Tuesday – 02 October 2007
Road monkeys. Fast lane, slow car. Days like this make me (somewhat) glad that I wasn’t granted infinite cosmic power at birth (or by being visited by a fiery cosmic force as I piloted a space shuttle from a space station). Although, the idea of displacing the driver in question to midtown Manhattan at rush hour does hold more than “a little” appeal.

Reeling by on Celluoid: The Punisher
Last night, I watched the 2003 version of The Punisher, starring Thomas Jane and John Travolta. It was definitely “an adaptation” of the origin of the Marvel Comics character.

This isn’t to say that the movie was entirely “bad,” but let’s just say that there was room for some improvement. The characterizations were good – you understood what drove Frank Castle (Jane) to pursue his brand of justice, just as you understand what drove Howard Saint (Travolta). Yes, there was some over-acting. And the fight scene with The Russian…? Um, let’s just say that it was more over-the-top than it needed to be, but c’mon… you’re talking about a scene with a WWF/WWE wrestler – over-the-top is par for the course.

I might it on the Cool World–Long Kiss Goodnight Scale, but all things considered, it was a decent distraction. I might even call it “mindless fun.”

Four-Color Coverage
I started in on some of my four-color haul from the weekend. I’m up-to-date on Countdown and “The Sinestro Corps War,” as well as a few other titles, but there are still things in my hold box at the shop.

Stray Toasters

  • I should reread Inferno, the one by Dante Aligheri, not the 80s Marvel X-book crossover.
  • Coworker John “The Flash” Fox (hero to millions) pointed me in the direction of this video: Amazing Grace – Wintley Phipps. Not only does he sing the song; first, he gives an interesting background lesson in the song’s history and a little music theory, as well. I knew the story of John Newton, so that didn’t surprise me. What I didn’t know was that most Negro spirituals were written in the pentatonic scale. And, I like his rendition; I might even have to add this to “The Best” list.
  • Don’t use the magical
    Mysterious, intoxicating, joy fantastic
    Fascinating word called love
    Unless u love me 2 the 9s
  • Herbie Hancock Talks Math, Music and Mastering the Tech Toolbox
  • From Computerworld: Five free Web apps we can’t live without
  • I need to finish Season 2 of Coupling.
  • Charlie Stross’ Halting State: Heist novel about an MMORPG
  • 7 Deadly Sins,7 Heavenly Virtues
  • Said Superman had come to town to see who he could rock
    He blew away every crew he faced until he reached our block
    His speakers were three stories high with woofers made of steel
    And when we brought our set outside, he said “Ha! Be for real!”
    He said, “I’m faster than a speedin’ bullet when I’m on the set,
    I don’t need no fans to cool my amps, I just use my super breath.
    I could fly three times around the world without missin’ a beat
    I socialize with X-ray eyes, and ladies think it’s sweet.”
    And then he turned his power on and the ground began to move
    And all the buildings for miles around were swayin’ to the groove
    And just when he had pulled a crowd and swore he won the fight…
    We rocked his boat with a 12 inch cut called Disco Kryptonite
  • Things you shouldn’t do in science fiction/fantasy fiction writing
  • Do you have any idea how amusing it is to have people stop to look at comics I posted (start with that link and read the next nine or ten) on one of the cube walls… about starting a new religion? In Utah? And the new “religion” is based on video games? Hint: It makes me grin like a fiend.
  • Russinovich finds his place at Microsoft

/lunch

Namaste.