Lucas Shot Last

I think the internet is going to break. Either that, or Indiana Jones and the City of Gods is going to be the greatest movie ever made. Why? Well, it seems that the geek forefathers are becoming what they once were.

Here's the proof:


It was taken from the set of the new Indy film. Notice anything? Well... here's a better image of the shirt Lucas is wearing:


Now, I've never been someone who's really cared about that particular change in the original Holy Trilogy, but this does say something fun to me.

Christian Fundamentalists Suck: Part 1

This should be embarrassing to anyone who calls themselves a Christian.



Now, all I hear from so called Christians is that this is a very vocal minority of fundies doing this. Why hasn't this supposed silent majority spoken up? If you don't want the rest of the world to lump you all together as nutjobs, you better get on the ball.

I would agree that these people are the minority, but I believe they are a bullying and intimidating minority. They've got the backing of the "President," too. I can't believe in the time I've been an adult our society has become more primative and ignorant.

All of you people who agree with this disruption need to do bellyflops off tall buildings.

These Guys Live Kinda Close to Each Other...

Mr Xishun, 56, is the tallest man in the world at 7.9ft,and Mr Pingping, 19, is the smallest at 2.4ft.

I want the big guy to yell, "Hey, I believe that belongs to Mr. Gilmore!" and I'd love how someone is holding the little guy up like a Cabbage Patch Kid.

Seriously, though... these guys were born not too far apart in China. It's like they're trying to cancel each other out and bring balance to the universe. It also reminds me of Vonnegut's Slapstick. It looks like some of the Chinese ARE trying to make everyone as small as possible. Soon they will fit in our pockets.

Hi ho.

Hall of Insane

Okay, so baseball's got a big problem. A huge beefed up and injected with growth hormome problem. Everyone has heard about it.

Baseball has been and always will be about numbers, statistics and coveted records. Those records have been and are under jeapardy right now. Destroyed and about to be destroyed by known steriod users.* And I really don't care that much. Why? Well, baseball brought this upon itself. Up until a few years ago, steroids weren't illegal in the baseball world. Sure, they were illegal everywhere else, but since there was no rule or testing in place, baseball just looked the other way as McGwire, Sosa and Bonds, among others, shattered records.

But what I DO care about is the way the Hall of Fame is treating this. As far as I'm concerned, the Hall of Fame has a responsibility. One that needs to not only document the games heroes and greats, but record the games history through its good times and, more importantly, its rough patches.

Yes, this is going into Pete Rose territory.

How is it, that a sport, who's love of numbers doesn't have its all time hits leader in the HOF, could possibly not have its soon to be all time HR leader in the HOF?

This bothers the hell out of me.

I don't condone betting on baseball when you manage your team, but I don't say it didn't happen. I agree that the man should be banned from having a job in baseball for the rest of his life, but the MLB and the HOF are two seperate entities. This is basically what the HOF is saying to Rose, "We've swept you, and your dirty laundry, under the rug."

Now the same could happen to Bonds. We've already seen the voters scoff at Mark McGwire's name on the HOF ballot. We know there will be more on that ballot scoffed at when the players with highly questionable numbers get there name on the ballot, too. Bonds is going to be the the poster child for questionable HOF credentials.

I think he will get in. There are probably enough voters who believe that there was enough greatness before the "beefing" to get him a plaque, but what if he doesn't because it's found without a shadow of doubt that Bonds was a steriod user? What kind of mark would that be on the sport? The leader in hits and the leader in home runs both are refused entry to the Hall of Fame. Wow.

I've got a solution, though.

TELL THE TRUTH!!!

Why can't we have a Hall of Fame that tells it like it is? Pete Rose could have a plaque with his name, stats and organization on it just like all the other greats. Except we could add a little to the paragraphs detailing Rose's career. We could tell the truth about Rose's gambling on baseball. Let it be a scarlet letter on his plaque.

We could do the same with all the steroid cheaters, too. Here's the line they could use:

"In an era of bulked up and roided out players ________ was known to be one of the biggest cheaters, but since baseball turned the other way and didn't make it illegal for the players to do, we all got to reap the enjoyment of 550 ft. home runs."

Tell the truth. Be honest about history. Thank goodness we're in the Age of Anformation where little of these types of truths get past us.** The Hall of Fame needs to join the 21st Century and do history the same service.

*Yeah, they're known. We all know it. Don't debate it.

**Ha ha... I know...

Happy Anniversary Disco Demolition!

July 12, 1979 marked the last American League forfeit, but it also remains one of the most memorable moments in baseball history. If you get a chance, PBS did a GREAT documentary on the event that I highly recommend watching.

This is one of those events that really make me think about who we are as a species. There are so many cultural subtexts to be found in this microcosm of insanity.

Here's some more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco_Demolition

Viking Kittens!

A blast from the past, but I need to have this close by. Thank you rathergood.com.

Live Free or Die a Sicko

I don't get to the theater much, anymore.

Maybe once or twice a year. For someone like me, it's been a killer. I was used to going about once a week, but that all changed when I had a child. I'm sure some of you with children know what I'm talking about.

Well, today was a big day because the wife and child are out of town, and I got to indulge in some cinematic activity. Because I don't get to see many flicks, I decided to see two movies: Sicko and Live Free or Die Hard. I don't think I could have picked two films more opposite each other.

Sicko's a wonderful documentary. I couldn't recommend it enough. I hope everyone gets a chance to see this one, because it's an important film, and it's possibly the start of big things for our country as far as health care is concerned. Do I really believe that this film, at the end of the day, is going to change the United States? Not really. I think there are too many people that would lose too much money to ever let health care fall under the status of a government regulated social institution. But I guess I can hope that it might, right?

There's a part in the film where Moore discusses the other social services the government provides us (police, fire fighters, postal services, etc...), and he wonders why health care can't be provided to us all the same way. Well, we all know it's money. This is a film you walk out feeling mad about. This isn't a right wing vs. left wing issue, either. It's a rich 1% vs. everyone else. Bless you Mr. Moore... you knocked this one out of the park.

The second half of my movie going day was all about John Mclane. Die Hard, in my most humble opinion, is the greatest action flick ever put to celluloid.

This one... not so much.

It's not a horrible film by any stretch, and it's rather entertaining to boot. You just need to suspend every single bit of disbelief you've ever had. The action is fun, but I felt it get pretty dumb in the final act. The PG-13 was rather irksome, too. Usually I don't care about stuff like that, but what I do demand is consistancy. No blood splatters and the lack of F-bombs are a staple of the Die Hard franchise, and sadly... they are missing. This isn't Robocop 3 territory, but don't expect the typical Die hard bullet wounds.

I did learn about the F-35, though. I didn't realize that it was a jet similar to a harrier that can take off and land vertically. Thank you, Bruce Willis. You taught me something special.