Archive for the 'Ramblings and Ravings' Category

03
Jan

Stupid Questions

Yes.  No matter what anyone tells you, there ARE stupid questions.  I learned this weekend they exist in a cute little product called “The Chat Pack”.  The Chat Pack is a tiny deck of cards with hypothetical questions that are designed to encourage discussion and help people get to know one another.  It’s basically one of those games you hope NO ONE brings to a party.  Ever.  But I found myself answering and posing questions this New Year’s Day and this one stuck out in my mind.

“If you, using a time machine, could travel back to 1850 and show people one modern invention what would you bring to dazzle and impress them?” Continue reading ‘Stupid Questions’

27
Dec

Who Wants the Watchmen?

 

All the social networking sites are spewing hatred at 20th Century Fox because they just won a ruling against the release of “Watchmen”.  And I understand hating Fox.  How many franchises have they driven into the ground?   Hell, what’s the last good genre movie that company even produced?  Fucking X2Continue reading ‘Who Wants the Watchmen?’

25
Dec

Not Dead Yet

I’m coasting.

Didn’t nab my pull yesterday (Chirstmas Eve), don’t have my web comics made and together. 

This is one of those things that occassionally happens when your hits lurk below four digits all too often.  It’s not your fault.  You didn’t do this. 

Cartoonist Max Rinkel and resident scientist IgNobel have been bringing the goods in my stalling… but IgNobel is literally headed to Peru to, (in her words) “kill things in the name of science”.  I have no idea exactly who she will be destroying, but it will no doubt be awesome.  Less awesome for all of us for a small time, but we’ll make it.

Speaking of making it… if you are so inclined to make “it” and write for the Towel, at this point you need only say so.  We have had great spurts of articles from our authors, but regularity has not always been our finest offering.  There will be, of course, be chest-thumping New Year’s resolutions to change this. 

In the meantime… I’m stuck at work and there’s a Next Generation marathon on.  Merry Christmas to you.

17
Dec

We’re The Experts:Dark Knight Oscar Buzz Pt. 2!

Welcome back friends.  The second installment of our Dark Knight Oscar discussion begins today!  Recently the Golden Globe nominations were announced and Stridex and I, experts and geniuses that we are, decided to take a break from solving the world’s problems to discuss the progressive awards buzz surrounding The Dark Knight.

protoevangel: Does The Dark Knight’s single nomination in the Golden Globe’s Supporting Actor category hint at possible Oscar snubbing or are the Globes just more stuck up than the Academy? Continue reading ‘We’re The Experts:Dark Knight Oscar Buzz Pt. 2!’

17
Dec

Marvel’s Diversity Problem

White male founders of the Avengers in 1963.  They're almost identical today, except now they've killed the tiny female character.

Above: the white males of the original 1963 Avengers line-up.  They are almost the same today, except they killed the tiny female character seen at the right. 

I make this post with a disclaimer: I do not read every book that Marvel Comics puts out.  What I’m about to say comes from something of an outside standpoint. 

I read, and I wish for the life of me that I could find the quote, Joe Quesada, Marvel’sEditor-in-Chief, quoted as saying the publisher didn’t back down from doing things to characters based on race or gender… otherwise you would be hurting your ability to tell stories.  I agree.  When it comes to writing characters, their backgrounds feed into their stories; they do not section you off and rarely should they completely define you.  But, from my vantage point, Marvel is full of bologna.  Yes, Marvel has made leaps and bounds in their portrayals of diversity in the past– but we’re past the point where “Star Trek” is giving us the first interracial television kiss.  Diversity should be the norm, and nothing we have to conjure up.  Sadly, the writers of Marvel can’t even imagine a world where even males and females are remotely equal.

Continue reading ‘Marvel’s Diversity Problem’

17
Dec

Salute to the Essay Final

This is an illustration, but you should seriously read it, cause lol

This is an illustration, but you should seriously read it, cause lol

Here’s to you Essay Final.  I knew today would   be a special day when I woke up, but I had no idea that you were there, in my Politics classroom, waiting patiently for me.  As I limped to my car, wrapped in as many layers as I could find in my closet, wincing against the eight degree darkness, I saw only the glimmer of the impending Essay Test in the sun barely peaking over the horizon.  But sure enough, after an epic thirty minute bus ride of death though the slush and ice and winding hills of campus the great clock struck 7:30 and we were finally introduced.  “Hello,” I said, bashfully, unsure of what to expect.  “Name and student ID,” you replied coyly.  And then we were off.  We danced through the snow-capped mountains of poverty traps and trade theory, skipped along the stone-line paths of economics through the flowering international policy meadow.

And then we were through.  It was a short fling, full of lust and deviance, ultimately tragic.  The magic was gone.  As I trudged down the long line of steps towards the front of the classroom, I reflected morosely upon the short affair.  I felt the surging adrenaline of success as the gaunt, malnourished TA snatched the papers out of my hand, and quickly exited the building.  As I exited the building and the bitter cold snatched at my face once more, I was kept warm by the knowledge that though I hadn’t known the answers to the questions, I had once more proven my mastery of the subtle art of bullshit.

11
Dec

Caution: SCIENCE: the MMR Edition

You may have heard that the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine causes autism from trusted scientific sources such as Jenny McCarthy. If you were a reasonable person, you might ask, “Um, what?” If you were an unreasonable person, you might say, “I’m not vaccinating my children for anything ever!!”

;lkar;pgoiayu)(*&)($&@#WRFjgf;ladjo*(&D()Flkretjm409!!! Alright, I am taking a deep breath and calmly and dispassionately presenting Caution: SCIENCE: the MMR Edition. Read on, kind friend. Continue reading ‘Caution: SCIENCE: the MMR Edition’

10
Dec

Towelin’ around

I haven’t written a whole of that isn’t my regular and amazing comic book reviews recently.  The spirit hasn’t moved me.  Today, however, is a new day, and there are FEELINGS inside of me.  I try never to bottle up such FEELINGS, as it leads to unhealthy poo later.

I noticed today (and I jest not… I simply noticed, and was not informed) that this fine piece of URL made it into the newspaper of my alma mater today.  I’d give you a link to the picture in question, but the newspaper lives in some sort of dark age where it doesn’t put its comics online.  If you are here because of said promotion, please know that the strip you are following in print is available on our website every Friday under the new title “Mediocre” and, because we are more awesome than a newspaper, it happens in COLOR.

Continue reading ‘Towelin’ around’

09
Dec

Politics: Still the Best Show in Town

Just when things were starting to settle down on the “Road to Inauguration”, Illinois politics has thrown up a speed bump. Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich (Blago to loyal followers of democracy in the Land of Lincoln) has been arrested in the middle of a “political corruption crime spree” for, among other accusations, attempting to sell the Senate seat which still retains some warmth from the derriere of that next-generation FDR, President-Elect Barack Obama. To that I say, “Way to go, Blago!”

Are you aghast? Continue reading ‘Politics: Still the Best Show in Town’

06
Dec

“And here we…go!” The Dark Knight on DVD & Blu-Ray

After watching The Dark Knight on DVD last night I realized how much I now need a Blu-Ray player.  Alas, I’m currently stuck watching movies on my old Sony DVD player @ 480i.  Fortunately, this pang of longing subsided rather quickly.

You know that tinge of fear you might get right before you sit down to a movie you loved in the theater and have been anticipating for months?  It’s the fear that, maybe, just maybe it won’t be as good as you thought it was or the same thrill can’t be retained in watching it over again?  It’s only the iconic, legendary, classic films like the Godfather or Star Wars that just never seem dilluted by repeat viewings.  Well, I think maybe The Dark Knight might be one of those films.  Now, before you get all up in my proverbial grill, remember, I said “maybe” and I say “maybe” because when viewing the Dark Knight last night (that makes 5 viewings now, I think) it doesn’t lose an ounce of it’s perceived brilliance. Continue reading ‘“And here we…go!” The Dark Knight on DVD & Blu-Ray’




categories

 

shameless selling out