One of my favorite authors has passed away 🙁
Archive for the ‘Items from the Quibbler’ Category
Sad news in the fantasy world
Thursday, September 17th, 2020Steve Jobs forces Ellen to apologize for being funny.
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010Last week on the Ellen show, Ellen showed a clip of her trying to use an iPhone. It was a funny and self-deprecating bit. The next day on her show, she stated that everyone loved her bit, but “You know who didn’t like it? That’s right, Apple.” she went on to say “They thought it made the iPhone difficult to use”. She then apologized for her bit.
I am sorry, but it was a JOKE! I would think that Apple would recognize this and keep their lawyers locked up. I assume that Apple has a lot of say in what Ellen says on her show as the very next show she gave away iPads to several of her game contestants.
At least the bit is still on the web site:
Avatar Review
Monday, January 18th, 2010Last night I went to see Avatar. I purposely prevented myself from seeing any previews or reviews so I could draw my own conclusion on this movie. We choose to see the IMAX 3D version. The theater was quite crowded, but we were able to secure front-row seating of the main part of the theater.
If you have not seen an IMAX movie before, it’s nice to not have previews or commercials and the movie starts on time.
The movie required us to wear extremely uncomfortable glasses that left an indent in our nose for almost a day. This will be the last 3D movie I watch, specifically because of the quality of the glasses and the uncomfortable experience. My eyes started watering almost immediately because of the material the lenses are made of (a very cheap plastic material). In IMAX, it was impossible to see the whole screen with the glasses on and only the part of the screen in front of us was in 3D. The region outside the area was blurry and impossible to see. I give the movie kudos for not stooping to the cheesy 3D tricks (except in two scenes).
It was about 15 minutes into the movie that I realized this story appears to be familiar. My first observation was the re-worked mechs from the movie Aliens (another Cameron movie). The minute I saw that, I started comparing everything I saw to Cameron’s other movies I saw. This was disappointing because I could never get to the point where I just sat back and let the movie happen. I was anticipating what would happen next. The movie was the most predictable movie I have ever seen. I knew what would happen in every scene.
The movie story line, while unique in its setting was just a retelling of several stories as well as smacking the viewer in the face with anti-mercenary and anti-war (specifically IRAQ) messages. The destruction of the “HOME TREE” was a representation of every deforestation battle played out in the news.
Anyone who thinks this story is unique or groundbreaking has not seen “Dances with Wolves”, “Enemy Mine” or “At Play in the Fields of Lords”. I can not believe that this movie won a Golden Globe for Best Drama. It shows that the foreign press doesn’t have a clue. Several other film’s previews were better than this movie.
I found several parts of this movie enjoyable, but I kept getting frustrated with knowing what was going to happened. The effects are amazing and the beauty of the world sucks you in. So, I am torn between giving this movie a D (and ask for your money back) and a B-. It’s definitely worth seeing, but I would avoid the 3D-IMAX. I am not sure I will pay again to see it as a regular IMAX or a 3D standard screen.
The critics were slamming Sigourney Weaver for smoking in just about every scene. It’s quite clear that Cameron was showing an homage to Ellen Ripley. The bad-ass version of her from the second+ movies. Even the air-fighter pilot was a similar character from the second movie. There were several parts of the movie that I was remembering quotes from Aliens:
When the Na’vi attack the aircraft: “They’re coming outta the walls. They’re coming outta the goddamn walls. Let’s book!”
When the Na’vi Avatar starts shooting the weapon: “Remember: short, controlled bursts.”
When they pull the plug on the Avatar tanks: “That’s it man, game over man, game over! What the fuck are we gonna do now? What are we gonna do?”
When Jake is about to take a hit and Neytiri attacks: “Get away from her, you *bitch!*”
What’s really sad is I remembered these quotes while I was watching the wrong movie 😉
So, go see this movie, don’t pay full price and think seriously about wanting to see it in IMAX-3D, you might enjoy it better in another format. Don’t expect an original story, but be prepared to be blown away by the effect and landscape.
pork, it’s not just for dinner.
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009I have been reading and talking to a lot of people lately about the misinformation about the H1N1 outbreak. The swine flu (yes, that is what it is) had it’s name changed because the hog farmers felt it showed them in a bad light and their profits might suffer from people not wanting to buy their products. http://nationalhogfarmer.com/swine-flu/0430-swine-changes-to-H1N1/
While talking to my friends and acquaintances I was amazed that not a single person knew the source of the flu (or any flu). Flu 101: In short, the Flu comes from the close proximity of species like birds and pork. Basically, poultry that is raised too close to pigs is how flu’s propagate. The birds infect the pigs and the pigs infect people. You can read all about it at the National Institute of Health: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/Flu/understandingFlu/definitionsOverview.htm
This latest outbreak of swine flu was advertised that it started in Mexico and that we have nothing to worry about because something like that could not happen in the USA. It’s funny how every news agency jumped on the bandwagon to point the finger at a country that could not defend itself. This strain may not have started in Mexico, but more than likely actually in North Carolina. http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-25-swine-flu-smithfield/
Don’t let people use propaganda to try to convince you that it’s not the fault of the farmers. It’s amazing that on the hog farmers web site they claim there is no link between pork and the flu when even the CDC and NIH sites have proven the link. For many centuries the world had no flu. The flu 1st appeared in 1918
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_flu_pandemic
when farmers started mixing their chickens and pigs in same area. This may have been the result of military practices during WW1. This practice continues today and until world procedures change we will always have swine flu.
Will I stop eating port? Heck no! I love my BBQ. But, I recommend that people educate themselves and NOT repeat the propaganda they hear on TV or from the lobbyists.
Harry Potter series continues…
Friday, January 16th, 2009I just got done listening to Episode One of the PotterCast Acting Troupe. I have to say I was quite impressed. It picks up at the end of Book 7 and follows Rosie, Al, and Scorpious as they board the train…
You can listen to it here: http://pottercast.the-leaky-cauldron.org/episode/show/216
Note, this is the full podcast and the episode is about 2/3 of the way into the show.