Going Home (Live)

I'll be in CC this weekend for Graduation Madness Part IV: The Big Weep. Things are going to be pretty busy, but I might be able to get away for a while if anyone is around.

Also, since I used the title, I might as well post a music video:

Comic Cover of the Week: Detective Comics #865

Quote of the Day

My grandmother always said: 'God has a plan for all of us.' I should have went along with his, not mine, my plan sucked!

-Mickey Rourke

Mass Effect: The Movie?

According to Spinoff Online, the Mass Effect series of video games is being adapted into a feature film by Legendary Pictures. Since Mass Effect 2 is the best game I've ever played, I'm pretty excited. And worried. I don't think a video game has ever made the transition to successful film, and Mass Effect could be a real challenge to adapt. A thorough play-through takes around 50 hours, so there's potentially 100 hrs of story to be mined so far. However, while Mass Effect has more character development than most games, much of the plot going from point A to point B to find clues that propel you towards the final showdown. That's less interesting in a film than in a game. But if you can manage to adapt the story the studio would have a hit the size of Star Wars on its hands, and at least two sequels.

Please don't screw it up.

Solomon Kane

10-3?

David Goricki of the Detroit News thinks the Spartans will go 10-3 this season. He predicts losses to Wisconsin, Iowa, and Penn State and wins over Notre Dame and Michigan.

I'm not so sure about this. The bronze in the uniforms is worth a loss on its own. I think he's right in picking the three losses he does, right now those are the toughest games on the schedule. But I think there has to be at least one more loss in there somewhere, maybe Purdue or NU, or even one of the high-profile games against ND or UM. The fact that they might wear an alternate uniform puts the ND game at risk before they even step on the field. Goricki thinks the defense will be much better, I'm going to have to see them prove it on the field before I have any confidence in them.

That's No Cave

There probably isn't much of a contest, but this is the coolest oven mitt ever:

30

Thirty years ago today, The Empire Strikes Back, the best of the Star Wars movies, premiered in theaters.

Didn't I see this in a movie?

I can't say I support robbery, even in Paris, but I have to admit that some part of me thinks it's cool that a thief made off with paintings worth around $613 million from the Pairs Museum of Modern Art last night. One of the paintings was a Picasso. This is heist movie stuff here. It's kind of fascinating to hear of it actually happening.

There's one amusing part of the story as well. The director of a next-door modern art museum (So, there's a lot of those in Paris I suppose?) said: "These five paintings are un-sellable, so thieves, sirs, you are imbeciles, now return them." Uh, you think someone went to the trouble of stealing these paintings without a plan?

Comic Cover of the Week: Atomic Robo vol. 4 #3

Quote of the Day

I will not be denied the pragmatic, functional utility of anything based on the inept, clumsy, irresponsible failure of brain-dead, uncoordinated numskulls.

-Ted Nugent, "My Gun Control"

Flint Powers Catholic High Closed For Phone Outage

FLINT, Mich. -- Flint Powers Catholic High School is closed Wednesday after reporting problems within its phone system.

School officials contacted WNEM TV5 early Wednesday morning to report the closure. No other details were released.



Seriously? Phones? What if there was no toilet paper? Would they close if the TV's were broke too?

Best Joe Carter Impersonation

Pirates outfielder Lastings Milledge found a way to turn an RBI double into an epic fail last night against the Cubs. This is incredible. Check it, out, bottom of the fourth, bases juiced, and Milledge is still looking for his first bomb of the year. And he got all of this one…there it goes, a grand slam…Uh-oh!!!! Off the wall, but dude didn’t know it. He’s in his homerun trot, head down, arm outstretched like he’s Joe Carter or something, only to get hung out between second and third. Uh-oh! Owned. Afterwards, he did his best to roll with one of the most embarrassing plays ever: “I think that was the most exciting double in PNC park history. I never thought that it didn’t go out because the music was playing and the fireworks. But clearly it didn’t go out, it was a double and I’ve got to go in the weight room in the morning.” Yeah you do, player. Then again, in your defense, you haven’t hit a bomb in a long time, so I could see where you’d forget what you’re supposed to do. And that ballpark fireworks jockey did not do you any favors either. Hey dork, I know you’ve got your finger on that button, your just dying to light up the sky, and since you work for the Pirates, you don’t get many chances to do it but I don’t think you want to waste those bottle rockets on a double do you? Make sure a homerun is a homerun before you try to get that party started. Doing it to the opposition would have been funny, but you just deked one of your own. How very Pirates of them. All of them.

I can't post a video, but try here.

Pirates v Cubs on Thursday, May 6

Iron Man Movie Review?

So, any reviews of the new Iron Man? It's been in C-squared for the opening two weeks (I doubt he had a midnight showing on May 7 though). I hope to check it out this week.

I will say that when I first saw Iron Man, I didn't think it was that great. Nothing spectacular. Probably because it came out between "Batman Begins" and "Dark Knight" and I had high expectations. But, I rented it again this weekend and I watched it about 3 times. Much better every time. Pumped for the new one. Hope you have a good review.

Comic Cover of the Week: Siege #4

Good News

After rumors yesterday that Human Target was on the bubble, Fox has announced the show is being picked up for a second season. This is great news as Human Target was the best new show of the season. Hands down, no contest. Mark Valley, Chi McBride, and especially Jackie Earle Haley were all awesome in their roles. If you haven't watched an episode you should go to Hulu and catch an episode right now. Right this second.

Super 16?

Now it gets interesting. Lynn Henning has an article in the News discussing rumors that the Big Ten has extended invitations Notre Dame, Nebraska, Missouri, and Rutgers. ESPN's Pat Forde reports these rumors are false, but agrees with the details of the expansion, which are that the Big Ten expands to 16 teams and the conference breaks down into four "pods" of four and two divisions of eight.

The most interesting part? Forde speculates that the moves by the Big Ten could cause tectonic shifts across the entire college sports world. The ACC and SEC won't be able to stand by as the Big Ten is active and will look to expand themselves. The Big 12 and Big East could be cannibalized in the feeding frenzy. Notre Dame might have to join up because no one else would be left to play against. Bowl game tie-ins would be disrupted. Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!

Or maybe not. However, if the Big Ten goes to 16 teams, I think it should actually change its name to the "Super 16" and get a new logo similar to Three Doors Down:


Okay, they probably won't do that, on account of the kryptonite jokes, and maybe licensing, but it would sure make for a cool uniform patch.

5 Best Baseball Books

The WSJ ran an article this weekend listing the author's picks for the five best books written about baseball. Now the only baseball book I've ever read is "Moneyball", but I thought this might be of interest to some. "The Glory of Their Times" does sound interesting. (Hat tip: John J. Miller at The Corner)

Quote of the Day

Enough radioactivity was released to create 17 Hulks and a Spider-Man. Here is an artist's conception:

Quite disturbing.

-Kent Brockman, The Simpsons, "To Surveil, With Love"

"Men of Iron and Steel"

Here's a fascinating article on politics and superheroes, via Day by Day, if you're interested. An excerpt:

Superheroes are a libertarian fantasy, because they are individual men and women given the power to shape the course of history, and burdened with the moral responsibility to use it wisely. Spider-Man learned this in his hour of grief, after a moment of selfishness cost a good man his life. Superman is a Kansas farm boy who discovered he was a god, and devoted himself to protecting the mortal men and women around him, who he loved and respected with all of his heart. Batman is an extraordinary individual who devoted his talents to the pursuit of justice, freely choosing a path of agony and terror when his wealth and ability offered countless other choices.

Re: "Netflix!"

That delay Hollywood studios are pushing on Netflix? Apparently not working so well, according to this report. Ha. (Hat tip: Big Hollywood)

Buck Rogers

On the Outside Looking In

There's another article in the News today about Big Ten expansion, most notable in that it mentions everything you'll hear from now until the fall is speculation and rumor and not even fresh at that. This is probably worth remembering at some of the more outlandish theories are thrown around.

There's also a bit about ND and it's AD talking about how important their independence is to them. Which is no doubt true as the Domers have the biggest egos this side of Ann Arbor. But I'll make a prediction: In the near future Notre Dame is going to find itself desperately wanting in on a major conference and all they'll be able to find is a "No Vacancy" sign.

How Ernie Harwell found his faith.

I don't think I can add much to what other people saying (like here and here) about Ernie Harwell after he passed away last night, but I did find this video where he discusses with Mitch Albom how he became a Christian:

Comic Cover of the Week: Hellboy in Mexico (Or, a Drunken Blur)

On and On (Live)

?

Did anyone else know that Michael Tait, of DC Talk fame, is now the lead singer for the Newsboys? Apparently he took the role last year and the first album with him singing comes out on 7/13. I'm not sure my brain can process this. Tait's a talented guy, but a song like "Breakfast" is just going to sound wrong without Peter Furler, kind of like a really good cover band.

Here's a link to the video of the first single.

A boy named Suh.

In honor of Ndamukong Suh's first practice as a Detroit Lion: