Comic Book

I haven't said anything about one of my favorite topics in a bit... the wonderful world of Comic Books. I think today I am going to talk about the Punisher. There is a new movie coming out in December called Punisher War Zone. I just finished watching the trailer. My God if he wasn't supposed to be the good guy I'd think it was some sort of horror movie.

The Punisher is one of those gritty anti-hero heroes. Kicks Butt takes names. In the comic books he was a cop that had his family killed by the mob and becomes the Punisher for revenge... and maybe just for a teeny bit of Justice. I believe he is based off of Don Pendleton's book series Mack Bolan:The Executioner. Mack Bolan was a soldier in Vietnam that came home from the war when his family was murdered by the mob and has waged a personal war against the mob since then.

As with most of the justice driven characters he has mistakenly gone after some of the heroes in the Marvel Universe. This lasts until some bad guy tries to kill both the Punisher and whatever hero he is fighting and they team up to take out the bad guy.

The first Punisher Movie with Dolph Lungren flopped. The second (not a sequel) did good which of coursed geared us up for the sequel Punisher War Zone. I think it will do good as long as people remember one important detail, the same detail that was true for Batman. These comic books aren't being written for kids and its fan base are largely adults. As long as they play to that it should be fine...

Maybe some day they will do a crossover with the Punisher, Ghostrider and Blade.

Have Fun and Be Great

Petaflop

Petaflop... what the heck is a petaflop? I asked myself that question this morning when as I was searching through various news articles (Yahoo Tech, Wired News) about technology looking for today's blog. There in Wired News was an article titled "Supercomputers Break Petaflop Barrier, Transforming Science". Now for a computer geek like myself I had to admit I was embarrassed I had no idea what a Petaflop is.

The explanation is rather lengthy so I am cheating; click on this link- Petaflop. Now that you have read that you may start wondering beyond the use in simulations what this computing capacity may have. You could turn it loose and with the right programming it would be able to predict the stock market... maybe. If it developed its own artificial intelligence it could take over the world (not likely). It could enable us to do what science fiction writers have been talking about for decades... enable us to have space craft that cross dimensional barriers and jump through space. I think you can all guess which one I am hoping for.

In every... or almost every book/story that tries to explain the jump process it includes one fundamental thing. A very mathematical heavy system for navigating from point A to point B without which the vessel becomes lost or is destroyed upon transition. Does this mean we may see this technology become real in our life time? I certainly hope so.

Have Fun and Be Great

No Incidents Today

My youngest son came home from school today and told me that he had a good day at school today. No incidents and none of the kids got hurt... hurt?

Yes, apparently there are several disruptive children at his school and when they have an "episode" or an "incident" they throw things (books, pencils,chairs) and even one time hit a girl in the face. Our son only started talking about it recently. Up until recently we were uninformed about it.

We, my wife (to-be) and myself, think this is wrong. We think if there are problems of a sort where our child could be injured we should be informed about it. A bunch of other parents and us got together to discuss this and agreed.

On top of that we discovered that the principal seems to be dodging the issue. Discusses it only briefly with parents that call before "something" comes up and she has to end the phone call. She never goes into detail siting confidentiality issues.

At this time we are unsure what we should do, but one thing is certain, if our son is hurt there will be one very unhappy principal. She has tried to keep a lid on it and if he gets hurt the first thing I am doing is calling the press and telling them about our child's endangerment.

Have Fun and Be Great

My View- Internet & Relationships

Once upon a time (yes another one of these) people went out to meet each other in person. They didn't always see what a person was really like but at least if they said they were six feet tall you could see they were six feet tall. If they said they had blond hair you could see their blond hair. If they said they were a woman hopefully you could tell they really were a woman (I am hoping most of you laugh at that one).

Welcome to the Internet and a whole new world of fun. Anyone can say they are anything and until you prove otherwise people will generally believe what you tell them. You can lie about your appearance (web cam helps but always proof against that one), about being single (let's hope your significant other doesn't find out), and about your job/income (No, really I do believe you cleared 1.5 million last year).

But the Internet does help millions and millions of people connect. Some happily and some not so happily. I think it is a great tool when used right. There are many social networking sites out there; My Space, Twitter, Face book, and the list goes on. You meet people in chat rooms and you get to know them. You develop an emotional rapport with them and share personal and private information with them and of course those torrid pictures you only want them to see.

Now you meet and on the off chance you really connect and everything goes great I have just two questions for you... Are you still going to the social networking sites? Why? Now the first answer to why is and should be you have friends... just friends in these groups. The problem is though that new people who are coming to these groups are looking to hook up and when that hot thing hits on you do you pass or "just be Friends" and what will your significant other think about that.

I personally and my wife to be no longer go into those particular social chat rooms. She sometimes goes into some of the weight loss ones and well I just stay away. But we no longer chat like we used to. Neither one of us wants to go back to the infernal search not when we are so happy with each other. So we avoid that hazard.

If you are in a good relationship, do yourself a favor and avoid the chat rooms. You don't need the ones where people are looking to score. If you need one for work, or weight loss or money management go ahead.

Have Fun and Be Great.

Electronic Coach

It's game time boys and girls. We need to get healthy, we need to get fit, so everybody turn your video games on. What?!?

It's true we are entering a new era. The era of the "Health Games". It started with games like Dance Dance Revolution, Mario Olympics, Wii Fit and now includes EA Sports Acvtive. After years of complaints that children (and adults) are becoming obese because of all the couch time playing the traditional video games, the video game industry is striking back by offering games that make us healthier (very reminiscent of McDonald's offering fruit and walnut salad and apple slices instead of french fries in Happy Meals after "Super Size Me") and it doesn't stop there. Nintendo is offering for its DS such things as "Allen Carr's Easyway to Stop Smoking" and "My Weight Loss Coach".

What does this tell me? The same thing I have told people for years. Video games didn't make you do it, you chose to do it. Video games made you fat... you can no longer claim that, because now they can also make you thin. Exercises alone isn't enough to make you thin you also will have to stop drinking two liters of sugary soda a day, the Twinkies and tootsie rolls have to go (or at least be consumed in moderation).

I foresee the coming of anger management and sensitivity training video games In the future when some schmo kills someone and says they were able to do it because video games desensitized and made them do it maybe they can play those games in their nice little cell.

Have Fun and Be Great!

Wedding Bells

Anybody that knows me knows I have been "off the market" for the last four+ years. While I know I have said before that I would never marry again, alas times change.

I have been, am and will be with an extraordinary woman. This woman I hope will be my wife before the end of the year (and yes she already accepted it's just finding the time and all the other details). She is beautiful, she is smart and she puts up with me (I know that does make you question the smart part). We also have that one other thing... we make each other happier than we would be alone (I think it might have to do with loving each other).

For family members that read this that I had not told previously that I was getting married I apologize for not telling you directly in person. Our plans are simple. We are inviting just parents and siblings. Our children will be there. We are not looking for people to come to the wedding. We are not looking for gifts. We have already been married previously and had our "big" wedding. Alas both my woman and I are not social creatures so for us a smaller wedding is best.

Have Fun and Be Great

Ender's Game

Finally it has arrived... "Ender's Game" written by Orson Scott Card is being published by Marvel Comics. Woohooo!! Ender's Game is one of my all time favorite books. I read it in the library first and have purchased three copies myself. Yes it is that good.

You take a child and you send him into space to learn strategy. You tell him its in preparation for the next big war. You tell him its all a game simulations. You Lie. The games aren't a game these children are really commanding space fleets. It is supposed to make it easier so there are no feelings of guilt for people in your command dying. It really is a great book.

In reality we are almost to that point ourselves with remote combat vehicles. We are almost at the point where we won't have to risk our soldiers to fight. Is it a good thing to dehumanize killing other humans? I don't think so. But it will save the lives of our soldiers and that can be seen as only a good thing.

Have Fun and Be Great

Buck Rogers 25th century

Well Ladies and Gentlemen now to get back to our sci-fi roots.

When most people think about science fiction they think about the big ones; Star Wars, Battle Star gallactica and maybe even Flash Gordon.

Before all of these was Buck Rogers. Coming into existence in 1928 he as many heroes of the time started in the comics or more precisely the comic strips. His run in the comic strips didn't end until 1967. In 1932 he made the jump to radio. In 1939 Buck Rogers was brought to life by actor Buster Crabbe in a serial film (think TV at the theaters 12 parts... hmmm kinda like a TV season). From 1979 to 1981 NBC ran Buck Rogers int he 25th century and was played by Gilbert "Gil" Gerard (seen here). This is the Buck Rogers I remember seeing as a child.

I have seen a remake of Battle Star Gallactica, Flash Gordon and even continuations of Star Wars -episodes 1-3. I think it is time to get Captain Buck Rogers back in the saddle. Remember what once was old is new again so hopefully we will see something.

Have Fun and Be Great

Best or Worse Four Years

This is going to be my last blog speaking about the presidential race. Obama has won and we will either be going into the best four years of American history or the worse.

We currently have a super majority in Congress and the Senate. There are currently more liberal judges on the supreme court than any other time in our history. What President Obama wants for laws will pass. There is nothing in the government system to stop him at this point. If he keeps to his promises things might get better in the United States. Many people will argue they can't get worse. I laugh at those people.

There are many things this country needs to get out of the hole its in. Hopefully, we will get the changes we need to do so. We, the American people, need to go into these four years with our eyes open.

And on a tangent that is related to the election- it was a close popular race but a landslide electoral race. How does that work? Each state gets an automatic two points then gets additional points based on the population. So say California gets a lot of electoral votes and Maine gets very few. Lets say only 100 people in California vote and amazingly every eligible person in Maine votes (yes people that is more than 100) whomever is running for president gets more electoral votes because of California and wins. Now so far it has gone the way o f the popular vote lines with the electoral but it is possible that in the future it might not. What will we do then.

Have Fun and Be Great

Weekend Anime

Well earlier today I took my step-daughter to a place she did not dare to ask her mother to go. She needed to nuy something and she knew that if her mother took her to get it she would not get as much time to searh for what she wanted. So she asked me, and normally I have no patience foir shopping. So, where did we go shopping that I would have more patience than her mother? A comic book store, a card shop, an anime smorgasborg and a role playing game extraveganza; Weekend Anime.

My step daughter needed some Magic cards for the Magic Trading Card Game and looked up one that was open after she got out of work. We went and found a great little shop. They had some kids... probably early teens and some adults, but everyone was well behaved and focussed on the Trading Card games they were playing right there in the store. The clerk was very knowledgable and immediately answered our questions and helped direct us where to find what she was looking for. She had a list.

After several minutes, I left her to it and browsed the comic book graphic novels. I looked at the new Dungeons and Dragons and Whitewolf books. I looked at the Manga comics and anime videos. Before I knew it more than an hour had passed and she had as much of what was on her list as she could find. She payed for it and we left. Over all as far as I am concerned a great shopping experience.

They also have an online store.

Have fun and Be Great