Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
?
This is for those of you who never read comics. DC Comics, the publishers of Superman, Batman, etc is undergoing a major revamp in September. One part of this is updating the costumes of many heroes, including Superman. Now if the word "iconic" has any meaning I think Superman would fit it, but DC thinks this will help sales. Here are some pics:
VS.
I don't expect anyone reading this is going to go out a buy a new book because of this, but is it positive at all? Does eliminating the red shorts make you more likely to be interested? Does it just seem silly?
VS.
I don't expect anyone reading this is going to go out a buy a new book because of this, but is it positive at all? Does eliminating the red shorts make you more likely to be interested? Does it just seem silly?
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Super 8
More like "Super Ain't"...as in Super Ain't good.
The best part of watching Super 8 was getting to see the trailer for Captain America again.
The best part of watching Super 8 was getting to see the trailer for Captain America again.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Auto Review: Chevy Aveo5
This week I had to leave my car at the dealer for a little warranty work for a couple days. Ford provided a rental car. Knowing that there was no way Ford was going to spring for anything besides a basic car, I was really hoping for a Ford Fiesta based on this Top Gear review:
Unfortunately the car was not supplied by Ford, but rather provided by Ford through Hertz, so what I ended up with was the 2011 Chevy Aveo5:
It left such an impression that I thought I would write something.
The Pros
-My rental car looked exactly like the picture above. It's not especially good-looking, but it's pretty inoffensive, obviously a Chevy, and a big improvement over the previous model.
-There's lots of headroom, not that I would be the best judge. (That's a short joke.) It's easy to see out of the car at all angles.
-I really didn't like the 1.6 L 108-hp engine at first, but after driving around for two days I decided it was adequate for driving around town. As long as you stay off the open road you're not going to notice the lack of power.
-It did have AC and a CD player, but no cruise control.
The Cons
-Here's what driving an Aveo on the freeway is like: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA(breath)AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH(breath)HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! This car was not designed to go over 55-mph. It has a strained relationship with the road and never feels firmly planted at freeway speeds. Add a crosswind on a bridge over the Mississippi to that and you have a terrifying experience.
-The car vibrated at idle like a two cylinder tractor. I was afraid it was going to explode.
-Those backseats are just for show, there's no way a human could sit in them if anyone was sitting in the front.
-The interior is obviously cheap, though not outstandingly so. The clock is awkwardly positioned on the dash near the windshield rather than on the CD player display.
-The interior door handles are positioned so far forward it can be difficult to open the doors, especially if you don't want to hit the car next to you.
-The car sounds hollow and flimsy when you shut the doors.
I could go on, but I won't. If you have had even a fleeting thought about buying one of these, stop. Please. No one should have to drive this car. You would be better off buying practically anything else. Heck, buy a horse. Even if it kicks you in the face it would be better than driving this car.
Unfortunately the car was not supplied by Ford, but rather provided by Ford through Hertz, so what I ended up with was the 2011 Chevy Aveo5:
It left such an impression that I thought I would write something.
The Pros
-My rental car looked exactly like the picture above. It's not especially good-looking, but it's pretty inoffensive, obviously a Chevy, and a big improvement over the previous model.
-There's lots of headroom, not that I would be the best judge. (That's a short joke.) It's easy to see out of the car at all angles.
-I really didn't like the 1.6 L 108-hp engine at first, but after driving around for two days I decided it was adequate for driving around town. As long as you stay off the open road you're not going to notice the lack of power.
-It did have AC and a CD player, but no cruise control.
The Cons
-Here's what driving an Aveo on the freeway is like: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA(breath)AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH(breath)HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! This car was not designed to go over 55-mph. It has a strained relationship with the road and never feels firmly planted at freeway speeds. Add a crosswind on a bridge over the Mississippi to that and you have a terrifying experience.
-The car vibrated at idle like a two cylinder tractor. I was afraid it was going to explode.
-Those backseats are just for show, there's no way a human could sit in them if anyone was sitting in the front.
-The interior is obviously cheap, though not outstandingly so. The clock is awkwardly positioned on the dash near the windshield rather than on the CD player display.
-The interior door handles are positioned so far forward it can be difficult to open the doors, especially if you don't want to hit the car next to you.
-The car sounds hollow and flimsy when you shut the doors.
I could go on, but I won't. If you have had even a fleeting thought about buying one of these, stop. Please. No one should have to drive this car. You would be better off buying practically anything else. Heck, buy a horse. Even if it kicks you in the face it would be better than driving this car.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Thoughts on Green Lantern
A few thoughts on Green Lantern, which I saw on Friday:
-I liked it, though not as much as Thor. It's a decent film, but it had the potential to be a lot better. They tried to fit a lot of story into one movie when they probably should have went with less.
-Like Thor, GL starts with exposition that fills you in on the origin of the Corps, their powers, and the source of the threat they face. I don't think it's a problem, but I've seen a lot of whining to the contrary.
-The costume is a little weird, but it worked for me well enough when watching the movie.
-Ryan Reynolds does a good job as Hal Jordan. Not exactly how I picture the character, but close enough.
-Mark Strong is very good as Sinestro, but he doesn't get near enough screen time.
-This movie has the most alien aliens I've ever seen in a movie.
-Yes, there's a lot of CG in this movie. A lot. I've seen complaints about that too and how things don't look real. Most of the CG is pretty good, but so much of the movie is spent in such fantastic locations you're never going to buy it as "real". If that's a problem you should probably go watch something else.
-There is a scene after the main credits, so you don't have to wait as long as you do in the Marvel films. It's a cool scene, but a bit disappointing because it's a major development and it really wasn't set up well enough.
-I liked it, though not as much as Thor. It's a decent film, but it had the potential to be a lot better. They tried to fit a lot of story into one movie when they probably should have went with less.
-Like Thor, GL starts with exposition that fills you in on the origin of the Corps, their powers, and the source of the threat they face. I don't think it's a problem, but I've seen a lot of whining to the contrary.
-The costume is a little weird, but it worked for me well enough when watching the movie.
-Ryan Reynolds does a good job as Hal Jordan. Not exactly how I picture the character, but close enough.
-Mark Strong is very good as Sinestro, but he doesn't get near enough screen time.
-This movie has the most alien aliens I've ever seen in a movie.
-Yes, there's a lot of CG in this movie. A lot. I've seen complaints about that too and how things don't look real. Most of the CG is pretty good, but so much of the movie is spent in such fantastic locations you're never going to buy it as "real". If that's a problem you should probably go watch something else.
-There is a scene after the main credits, so you don't have to wait as long as you do in the Marvel films. It's a cool scene, but a bit disappointing because it's a major development and it really wasn't set up well enough.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Busy
I know I've been pretty quiet on his for the last 3 months, but I hope this sums it all up.
First time since 1995. We then beat Saginaw Valley Lutheran in the Regional Semi-Finals 6-5. We lost in the Reg. finals to Shepherd 7-3. We had bases loaded in the 7th with 1 out and our #3 hitter up. The #3 and #4 both struck out. Shepherd is the back-to-back defending state champs. They lost today in the State semi-final game.
First time since 1995. We then beat Saginaw Valley Lutheran in the Regional Semi-Finals 6-5. We lost in the Reg. finals to Shepherd 7-3. We had bases loaded in the 7th with 1 out and our #3 hitter up. The #3 and #4 both struck out. Shepherd is the back-to-back defending state champs. They lost today in the State semi-final game.
Sad, Scary,...not surprised
Discrimination in Hollywood? No way.
Unless you're really naive, this shouldn't surprise anyone based on the world we live in today.
After reading the headline, there probably wasn't a GASP! reaction.
MacGyver certainly had an anti-gun theme, but (1) what's wrong with that, (2) that was kinda the point of his character, and (3) I didn't really see that changing the culture of the world much.
Unless you're really naive, this shouldn't surprise anyone based on the world we live in today.
After reading the headline, there probably wasn't a GASP! reaction.
In one video, Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman says that when she cast Candace Gingrich-Jones, half-sister of Republican former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, as the minister of a lesbian wedding, “There was a bit of ‘f--- you’ in it to the right wing.”
Kauffman also acknowledges she “put together a staff of mostly liberal people,” which is another major point of Shapiro’s book: that conservatives aren’t welcome in Hollywood.
However, the ranks of dumb right-wingers has dwindled, according to Harris, whose video has her saying: “At least, you know, we put Obama in office, and so people, I think, are getting – have gotten – a little bit smarter.”
MacGyver certainly had an anti-gun theme, but (1) what's wrong with that, (2) that was kinda the point of his character, and (3) I didn't really see that changing the culture of the world much.
What's Your Point?
Percentage of black MLB players declines again:
I hate stories like this, especially when it comes from ESPN. I don't hear anyone complaining about the lack of white players in the NBA, so why is this "news"? I'm no professional sports team owner, but I'm pretty sure it comes down to who can produce the desired results, regardless of skin color. Is it that hard to figure out that maybe black kids growing up are better at basketball and choose to play that over baseball?
I hate stories like this, especially when it comes from ESPN. I don't hear anyone complaining about the lack of white players in the NBA, so why is this "news"? I'm no professional sports team owner, but I'm pretty sure it comes down to who can produce the desired results, regardless of skin color. Is it that hard to figure out that maybe black kids growing up are better at basketball and choose to play that over baseball?
Thursday, June 16, 2011
The most awesome news you'll read all day.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Nemesis
Although I follow the NBA only a little more closely than I follow NCAA women's volleyball (which is at least aesthetically pleasing), I'm really enjoying the fact that the Miami Heat, and LeBron James in particular, lost the NBA finals. Detroit News writer Vincent Goodwill has an article up about it today. Here's an excerpt:
I think hubris is exactly the right term here, and I can't think of a pro sports team that has invited nemesis the way the Heat did. James, Wade, and Bosh made it pretty clear that they thought they had outsmarted the system and everyone was ready to hand them the title. Now, not only have they blown it, but James has cemented his reputation as the biggest choker in the NBA. It's wonderful, isn't it?
This is the path the Heat laid for themselves, one of extreme hubris.
Their arrogance was one of a different kind. It differed much than the determined arrogance of the late '80s Pistons or the early '90s Bulls. And it wasn't quite the same as the historical arrogance the late '90s Bulls displayed.
The conceit of their predecessors was built from success, but in most cases it birthed from failure. From silent tears and mental growth. The Heat's arrogance stemmed from pulling off a coup in front of the world, staging a sense of suspense when they all truly knew what they were doing, before James' "Decision."
In doing so, they felt the season would just be a formality, aside from meeting the experienced Celtics and then possibly taking on the defending champion Lakers for an epic Finals showdown.
I think hubris is exactly the right term here, and I can't think of a pro sports team that has invited nemesis the way the Heat did. James, Wade, and Bosh made it pretty clear that they thought they had outsmarted the system and everyone was ready to hand them the title. Now, not only have they blown it, but James has cemented his reputation as the biggest choker in the NBA. It's wonderful, isn't it?
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Wii U Wha?
Nintendo announced their next system, the terribly named Wii U.
The controller has a built-in touch screen in addition to the accelerometers. The whole thing looks terrible awkward. I want to be excited, but I just can't figure it being comfortable to play with. Besides, I won't be buying it anytime soon anyway regardless.
It will be backwards compatible with the Wii, but not the Gamecube, will have Hi-Def HDMI output, and the controller will be usable to play games as a notepad with data streamed to it by the console. Cool gadget, not sure about it as a game system.
Friday, June 03, 2011
Thursday, June 02, 2011
James Bond will return...
I was recently discussing with my brother that there was a bit of a question mark over the Bond franchise due to studio financial troubles. Well, that must be more or less resolved, because MGM and Sony have announced that Bond 23 will release in the UK on 10/26/2012 and in the US on 11/9/2012.
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
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