Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Not happy.

First, I'll give you guys the less devastating news. McBest is gone, for good. I'm not very happy about that. I've immediately started to save money to go visit him.

Now, for the really devastating news. Without notifying other members, there have been two(that I know of) new members inducted into the Scurvy Squad. I know, right? Not cool.

On a better note, what exactly are we doing for the Artichoke Reunion on the 18th of October? Is my drunken karaoke idea totally out of the question? If it is, I think it needs to be taken under further consideration.

OO-EH,
Kal El

Monday, September 29, 2008

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Wow.

This kid is amazing.

Yo-Yo to "Stronger"


OO-EH,
Kal El

Thursday, September 25, 2008

One of the funniest videos...

...that I have watched in a while. I saw this on the Kanye West blog when I woke up this morning and laughed my ass off. It's good to start your day with a good laugh, try it out sometime.


Diesel SFW XXX - Watch more free videos

OO-EH,
Kal El

Monday, September 22, 2008

There may be hope!

"DETROIT -- Bill Ford Jr. has seen enough of the way team president Matt Millen is running his father's Detroit Lions.

NFC North blog

Bill Ford Jr.'s comments about Matt Millen have made for a very awkward situation for the Lions, Kevin Seifert writes.

The Ford Motor Co. executive chairman spoke to reporters Monday after a Detroit Economic Club meeting. The vice chairman of the Lions said he was disappointed in the team's performance and said fans deserve better.

When asked, Ford said Millen should leave the team, but he didn't have the authority to make such a significant change.

His father, William Clay Ford, is the owner and chairman of the franchise.

The Lions are 0-3 this season and an NFL-worst 31-84 since hiring Millen, who won Super Bowls as a linebacker and was an acclaimed TV analyst but had no front-office experience when he was hired in Detroit."

OO-EH,
Kal El

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Smallville Season 8 review.

It’s a problem that plagues almost every drama series on broadcast television that is not a procedural crime drama: How to keep the narrative’s ongoing mythology interesting as the show’s characters age through the seasons without jumping any sharks.

You don’t hear much about it, especially in the mainstream media, but Smallville, which on Thursday will begin its eighth season (its third on The CW, following five on The WB), has throughout its run emerged as a textbook study on how to roll with the realities of television production and remain vital while staying true to its core story. The first seven seasons of this series should be required viewing for every show-runner who is fortunate enough to face these challenges.

The Season 8 premiere makes clear that this isn’t the Smallville that captivated viewers and advertisers alike when it debuted in 2001. (I remember the excitement in the ballroom at New York City’s Sheraton Hotel in May of that year when The WB presented clips from the thrilling Smallville pilot to hundreds of advertisers and dozens of journalists.) The series, like its characters, is grown up now. When it began, it was about teenagers -- including Clark Kent (Tom Welling), the most famous super powered humanoid alien in the history of American popular culture – coping with the pressures high school, family and first romance, plus the lingering after effects of a devastating, long-ago meteor shower, the remnants of which continued to turn local citizens into Kryptonite-fueled madmen, if not genuine monsters. The Smallville canvas has expanded dramatically over the years to include interplanetary intrigue, cross-dimensional conflicts, the introduction of additional aliens (Supergirl, Brainiac, the Martian Manhunter) and other super-powered individuals (The Green Arrow, the Black Canary, Impulse, Aquaman, Cyborg), star-crossed romances (Clark Kent and Lana Lang, Lois Lane and Oliver Queen), a marriage made in hell (Lana Lang and Lex Luthor), three significant deaths (Whitney Fordman, Jonathan Kent, Lionel Luthor), and the departures of the two women Clark has loved most, his mother (for a political career in Washington, D.C.) and Lana (to begin a new life and allow Clark to fulfill his true destiny unencumbered by their relationship), as well as his best friend, Pete.

Smallville these days bears little resemblance to its younger self, yet it still feels remarkably fresh. Only two characters remain from its first season: Clark Kent, now finally pursuing a career in journalism at the Daily Planet and newly determined to move into adulthood (with ongoing guidance from his mentor, Oliver Queen), and his new best friend Chloe Sullivan, an intrepid young reporter who recently developed healing powers as a result of exposure to Kryptonite fragments from that long ago disaster. (She is now a “meteor freak,” as people who are dramatically altered by Kryptonite are known.) With Lana out of the picture (though she will briefly return in the months to come), Clark is free to pursue a new romance with his new colleague, Lois Lane, while Chloe finally declares her love for cub photographer Jimmy Olsen. And with Lex out of the way (mysteriously missing after the Fortress of Solitude collapsed on top of him at the end of Season 7), Clark has a new adversary in corporate cut-throat Tess Mercer, Lex’s designated successor as CEO of LuthorCorp.

Wisely, the season premiere includes appearances by three heroes from the still young Justice League: Green Arrow, Black Canary and Aquaman, all looking for Clark, who has also gone missing after the collapse of the Fortress. Martian Manhunter also returns at a critical time. Green Arrow (Justin Hartley) will remain on the canvas indefinitely, and the others will likely return. The growing awareness of other super-powered humans from well beyond the Smallville borders has been the most tantalizing subplot in the show’s ever-expanding mythology. For millions of comic book fans past and present it is as if the D.C. Comics universe is taking shape right before their eyes. The potential spin-offs and movie franchises are dazzling.

And yet, that isn’t what Smallville is about. It remains the story of Clark Kent, a young man who, upon reaching adolescence, began to realize that he was different from other kids. Young Clark’s adventures were stories of family, friendship, community, responsibility and tolerance. Clark has been somewhat slower to mature than most young men, despite prodding from Lana and Oliver, but he has experienced enough loss and seen enough change to realize that it is time to step up and be the person he was meant to be. That doesn’t simply mean taking on the challenges of manhood. It means respecting the responsibilities that come with great power and accepting the challenges that come with being Superman.

There. I said it. Superman. When Smallville premiered, its creators freely used the expression “no flights, no tights.” This series would be a reimagining of the Superman saga, not a simple retelling. Those producers and writers (and those who have since assumed control) have remained true to their original pledge. But Clark has flown quite a bit in recent seasons. It may be time for him to finally don that classic costume, especially if this proves to be the final season for this unexpectedly durable show.

TV on the Radio-Golden Age

Ha, I love this video. Watch it, it's a trip.



OO-EH,
Kal El

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

They are losing fans.

Some guy wrote this letter to the Lions head offices...sad.

"To Mr. Ford, Mr. Millen and Coach Marinelli:

After 20 years of passionately supporting the Detroit Lions I find myself in a painful predicament. My natural tendency is to remain loyal, but as a matter of principle I can no longer support the Detroit Lions organization in any way, shape, or form. As I write this, my jerseys, t-shirts, hats and other such things are all burning in a barrel. I once had dreams of watching games with my kids, forming family traditions of the Lions on Thanksgiving, etc....those dreams are gone now. I refuse to pull my children into the heart-breaking dysfunction of this franchise.

It's not that the team isn't very good, it's that for decades this team has been mismanaged by incompetent people. As the owner and the GM, you two are the ones who are responsible for this. Mr. Millen, while I respect your desire to keep working at it until you get it right, I have to tell you that it now looks like smug arrogance and selfishness. Every man has to know his limitations, what he is good at and what he isn't good at. Competent men are able to admit their shortcomings and graciously concede defeat. Insecure men don't do the right thing because they are either afraid of what people think or they don't have a grip on reality and they think that they can still get the job done. You can't. You have already failed more than any other GM in NFL history. I am leaving the Lions because of you. Mr. Ford, I don't have ANY respect for you or anything you run. You are the most incompetent owner in sports, and your automobile company isn't far behind. I refuse to purchase any of your products from here on out and if it is in my power I will influence my friends, family and acquaintances to [do] the same. Coach Marinelli, I was in your corner and on the bandwagon for every single day up until today when I watched this team perform as incompetently as any I have ever seen (particularly in terms of inability to tackle). I still respect what you are trying to do and I feel bad that you came into such a screwed up situation. With such high draft picks available and in the day of free agency there is no franchise that has suffered as badly as the Lions have in terms of developing a competitive team. I can't watch the games any more because I feel so sad and so sick to my stomach that I have literally thrown up. I'm tired of this.

It must be nice to live in such a fantasy land where there is no such thing as true accountability, no requirement of productivity. If anyone at my company performed the way this organization has, they would be fired. If my company kept such poor performers it would go bankrupt. That is why I say that this is a matter of principle--you take the money of loyal fans, but NEVER deliver a product. If I thought I had a chance, I would take this organization to court and sue you for fraud. The love and positive feelings I once felt for the Lions has now been turned to hatred and sour bitterness. As far as I am concerned this organization is nothing more than a scam owned by a senile old man and run by an incapable GM that doesn't have the decency to step down. And I'm not the only one. Oh, I know that you think that the disgruntled fans will be happy if we win...but one day you will wake up and discover that there is a deep undercurrent that is brewing in the fanbase and you will reap what you deserve. At this point the only chance the Lions have of keeping me as a fan is if Mr. Ford sells the team and fires Mr. Millen. I am willing to give Coach Marinelli time because as I said before, he came into one of the worst scenarios possible. Do this and this franchise will stand a chance. Keep doing the same things the same way and I wouldn't be surprised if disgruntled fans turn to more aggressive means of forcing your hand because desperate times call for desperate measures.

To the person who will probably get this email and decide not to pass it on to those who it is addressed to--you are part of the problem. Why don't you try growing a pair and actually send it to the people it is supposed to go to? Obviously you shouldn't fear losing your job since no one else does.

Sincerely,
[A] former fan in South Dakota"

OO-EH,
Kal El

Monday, September 15, 2008

Is it Monday yet?

YES! Monday Night Football! There is nothing I love more during football seasons than Mondays, especially ones like today when I have an unexpected day off AND my favorite team(next to the Lions, of course) THE Philadelphia Eagles plays possibly their biggest division rivals and former cancer of their team, The Dallas Cowboys and Terrell Owens. Last year, with Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown, two pro-bowl corner backs, Lito Sheppard blanketed T.O. for no touchdowns and they forced Romo into 3 INTs. This year, they still have Sheppard and Brown and added another pro-bowl corner in Asante Samuel. Yes, the Cowboys have a high powered offense, but can they stop Brian Westbrook and a rejuvenated Donovan McNabb? Let's hope not. GO EAGLES!!

OO-EH,
Kal El

Friday, September 12, 2008

This looks pretty good.

It's called "The Soloist." It is starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr.


The Soloist from videos11 on Vimeo.

It looks like it will be pretty good.

OO-EH,
Kal El

Gas. You might want to read.

I was just told from a friend that he has heard a nasty but very possibly true rumor about gas. Gas has hit the price of $6 even in lansing and $4.09 in Flint soon to be the same as Lansing. I honestly have no more of a reason to believe this than to not, so don't take my word for it. But I think it might be a good idea to go fill up ASAP just in case, it'd be worth it. Hopefully if it is true, everyone reads this in time.

If it's true, no need to thank me. As I always say, "I do, what I can do, when I can do it."

OO-EH,
Kal El

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Day of new.

Day of a lot of new things.

Got home from work and went for a run and just relaxed in front of the T.V. and I realized a few things. I caught an encore of the VMAs, didn't watch a whole lot of it because I don't really care, but that comedian, Russell Brand, is pretty funny. It surprised me because well, from my experience there is no such thing as a funny Brit.

Also, I think I am in love with Katy Perry. Her music is alright, but there is something about her that I see as beautiful. She is only about a year older than me, so anything is possible. I can dream.

NEW BEER! I discovered a new beer that I like, possibly love. Heileman's Special Export. I believe it come from the Chi, check it out. It's the bee's knees.

OO-EH,
Kal El

Monday, September 8, 2008

I don't say this much...

...but, I'm impressed.

Off road unicycling....ever heard of it?



OO-EH,
Kal El

Saving Superman- Part 1

Saving Superman - Part 1

By Kevin Aheam (aka TMW Man)
[Date: September 8, 2008]

In August, Warners announced that it was going to 'reintroduce Superman', and begin the franchise all over again as if SUPERMAN RETURNS (2006) never happened.

As the studio had already disavowed SUPERMAN III (1983) and SUPERMAN IV (1987), it's been thirty years, before the vast majority of Man of Steel's target audience was even born since a SUPERMAN film (II 1980) worth paying to see has played on the silver screen.

What went wrong? Will Warners learn anything from the disappointments of the past and finally get SUPERMAN right?

Of course, the Internet has been deluged with comments, suggesting writers, actors, directors, costume changes, villains, budget, marketing...Whoa! This is 'cart' thinking? The 'horse' is Superman.

"Leaping over skyscrapers, running faster than an express train, springing great distances and heights, lifting and smashing tremendous weights, possessing an impenetrable skin - these are the amazing attributes which Superman, savior of the helpless and the oppressed, avails himself of as he battles the forces of evil and injustice..."
SUPERMAN, Action Comics, August 1939

Oh, you mean that 'Comic Book Character?'

The super-misconception: Superman came from a comic book as he did from Krypton. The 'Adam' of costumed superheroes, his appearance in 1938 begat an entire industry from which he has long since transcended.

Half a century ago, seven different comics a month starring the Man of Steel sold 25,000,000+ copies a year, but in the new millennium, to a market three times larger, comic book sales are going the way of Superman's home planet.

Not a "quality" or "economic" issue - expanding TV, movies, and video games and DVDs have sorely diminished the power and impact of comic books as an entertainment medium.

This guts the accepted logic that comic book writers would best be able to reboot Superman - they can barely save themselves. The beancounters are quick to boast that the 'Death of Superman' (1992) arc sold millions of copies and became the bestselling graphic novel of all time, therefore, that has to be the way to re-boot the character.

Wrong. According to Warners, SUPERMAN RETURNS made the brand "toxic". No matter how well made, 'The Death of Superman' would be akin to beating a dead horse.

Leaving the 'comic book mindset' back in the 20th Century - Superman is the greatest hero in all of literature. Get over it, literary lights and SF&F fanboys. No Star Fleet Captain or Jedi Knight or boy wizard or elf is even close. Every hero everywhere, real or imagined, one way or another, is compared to Superman.

Said Aunt May to Peter Parker in SPIDER-MAN: "You're not Superman, you know."

Tell us about it, lady!

Yet SPIDER-MAN 3, a cut-and-paste embarrassment of a movie, beat SUPERMAN RETURNS at the box office by more than $150,000,000!

What has gone wrong with Superman?

Unlike Bat-Man's vengeance crusade, Spider-Man's guilt trip and Tony Stark's and Hancock's struggles to redeem themselves, Superman is about being the hero. Those who would apologize for, or worse, compromise the Man of Steel's mantle as the greatest hero ever created, should re-boot somebody less.

But, and here's where the process could go fatally awry, "It's always best to start at the beginning," said the Good Witch of OZ and how right she is.

Oh, no! Not another 'origin' story! Hardly. The first 20 seconds of the next film could do that. And another 10 seconds for the Clark Kent 'secret identity' angle.

And then?

Show some confidence in and knowledge of the character as created by Siegel and Shuster 70 years ago. The hero's tale is a quest. "Truth, Justice and The American Way" is only half of it. The other half is Lois Lane.

Oh, no! Not another 'closet' Lois Lane fan? Make that a Jerry and Joe fan.

Back to the beginning...

As observed by Jules Feiffer in 'The Great Comic Book Heroes' (Dial Press 1965), what separated Superman from the other 'fakes' is that (paraphrasing) "When Superman wakes up, he is Superman. Clark Kent is the put on."... "Superman's opinion of the rest of us - his fake identity is our real one."

Feiffer then brilliantly states: ..."Among Lois Lane, Clark Kent and Superman there existed a schizoid and chaste ménage a' trois."

Bottom line: resolve or consummate the Lois Lane quest and the hero's story has nowhere to go but down.

Substituting Doomsday for Richard Pryor would not have made SUPERMAN III much better. Instead of a lifeless, unengaging Nuclear Man in SUPERMAN IV, a rampaging Kirby-esque creation and all 'The King's" men would not have saved the film.

What if... the Man of Steel comes back after being away for five years to discover he's the father of Lois's 'love child'?

How did that work out?

As we know Superman's story, the "question word" in the re-boot is not Who? or Why? or How?, but WHEN?

Don't misunderstand me. A 'period piece' would be unthinkable. The 'new' Superman must be young and fresh already a part of the 21st Century. The question: When in the Superman story does the re-boot begin?

But...

Superman, unlike the rest of the crowd who came after him, because of him, is a timeless icon. To reintroduce a 'new' Superman, it is mandatory to pay tribute to an 'old' Superman. (To do BATMAN BEGINS and DARK KNIGHT, Nolan did not go off on an ego trip to spin his own Caped Crusader. Instead he dug into the very blood of Bob Kane's character and let all hell spring loose!)

For the Donner-led I-IV series, Noel Neill, the original Lois Lane from the Paramount serial, got a cameo. But SUPERMAN RETURNS didn't go to the well once too often; the movie jumped in.

Opening with that big, beautiful S logo from the Donner film from 30 years ago and Williams' incredible score from the old series, on came the ghost of Marlon Brando looking like Kal-El's grandfather with a touch of Odin...cut to Noel Neill dying in the opening scene.

As a result, SUPERMAN RETURNS was DOA before we ever saw Brandon Routh.

Let that serve as a warning to Warners: their Superman re-boot will fly or die with the opening credits. Come on 'dark' and 'gritty' and the film is going to be over before it begins.

"We must hold on to our loyal fanbase," declares Warners.

Cut to George C. Scott's opening speech in PATTON: "We're not 'holding' anything. We are attacking!"

The mission of the SUPERMAN re-boot must be to expand the DCU fanbase and leave Marvel in its wake.

Hollywood is a 'Big Idea' Culture. Mark Millar, a comic book writer and long-time Superman fan, has had a "plan for like 10 years for a big three-picture Superman thing, like a big 'Lord of the Rings' epic, starting over from scratch again with a seven-hour Superman story. And hopefully release them one year after another. If it works out, we'll have to start shooting next summer."

Not so fast. While Millar might have a thrilling, three-part Superman 'epic' on paper, but equating a "seven-hour Superman story, starting from scratch" with 'Lord of the Rings' is apples and oranges logic. 90% of those who saw 'Rings' did not know the story going in. As 90% of the market already knows the Superman story, how many will pay to see not one, but three movies?

The 'Big Idea' for Superman must be about energy and spirit and the right when in his story.

Two words: Max Fleischer! - Lois in her "damsel in distress' period before she becomes a love interest. A 'homage' to the 1940s cartoons with a live-action $250M action-packed spectacular in super-scale featuring the most evil villains in the DCU that'll blow away the world!

Imagine it's the summer of 2010. With a large soda in one hand and a tub of popcorn in the other, you grab your seat just as the main feature begins...

(Voice-over)
"In the endless reaches of the universe there once existed a planet known as Krypton. Their civilization was far advanced and it brought forth a race of supermen, whose mental and physical powers were developed to the absolute peak of human perfection.

"But, there came a day when giant quakes threatened to destroy Krypton forever. One of the planet's leading scientists, sensing the approach of doom, placed his infant son in a small rocketship and sent it hurtling in the direction of the Earth just as Krypton exploded!

(A ten-second CGI cataclysmic event!)

"The rocketship sped through star studded space, landing safely on Earth with its precious burden, Krypton's sole survivor. Found by Jonathan and Martha Kent and raised in Smallville, as the years went by and the child grew to maturity, he found himself possessed of amazing physical powers.

(Cue Sammy Timberg's trumpeting score!)

"Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound...

"The infant of Krypton is now the Man of Steel...


SUPERMAN

"...Disguised as Clark Kent, a mild-mannered reporter for a great, metropolitan newspaper, he fights a never-ending battle for Truth, Justice and The American Way."

Roll the 97-minute, stand-alone film.

(Please keep the spoilers to yourself.)

What do you think, Kessel? Matt?

OO-EH,
Kal El

New Kanye Song.

I like it.



OO-EH,
Kal El

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Bringing Star Wars to life.

This Star Wars Landspeeder is a full-sized, drivable, Jedi-approved replica built by former LucasFilm employee Daniel Deutsch, who designed his version from the ground up. Neatorama dug up this 1:1 scale speeder, which has a custom aluminum chassis, fiberglass body, and an electric drive system that hits lightspeed at 25 mph.




OO-EH,
Kal El

Thursday, September 4, 2008

A week in review.

This was a pretty eventful week for me.

A few small key things. The Lions signed the running back I wanted them too shining a little more hope on the season. I went to another Tigers game this week, they won, and it was the first Tigers game I have been to that they have won. Also decided I may want to move into Downtown Detroit in the near future, it's not as bad as it is cracked out to be if you're in the actual downtown.

I'll start off with more current events, save the big one for last.

I was quite the good samaritan the other day before going to the Tigers game. I was driving in my neighborhood when it was about to storm pretty bad. I saw someone, around my age, running down the street. I didn't know them personally, actually never met them I know they lived in my neighborhood because I have seen them many times before. I stopped, promised I wasn't a creeper, and offered him a ride to his house so he didn't have to run in the rain. I figured if he hates running home in the pouring rain as much as I do, he would want a ride.

Later that day, we went to the Tigers game, and on the way from the parking lot to the stadium we past plenty of homeless gentlemen asking for change, I gave them what they had in my pocket(as far as change), it felt good to help people in need.

Just on the next block there was someone selling tickets. He wasn't a regular scalper, he was selling tickets to support disabled veterans, so again, I gave what I could, but insisted he keep the ticket, since I already had one and was happy with my seat. He insisted back that I take it anyway, so I did. I had them check it at the gate and the ticket was legit, so hopefully my mom actually did go towards something good.

So much for my good deeds, sorry if I seemed like I was bragging, just needed something to talk about on here other than music videos and Superman.

This Saturday my friend called me to go out on the lake. Lake Penoma I think it was, in Fenton. We went out on the sand bar and were having a good ole drunken time and I squinted my eyes to look about 5 boats down and saw someone who looked just like Kid Rock. I shouted "Hey, he looks just like Kid Rock." Someone turned to me and said "Yea, that is him." It really was Kid Rock, just hanging out at the sand bar on a shitty pontoon boat just drinking beer with locals. Once he was noticed, naturally he was swamped with people asking for pictures, which he gladly invited people on the boat to take them, he is a real cool guy. I didn't want to be one of those annoying fans that get all gitty and giggly around celebrities so I just went up to him and said "I don't want a picture or an autograph, I just want to shake your hand." He said "Gladly man, especially since you have a great T-Shirt on." I had a Johnny Cash T-Shirt on. At the time I had a fifth of Jager in my hand, which I reached my arm out towards him to offer him some, and he started taking shots of Jager with me. You guys may not like Kid Rock or think that is cool, but I think Kid Rock is great and really think highly of him for being such a cool down to earth guy. If you ever see him, I'm sure he won't mind if you said hi, apparently he goes out on local lakes a lot and hangs out with people like that. Keep an eye out.

Football season finally kicked off and I couldn't be happier. That's it.

OO-EH,
Kal El

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

I love this commercial.

Quite possibly the corniest(that must be a real word, I didn't get t he red squiggly line) acting performances on a t.v. commercial. Every time I see this commercial, especially the guy at the very end, it makes me laugh.



OO-EH,
Kal El

Mark Millar's plan for Superman Trilogy.

"I've had this plan for like 10 years for a big three-picture Superman thing, like a Lord of the Rings epic, starting over from scratch again with a seven-hour Superman story. One to be released each year."

That is a quote from Mark Millar, the write of one of the greatest Superman stories ever told. My fingers are crossed.

OO-EH,
Kal El

Monday, September 1, 2008

Here you go Matt and Steve.

This is what a pre-Doomsday Superman Movie needs. With more realistic looking villians maybe, and maybe no Parasite.



OO-EH,
Kal El