The Intel iMac I got at a bargain price included a built-in iSight camera and Apple's PhotoBooth application; it's addictively fun, as the Peter Max-ish images to the right demonstrate. Sure, you can take regular ol' pictures, but the fun comes in using the various special settings to see what you can come up with. There's no discernible purpose to it, of course, other than pure amusement... but it's good for plenty of that!
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Photo Phun
The Intel iMac I got at a bargain price included a built-in iSight camera and Apple's PhotoBooth application; it's addictively fun, as the Peter Max-ish images to the right demonstrate. Sure, you can take regular ol' pictures, but the fun comes in using the various special settings to see what you can come up with. There's no discernible purpose to it, of course, other than pure amusement... but it's good for plenty of that!
Failing to Make the Grade
Watched the first episode of Teachers this evening. It's an NBC sitcom ostensibly about... well, the title says it all.
Only thing is, it's not about teachers at all. It's about dysfunctional people, largely filled with loathing for their jobs and for themselves, who are primarily ruled by their genitalia and their thirst for alcohol.
An execrable show, and an absolute waste of scheduling time and bandwidth. There's still a great sitcom that could be made about teachers, a modern sitcom that captures the verisimilitude of Room 222 (which was pretty savvy for its time) while conveying the "us against the world" sense of cameraderie that keeps most teachers going in the face of seemingly-insurmountable odds. It would take a teacher to write that show, though, and not a jaded sitcom hack who thinks that teachers sharing a beer in the classroom is somehow funny.
Only thing is, it's not about teachers at all. It's about dysfunctional people, largely filled with loathing for their jobs and for themselves, who are primarily ruled by their genitalia and their thirst for alcohol.
An execrable show, and an absolute waste of scheduling time and bandwidth. There's still a great sitcom that could be made about teachers, a modern sitcom that captures the verisimilitude of Room 222 (which was pretty savvy for its time) while conveying the "us against the world" sense of cameraderie that keeps most teachers going in the face of seemingly-insurmountable odds. It would take a teacher to write that show, though, and not a jaded sitcom hack who thinks that teachers sharing a beer in the classroom is somehow funny.
Taking Superman for Grant-ed
Without a doubt, All Star Superman is the most remarkable comic that DC has published in at least a decade.If someone had told me, when DC announced their All Star line, that I would end up loving the Grant Morrison-Frank Quitely Superman title and abhoring the Frank Miller-Jim Lee Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder title, I would have dismissed them as insane.
It turns out that's exactly what's happened, though. Miller totally missed the point of creating an All Star line, while Morrison got it spot on. These books should be quintessential books, incorporating all the elements of these characters that have become part of the popular culture consciousness; this is not a book that should destroy all that has been done before in order to try to imprint an iconoclastic creative vision onto an established character who has become an indelible part of our cultural psyche.
Morrison has captured the vitality and enthusiasm of the Silver Age, the exuberance of an unlimited-budget superhero film, while giving the whole project a contemporary air. And Quitely's art conveys a modern visual sensibility while paying homage to the traditional Superman that has become well known to all. There's nothing here that violates the visual that people have when you say "Superman," but somehow it's even bigger and more energetic when Quitely puts it on paper.
One customer told me, "I rarely buy DCs and I never buy a Superman book, but this cover just makes you want to read the book to see what's going on!" Julius Schwartz, Mort Weisinger, and all those Silver Age editors would be proud...
And Charles called me today to say that it was without a doubt the best Superman book he had read in a long, long time. Charles wasn't just pleased--he was enthusiastically happy about the book. It's the sort of book you want to force into the hands of people who say, "I don't read Superman."
(I hope someone forces Frank Miller and editor Bob Schreck to sit down, read the first three issues of this series over and over for several hours, and then make them figure out what Miller could be doing to capture the same sense of wonder in the pages of All Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder. From any other writer, the book would just be bad; from Frank Miller, it's an embarrassment because we all know what he's capable of...)
Free Press Stops at the Borders
Apparently Borders and WaldenBooks are just as succeptible to barbaric threats and intimidation as most of Europe. Today the the chain(s) have announced their refusal to carry the latest issue of Free Inquiry because it includes the tempest-in-a-teapot cartoons of Mohammed.
Remember when Satanic Verses came out and most of the bookstores made a point of refusing to give in to threats, supporting the idea of a free exchange of ideas?
I have one $50 gift certificate from Borders that I'll use, since they already have the money; after that, they've gone out of business as a bookstore as far as I'm concerned.
Remember when Satanic Verses came out and most of the bookstores made a point of refusing to give in to threats, supporting the idea of a free exchange of ideas?
I have one $50 gift certificate from Borders that I'll use, since they already have the money; after that, they've gone out of business as a bookstore as far as I'm concerned.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
And add a V-for-Vanilla Milkshake, Too...
Sure, V for Vendetta sounds like a dark, disturbing sort of film... but there's no film that can't be improved with a little bit of targeted product placement, right?And if Alan Moore wasn't aggravated enough about the film already, this is probably enough to push him over the edge...
Monday, March 27, 2006
Say U.N.C.L.E.!
Remember a couple of weeks ago when I mentioned that one of the shows I really wanted to see on DVD was The Man From U.N.C.L.E.? Well, if an interview in the Seattle Times is to be believed, then it's about to happen (for those keeping track, early episodes of the series were released on DVD in the UK, but they'll only work here if you have a multi-standard DVD player). Here's what Robert Vaughn, star of the series, had to say.- Q: In the name of Mr. Waverly, why isn't "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." on DVD?
A: I believe it is coming out this year. The first year was shot in black-and-white. It was one of the reasons it didn't sell quickly as a DVD item.
Q: Will you be doing interviews and commentary?
A: Yes, absolutely!...
Open Channel D!
Sunday, March 26, 2006
The Tom Club
I read a lot of blogs, and I recommend very few of them, but I have to recommend Tom Kater's blog. Tom works with me at Dr. No's, and before that I knew him as a customer, and before that I knew him as a student at North Cobb High School many years ago. Tom has always been a gifted writer, and he continues to display an amazing skill at wordcraft. Check out his fascinating look at this season's final episode of The Shield, or read about his love-hate relationship with carbonated beverages... doesn't matter what he's writing about, he makes it worth reading.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Where Is the Outrage?
Let's see if I have this right... in supposedly forward-thinking Afghanistan, a relatively enlightened Muslim country, Abdul Rahman may be executed for the crime of converting to Christianity?
I'm disappointed that the press hasn't covered the riots of Muslims outraged at the violence being perpetrated in the name of the Muslim faith. Where is the footage of crowds in the streets, protesting this scurrilous attack on religious freedom? Where is the coverage of the Committee for American-Islamic Relations condemning in the strongest terms any religious fanatics who would pervert Islam in such an intolerant manner? Where are the articles about the fatwahs against those who would demean Islam by leading the world to view it as an intolerant, destructive faith?
Or is it possible that none of the above has been reported because the majority of the Muslim world sees this as acceptable behavior? After all, shouldn't religious freedom and tolerance allow the execution of those who wish to practice religious freedom?
I'm eager to see Muslims around the globe stepping up to the plate in defense of Abdul Rahman and in defense of religious choice. It doesn't seem to be happening, though, does it?
I'm disappointed that the press hasn't covered the riots of Muslims outraged at the violence being perpetrated in the name of the Muslim faith. Where is the footage of crowds in the streets, protesting this scurrilous attack on religious freedom? Where is the coverage of the Committee for American-Islamic Relations condemning in the strongest terms any religious fanatics who would pervert Islam in such an intolerant manner? Where are the articles about the fatwahs against those who would demean Islam by leading the world to view it as an intolerant, destructive faith?
Or is it possible that none of the above has been reported because the majority of the Muslim world sees this as acceptable behavior? After all, shouldn't religious freedom and tolerance allow the execution of those who wish to practice religious freedom?
I'm eager to see Muslims around the globe stepping up to the plate in defense of Abdul Rahman and in defense of religious choice. It doesn't seem to be happening, though, does it?
Thursday, March 23, 2006
The Man of Steal
Had a confrontation with a shoplifter today. The shoplifting didn't occur today, mind you--the incident occurred about six weeks ago, when a freakishly pot-bellied fellow came in with two teenage accomplices and attempted to steal a Superman symbol/sign from the store. The sign, made out of steel, was a display item given to us by a welder customer. Several had asked about buying it, including the shoplifter, but it's not for sale.
So, on a busy day when Whitney and Amy were working, he came in with the aforementioned teens and waited until both employees were busy, then he moved the sign into a staging area, whereupon the video shows him pointing it out to one of the kids who's wearing a bulky sweatshirt. The kid seizes an opportunity and puts the sign under his sweatshirt--at which point its bulkiness catches Whitney's attention. As she and Amy moved into position to confront the sweatshirt-wearing member of the theft team, the other two moved in a separate direction to momentarily distract Amy and Whitney, while the sweatshirt-clad thief dumped the sign at the end of a display rack and then put on a show of mock innocence in pulling his sweatshirt up to prove he had nothing. What none of the three knew, though, was that all of this was recorded on video.
We showed the video to one of our customers who's also a Cobb County policeman, and to another who's an attorney; both said that the moment the item was concealed, a crime had occurred. So when the potbellied ringleader ambled back into the store today (without the kids), we confronted him, told him of the video, and told him he was to leave the store permanently. We had his picture, we knew what he looked like, and any further visits to the store would qualify as trespassing.
"I guess it's time for me to be heading on," the weeble-like individual said, and headed straight for the door.
Then I followed him and his current travelling companion, a stout fellow who looked like Tor Johnson with a goatee, to the Dodge Ram truck in which they were travelling (Tor was driving). Realizing I was trying to get his license plate, the driver changed the direction of his exit from the parking place, turning the rear of the vehicle away from me (Georgia only has plates on the back of the car, none on the front). Problem was, there was really no way to exit by doing so--all he could do was circle around past me and then go up the next lane, which would put the rear of his vehicle in a clear line of sight. So he tried to do a complex twist-and-turn maneuver to back up through a variety of open parking places. Since he was driving a truck half the size of Rhode Island, though, he couldn't accomplish his goal, and he ended up in a position where I could get his license plate quite clearly.
At that point, Tor jumped from the truck.
"What are you doing? You can't get my license plate."'
"Sure I can," I said. "It's ________, in case you need it for reference."
"It's illegal for you to copy down my license plate," Tor said.
"So call the police. I'll wait for 'em to show up!"
"I'm in law enforcement," Tor said--although my guess the closest he's ever come is being a resident of a law enforcement facility for a time.
"Then you should know that they put license plates in public view for a reason," I told him.
At that point, Tor did a mock phone call maneuver that involved punching numbers on his phone. A variety of numbers. I reminded him that 911 would work just fine. He then threatened to do me physical harm; I reminded him that I had already noted his license plate and had his pictures on our security system, then went back into the store and e-mailed the data to my G-Mail account for reference. Tor and his stout comrade drove off in a huff--well, okay, it was still a Dodge Ram--and we heard nothing further.
One thing's for sure--if you deal with the public, you never know what to expect!
So, on a busy day when Whitney and Amy were working, he came in with the aforementioned teens and waited until both employees were busy, then he moved the sign into a staging area, whereupon the video shows him pointing it out to one of the kids who's wearing a bulky sweatshirt. The kid seizes an opportunity and puts the sign under his sweatshirt--at which point its bulkiness catches Whitney's attention. As she and Amy moved into position to confront the sweatshirt-wearing member of the theft team, the other two moved in a separate direction to momentarily distract Amy and Whitney, while the sweatshirt-clad thief dumped the sign at the end of a display rack and then put on a show of mock innocence in pulling his sweatshirt up to prove he had nothing. What none of the three knew, though, was that all of this was recorded on video.
We showed the video to one of our customers who's also a Cobb County policeman, and to another who's an attorney; both said that the moment the item was concealed, a crime had occurred. So when the potbellied ringleader ambled back into the store today (without the kids), we confronted him, told him of the video, and told him he was to leave the store permanently. We had his picture, we knew what he looked like, and any further visits to the store would qualify as trespassing.
"I guess it's time for me to be heading on," the weeble-like individual said, and headed straight for the door.
Then I followed him and his current travelling companion, a stout fellow who looked like Tor Johnson with a goatee, to the Dodge Ram truck in which they were travelling (Tor was driving). Realizing I was trying to get his license plate, the driver changed the direction of his exit from the parking place, turning the rear of the vehicle away from me (Georgia only has plates on the back of the car, none on the front). Problem was, there was really no way to exit by doing so--all he could do was circle around past me and then go up the next lane, which would put the rear of his vehicle in a clear line of sight. So he tried to do a complex twist-and-turn maneuver to back up through a variety of open parking places. Since he was driving a truck half the size of Rhode Island, though, he couldn't accomplish his goal, and he ended up in a position where I could get his license plate quite clearly.
At that point, Tor jumped from the truck.
"What are you doing? You can't get my license plate."'
"Sure I can," I said. "It's ________, in case you need it for reference."
"It's illegal for you to copy down my license plate," Tor said.
"So call the police. I'll wait for 'em to show up!"
"I'm in law enforcement," Tor said--although my guess the closest he's ever come is being a resident of a law enforcement facility for a time.
"Then you should know that they put license plates in public view for a reason," I told him.
At that point, Tor did a mock phone call maneuver that involved punching numbers on his phone. A variety of numbers. I reminded him that 911 would work just fine. He then threatened to do me physical harm; I reminded him that I had already noted his license plate and had his pictures on our security system, then went back into the store and e-mailed the data to my G-Mail account for reference. Tor and his stout comrade drove off in a huff--well, okay, it was still a Dodge Ram--and we heard nothing further.
One thing's for sure--if you deal with the public, you never know what to expect!
Monday, March 20, 2006
Ten Friendships Sidetracked
I've done a lot of list-making on this blog, so it's time for another one, albeit a bit more personal. I think if any of us looks back, we'll see friendships that somehow got sidetracked; in most cases, we probably don't even remember why. Here are ten people I wish I still had regular contact with:
(1) Gary Steele - my closest friend from junior high and high school, and someone I remained close to until about 1979, when something happened. Don't know what, but from that time on, we went our separate ways, and as of now I have no idea how to even get in touch with Gary, since he moved a year or so ago and left no forwarding address or number.
(2) Sven Ahlstrom - I have a contact e-mail for Sven, but we only exchange perfunctory e-mails. However, there was that time in 1970-72 when Sven, Susan, and I were together almost constantly.
(3) Stven Carlberg - Our friendship was sometimes stormy, sometimes smooth, but I think that Stven and I had far more in common than either of us fully realized. Oddly enough, Stven's now in Atlanta and sees Ward semi-regularly, but I never hear nor see from him at all.
(4) Janice Gelb - One of the most remarkable women I've ever known, a person of incredible principle and dedication. Life led her on a divergent path, and I miss her.
(5) Wade Gilbreath - A dear friend throughout the 70s and early 80s, Wade and I shared a passion for music, for literature, and for art. The difference was, Wade was artistically talented and I was only modestly so, if at all. Wade remains in the Birmingham area, happily married and the father of a remarkable son. Wade and I renewed contact up until the time that my mother died; I felt that I overburdened him with my anguish at that time, though, and felt too guilty about it to ever renew the contact.
(6) Judy Walker - We taught together at North Cobb, but I all but lost contact with her after I left teaching. Judy's still there, and I hear about her from time to time from Robin Fletcher and others, but that's not the same as actually talking to her.
(7) Deb Hammer-Johnson - I got to know Deb when she owned the Book Rack in Rome, GA, and we became intense, sometimes fractious friends. It was a volatile, remarkable friendship, and it inspired some of the most vivid memories of my life. (I still remember the time I had her semi-convinced that we didn't exist...) Deb and I have exchanged a few e-mails, and I've enjoyed re-establishing a level of contact with her.
(8) Cecil Hutto - In the 1970s, we shared a close friendship, engaged in many philosophical discussions, and had a great deal of influence on one another. We drifted apart after a while, but every now and then we briefly renew contact; alas, I haven't heard anything from Ceese in about six years.
(9) Iris Brown - Iris was another dear friend from the mid and late 1970s and early 1980s; we stayed in contact sporadically through the latter part of that decade, but that contact all but faded away after she moved to Texas. We spoke briefly at the end of last year, and it was great to hear from her; I need to follow up on that and see how she's doing now, and if there's any chance she might be moving back home where she belongs...
(10) Sandra Jackson - Sandra was my mentor when I began teaching; the years I worked with her at East Rome High continually inspired me throughout my teaching career. I spoke with Sandra a couple of years ago, and she sounded quite happy with her life--and she deserves to be. I'm certain I'm not the only person who was inspired by Sandra...
Of course, there are other friends with whom I wish I could share more time, people who are dear to me--but at least I retain some level of contact with them, unlike these ten remarkable people whose friendships I still miss and blame only myself for lettting those friendships wither...
(1) Gary Steele - my closest friend from junior high and high school, and someone I remained close to until about 1979, when something happened. Don't know what, but from that time on, we went our separate ways, and as of now I have no idea how to even get in touch with Gary, since he moved a year or so ago and left no forwarding address or number.
(2) Sven Ahlstrom - I have a contact e-mail for Sven, but we only exchange perfunctory e-mails. However, there was that time in 1970-72 when Sven, Susan, and I were together almost constantly.
(3) Stven Carlberg - Our friendship was sometimes stormy, sometimes smooth, but I think that Stven and I had far more in common than either of us fully realized. Oddly enough, Stven's now in Atlanta and sees Ward semi-regularly, but I never hear nor see from him at all.
(4) Janice Gelb - One of the most remarkable women I've ever known, a person of incredible principle and dedication. Life led her on a divergent path, and I miss her.
(5) Wade Gilbreath - A dear friend throughout the 70s and early 80s, Wade and I shared a passion for music, for literature, and for art. The difference was, Wade was artistically talented and I was only modestly so, if at all. Wade remains in the Birmingham area, happily married and the father of a remarkable son. Wade and I renewed contact up until the time that my mother died; I felt that I overburdened him with my anguish at that time, though, and felt too guilty about it to ever renew the contact.
(6) Judy Walker - We taught together at North Cobb, but I all but lost contact with her after I left teaching. Judy's still there, and I hear about her from time to time from Robin Fletcher and others, but that's not the same as actually talking to her.
(7) Deb Hammer-Johnson - I got to know Deb when she owned the Book Rack in Rome, GA, and we became intense, sometimes fractious friends. It was a volatile, remarkable friendship, and it inspired some of the most vivid memories of my life. (I still remember the time I had her semi-convinced that we didn't exist...) Deb and I have exchanged a few e-mails, and I've enjoyed re-establishing a level of contact with her.
(8) Cecil Hutto - In the 1970s, we shared a close friendship, engaged in many philosophical discussions, and had a great deal of influence on one another. We drifted apart after a while, but every now and then we briefly renew contact; alas, I haven't heard anything from Ceese in about six years.
(9) Iris Brown - Iris was another dear friend from the mid and late 1970s and early 1980s; we stayed in contact sporadically through the latter part of that decade, but that contact all but faded away after she moved to Texas. We spoke briefly at the end of last year, and it was great to hear from her; I need to follow up on that and see how she's doing now, and if there's any chance she might be moving back home where she belongs...
(10) Sandra Jackson - Sandra was my mentor when I began teaching; the years I worked with her at East Rome High continually inspired me throughout my teaching career. I spoke with Sandra a couple of years ago, and she sounded quite happy with her life--and she deserves to be. I'm certain I'm not the only person who was inspired by Sandra...
Of course, there are other friends with whom I wish I could share more time, people who are dear to me--but at least I retain some level of contact with them, unlike these ten remarkable people whose friendships I still miss and blame only myself for lettting those friendships wither...
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