don’t breed well in captivity.”
(via Doc’s Blog)
Fancy xenon headlights on Nissan Maximas have been a hot target for car part thieves. The state of New Jersey, not missing a beat, is taking decisive, forthright, and uncompromising…
Fancy xenon headlights on Nissan Maximas have been a hot target for car part thieves. The state of New Jersey, not missing a beat, is taking decisive, forthright, and uncompromising action:
It’s suing Nissan.
New Jersey’s attorney general charges that Nissan officials knew and should have informed customers that certain high-powered headlights were being targeted by thieves. A lawsuit filed by the state seeks restitution for customers who paid, on average, $1,800 to have the xenon headlights on their 2002 or 2003 Maximas replaced after they were stolen.
“Nissan knew since at least September 2002 that thieves were targeting the xenon headlamps in Maximas,” Attorney General Peter C. Harvey said.
“However, it wasn’t until more than a year later that Nissan finally began notifying 2002 and 2003 Maxima owners of the risk of theft and the availability of anti-theft devices. Meanwhile, numerous victims were hit with huge repair bills. We’re seeking restitution for those consumers.”
That’s right. Not only are auto manufacturers responsible for shoddy workmanship and safety hazards, they’re responsible for letting you know if people like to steal parts off your car.
Nissan is in particular trouble because they built an anti-theft kit for consumers, but didn’t advertise it enough. That’ll learn ’em.
(via Daimnation)
Say it ain’t so, Hans! Speed limits on the autobahn? Experts estimate that in the next few years, the EU will impose a standard speed limit on all European highways,…
Say it ain’t so, Hans! Speed limits on the autobahn?
Experts estimate that in the next few years, the EU will impose a standard speed limit on all European highways, including the autobahn.
German politicians could beat them to it.
Growing concerns about safety and the environment combined with high gas prices has led to calls in recent weeks from across the political spectrum for a speed limit. “We have to ask ourselves what price we pay to live out this feeling of freedom,” says Josef Goeppel, a parliamentarian for the conservative Christian Social Union.
If Germany wants to up its tourism market for a year, they can announce speed limits a-coming a year in advance, so that visitors can flock there to clock the high speeds one last time …
(via Hit&Run (heh))
Back in 1985, Marvel Comics sued the WWF over “Hulk” Hogan’s ring name. Marvel now says that deal has expired, though the now-WWE say it goes until ealry 2005. And…
Back in 1985, Marvel Comics sued the WWF over “Hulk” Hogan’s ring name. Marvel now says that deal has expired, though the now-WWE say it goes until ealry 2005. And since it desperately needs the name to launch its (gack) WWE 24/7 Video on Demand service, it’s suing Marvel.
Poor WWFE — it just can’t seem to hold onto a good name …
(via The Beat)