***Dave Does the Blog

The Fabtastic Four?

Breathless press release prose aside, this article on the in-developmentFantastic Four movie sounds pretty good. Just like Spidey was just about a guy who can swing on webs, so the…

Breathless press release prose aside, this article on the in-developmentFantastic Four movie sounds pretty good. Just like Spidey was just about a guy who can swing on webs, so the FF has always had a strong focus on family (the good, bad, and ugly) and on celebrity. The origin (tak-tak-tak-tak-tak) is really secondary to that.

So using the Beatles as a leaping off point for the overall story sounds rather clever to me. (Hmmm. Reed as Paul, Ben as John, Sue as George, and Johnny as Ringo?)

The Dr. Doom stuff sounds kind of lame, though. But I thought Keaton would be an awful Batman, so I’ve given up trying to second-guess these sorts of projects, at least until they’re in the can. And the writer’s enthusiasm about the first ish cover art is a good sign.

(via Blogatelle)

Switch

It’s odd how sometimes your train of thought goes. Most of the time, when I get something funny sent to me, I post it as a blog entry. This time,…

It’s odd how sometimes your train of thought goes. Most of the time, when I get something funny sent to me, I post it as a blog entry. This time, I got an e-mail from my friend, Marina, with this little ditty, of particular interest to IT geeks, and instead of blogging it, I sent it as an e-mail to some friends.

Fortunately Doyce spotted my mistake and posted it himself. So I’ll follow his lead. Hope the rest of you enjoy it.

Paging Arkham Asylum …

There’s always a temptation to villify and demonize your opponents, and during the first Gulf War, the “Saddam=Hitler” rhetoric got a little bit thick. But if even a quarter of…

There’s always a temptation to villify and demonize your opponents, and during the first Gulf War, the “Saddam=Hitler” rhetoric got a little bit thick.

But if even a quarter of the stuff in these articles is true, keeping major WMDs out of this nutcase’s hands is even more imperative — and knocking him out of power altogether seems like the only, dare I say it, sane thing to do.

(via SDB)

Crop failure

Mary writes: Normally, I let these things go and they clear up on their own, but for the last week your blog formatting has been cutting the left side of…

Mary writes:

Normally, I let these things go and they clear up on their own, but for the last week your blog formatting has been cutting the left side of each entry. I’ts about one letter or two that’s lost from each line. Maybe it’s me and my foriegn computer, but it’s beginning to get annoying.

Well, I do recall from the summer that the appearance of my blog on your Mac IE browser was a little bit off, but, yeah, that’s probably unacceptible.

I’m guessing it actually started around the 14th or so, which was the last layout tweak (and which caused the left sidebar to intermittently not load).

Mutter mutter mutter …

Let me see what I can figure out here.

Sweet suite

Why is it that conservative anti-communists will crow about this smuggled film, showing Castro leading a life of luxury while his people live in poverty, but won’t say anything about…

Why is it that conservative anti-communists will crow about this smuggled film, showing Castro leading a life of luxury while his people live in poverty, but won’t say anything about the gap between the rich and poor in this country?

Why will socialist radicals harp on the fat cats in the House and Senate, but won’t dream of critiquing Castro’s designer clothes and luxury estate?

Just wondering.

(via Instapundit)

Times change

I suspect if you wanted to create a TV show today with this title today, folks would expect something a little different than they did in 1954….

I suspect if you wanted to create a TV show today with this title today, folks would expect something a little different than they did in 1954.

Actors

I was sorry to hear that James Coburn had died the other day. His knife-thrower, Britt, in The Magnificent Seven, was iconic, and his deep, gravelly voice and lanky frame…

Flint I was sorry to hear that James Coburn had died the other day. His knife-thrower, Britt, in The Magnificent Seven, was iconic, and his deep, gravelly voice and lanky frame graced many other enjoyable flicks.

The pain! I was surprised I’d not heard about it when Jonathan Harris (also) died, earlier in the month. Though forever stamped into the mold of Dr. Zachary Smith in Lost in Space (“Oh, the pain …”), Harris rolled with the punch, and was willing to live with it, including a number of voice-over roles in recent years — Freakazoid and A Bug’s Life come to mind. Nobody would likely guess he grew up with a thick Bronx accent. For that matter, few folks would guess he left behind a wife of 64 years and a son.

I try not to be disappointed when actors turn out to have feet of clay. They are, after all, humans, too. When it turns out to be a favorite of mine, though, and the feet are more like slime, I get really irked — and have to remind myself that indictment doesn’t necessarily equate to guilt.

Keeping watch

My watch band broke on Sunday. I have an old Elgin wristwatch that was my Dad’s in high school. It’s not fancy, it doesn’t have bells and whistles and digital…

My watch band broke on Sunday. I have an old Elgin wristwatch that was my Dad’s in high school. It’s not fancy, it doesn’t have bells and whistles and digital hoohahs, but, damn, it’s a solid, functional watch, with a huge weight of nostalgia behind it.

(For those folks who are Elgin watch connoisseurs, this one’s dial was cleaned off of its original white paint when I took it in for cleaning while in college, leaving the steel background you see in the pic. I was annoyed, but it still has its wonderful, green, cancer-inducing radium numbers and hands, though the latter really need to be touched up, which probably can’t be done any more.)

It also takes a 15mm wrist band, which is just on the cusp of “narrow” (which usually goes to 14mm) and “normal” (which starts at 16mm). Weird. And since I have been wearing an expandable “twist-o-flex” style band forever and a day (since I’ve had this watch, in fact), that limits my options even more.

The folks at Target at the new mall made a valiant effort, but were unsuccessful. I had to go to two watch shops in the mall to find one that had the bands in stock. But at least now I have my wristwatch back.

It’s a tradition on Margie’s family to give cheap watches at Christmas. Since this one is special to me, I always felt kind of guilty about never wearing them, but they make a good backup for when these sorts of things happen.

Harsh language?

What the frell is Harvard Law School, font of such First Amendment champions as Oliver Wendell Holmes and Louis Brandeis, doing debating whether to develop a speech code? If you…

What the frell is Harvard Law School, font of such First Amendment champions as Oliver Wendell Holmes and Louis Brandeis, doing debating whether to develop a speech code?

If you can’t deal with harassing, offensive language, perhaps the law is not where you should be focusing your attention.

Yet Dershowitz incited even more fury after he challenged a member of the Black Law Students Association to be more specific after the student read a statement reiterating her group’s support for a ”discrimination harassment policy” that includes penalties.
”With all due respect, what you stated is extraordinarily abstract,” Dershowitz said. After the student was not able to cite an example of offensive language that could be censured in a speech code, Dershowitz said of the proposal: ”That’s like asking someone to first vote for censorship, and then figure out later what is censored. With all due respect, I find that statement unhelpful.”

If you can’t even define what you’re looking to ban, it really sounds like law is perhaps not your best career move.

Instapundit quotes the University of Chicago’s stance on the subject.

The ideas of different members of the University community will frequently conflict and we do not attempt to shield people from ideas that they may find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even offensive. Nor, as a general rule, does the University intervene to enforce social standards of civility.” . . .
In other words, the University permits partisan, even hostile statements against groups or states, but not violence or physical intimidation of individuals. And while we do not enforce speech or civility codes, we have long prided ourselves on the kind of respectful environment that encourages all to offer their views. We see this kind of civility not as a requirement, but as a virtue, and therefore worth pursuing. In short, while we sometimes treat ideas here rather roughly, we strive to treat others with the civility we would like to receive ourselves.

How remarkably refreshing — and, dare I say it, appropriate for an academic institution.

Sun, moon, and stars

I didn’t get to see the Leonids meteor shower last night (though I was up at 3, it was to shuffle to the bathroom, not to gaze expectantly at the…

I didn’t get to see the Leonids meteor shower last night (though I was up at 3, it was to shuffle to the bathroom, not to gaze expectantly at the sky). I did get to see one latefaller on the way into work, though.

And the full moon this morning was kick-ass enough for me.

Org-Limbo

I’m not sure why I find this funny. Well, yeah, maybe I do….

I’m not sure why I find this funny. Well, yeah, maybe I do.

Less with Moore

Spinsanity has another fine skewering of Michael Moore and his film, Bowling for Columbine. Putting aside Moore’s claim to be in it for the humor, the column points out the…

Spinsanity has another fine skewering of Michael Moore and his film, Bowling for Columbine. Putting aside Moore’s claim to be in it for the humor, the column points out the numerous contradictions, distortions and untruths that Moore puts forward as fact.

Much more mendaciously, Moore has apparently altered footage of an ad run by the Bush/Quayle campaign in 1988 to implicate Bush in the Willie Horton scandal. Making a point about the use of racial symbols to scare the American public, he shows the Bush/Quayle ad called “Revolving Doors,” which attacked Michael Dukakis for a Massachusetts prison furlough program by showing prisoners entering and exiting a prison …. Superimposed over the footage of the prisoners is the text “Willie Horton released. Then kills again.” This caption is displayed as if it is part of the original ad. However, existing footage, media reports and the recollections of several high-level people involved in the campaign indicate that the “Revolving Doors” ad did not explicitly mention Horton, unlike the notorious ad run by the National Security Political Action Committee (which had close ties to Bush media advisor Roger Ailes). In addition, the caption is incorrect — Horton did not kill anyone while on prison furlough (he raped a woman).

Questions of fear, and violence, and guns are all valid ones. Use of humor, satire, and hyperbole to drive home a point are all legitimate avenues of expression. But Moore does himself, and his cause (whatever it is) little good by by simply making stuff up. Sure, it lets him be more outrageous in his claims, but ultimately it’s self-defeating, as it is here.

Firefly

Best. Ep. Yet. I’m only annoyed now because they’re on reruns (or hiatus?) until 6 December. On the bright side, Doyce reports that Fox is buying two more episodes. Kewl….

Best. Ep. Yet.

I’m only annoyed now because they’re on reruns (or hiatus?) until 6 December.

On the bright side, Doyce reports that Fox is buying two more episodes.

Kewl.

WARNING: There may be spoilers (mild or otherwise) in the comments …

I want to see the claim report

As the Leonids put their last-in-a-lifetime class appearance, here’s an example of how not to watch a meteor. UPDATE: I updated the link to the archive page in question, rather…

As the Leonids put their last-in-a-lifetime class appearance, here’s an example of how not to watch a meteor.

UPDATE: I updated the link to the archive page in question, rather than the “picture of the day” page.

(via Randy)

Visitations

So I get a call this a.m. from my New Boss’ secretary, setting up a phonecon for this afternoon. Blood pressure rises, of course, especially as the afternoon wears on….

So I get a call this a.m. from my New Boss’ secretary, setting up a phonecon for this afternoon. Blood pressure rises, of course, especially as the afternoon wears on.

I mean, it’s to be expected, since last week was a Big Conference of Senior IT Folk in New York. But given the dead silence for so much of the last month, it’s a little … unnerving. It’s not like he’d fire me over the phone (though I suppose it’s vaguely possible it might have been a ruse to be sure I’d be in the office for someone else to come in and Do the Deed), but it could have been anything from, “Well, Dave, I think you’re the cat’s whiskers, so I’m making you Manager of Much Stuff,” to, “Dave, you’re now Third Assistant Bottle Washer. Oh, and you’re being transferred to Baton Rouge.”

The tension level didn’t improve when I got a call from the CIO secretary saying that New Boss wanted to push the call back half an hour.

So, just got off the phone with New Boss (actually, just got off the phone with Margie, since I try to remember to tell her this sort of stuff before I blog it), and he’s pleased with how things are going, and wants to fly out here to meet with me early next week, to be followed by another meeting of folks here the week after, going over how we’re going to reorg the department and all that.

That’s all a good thing, right? Sounds that way …

Clothes make the man

The naked body doesn’t shock me, but the rhetoric that accompanies this story about Marin County women stripping for peace does. “Women from all ages and walks of life took…

The naked body doesn’t shock me, but the rhetoric that accompanies this story about Marin County women stripping for peace does.

“Women from all ages and walks of life took off their clothes, not because they are exhibitionists but because they felt it was imperative to do so,” the organizers added. “They wanted to unveil the truth about the horrors of war, to commune in their nudity with the vulnerability of Iraqi innocents, and to shock a seemingly indifferent Bush Administration into paying attention.”

Yeeeahhh, because the Bushies will be “shocked” by naked Marin County women spelling out the word “PEACE” on the greensward. And because stripping nekkid “unveils the truth about the horror of war” (come on, I’m sure their bodies aren’t that bad).

And while I’m sure the women involved really did want to “show solidarity with the people of Iraq,” one must wonder what would happen if they tried pulling this stunt there.

Just admit you wanted to grab some headlines to get your protest across. That’s a lot more effective, to my mind, than garbing your message (so to speak) with inanities like that.

(via Instapundit)

Rose is rose is rose …

My God. The world has gone mad. At least that’s what you’d think if you visit the Baby’s Named a Bad, Bad Thing page, which is full of horrifically real…

My God. The world has gone mad. At least that’s what you’d think if you visit the Baby’s Named a Bad, Bad Thing page, which is full of horrifically real baby name questions from actual baby naming bulletin boards.

As the page itself puts it:

It’s simple. Some parents are just plain crazy. But few are as crazy as soon-to-be parents, who, wrapped up in the fear and anticipation, the social status and expectations, go just plain mad. Mad as march hares with swollen ankles and morning sickness.

Or, to give a better example …

… well, maybe I won’t, since I’d hate to say, “Well, Jae’hLynnne is the most craptastic name I’ve ever heard a kid being afflicted with,” and discover that one of my loyal readers just named her child Jae’hLynnne III after her other two kids, I and II. But … you get the idea.

Oh, what the hell.

I love the name Meloncholia Francessca Antouinette for a girl and Zakeri Atruellu for a boy, but my family and spouse ablosute hate it.

Some people should be allowed to breed. Truth.

I’ll confess that we took a ~~stodgy~~ traditional route with Katherine. I mean, nary a “y” in sight. But she can always pick a more interesting nickname (or abbreviation/variation on her birth name), and not feel bad about it, whereas if she were stuck with Jae’hLynnne, she’d be cringing every time she had to fill out an official form or show her drivers license to anyone.

(via Doyce)

Numbers game

Will it take 60 votes to pass a bill to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? Or only 51? Environmentalists and Democrats were hoping the former, given the Senate’s…

Will it take 60 votes to pass a bill to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? Or only 51? Environmentalists and Democrats were hoping the former, given the Senate’s arcane rules. But it seems that it may be that a number of GOP legislative priorities could need only a simple majority — if they pass muster with the Senate Parliamentarian that they have revenue or entitlement components, as part of the budget reconciliation bill. And the majority in the Senate gets to select the Parliamentarian …

Interesting Times

I don’t know whether to be pleased or disappointed, but this blog is accessible in China. At least today. (via Joan)…

I don’t know whether to be pleased or disappointed, but this blog is accessible in China. At least today.

(via Joan)

Spam, spam, spam, spam …

I love Mondays. Some Women Can’t Get Enough – … spam? One call , may change your life! – You have the secret to stopping spam? Guess what?? – This…

I love Mondays.

Some Women Can’t Get Enough – … spam?

One call , may change your life! – You have the secret to stopping spam?

Guess what?? – This is spam?

Stop Harassing Phonecalls – If this were “Stop Harassing Spam” I might be tempted.

knackicken arsch – Yes, I am now getting German spam.

You gotta see this – No, I don’t.

Daily Joke Mail – Ha-ha! Joke’s on you! We’re selling vitamins! Hello? Hello?

Is your New Years resolution to be debt free – No, it’s to be spam-free, but I suspect the odds are about the same.

Tanya has your – … spam?

Hello! – Goodbye!