Author: MEC

“Green Lantern”: It doesn’t (completely) suck

OK, it wasn’t the best film I’ve ever seen, nor even the best film I’ve seen this week, but “Green Lantern” is far from the turkey that I’ve seen described in the press. It’s a good deal better than “Thor,” for example. I saw it today as part of my “take a walk around the neighborhood and blow off work” solstice celebration, and was entertained. If you like the comic book, you’ll probably like it. If you don’t like the comic book, of course, there’s really no reason to see it.

One suggestion: if you do want to see it, skip the 3D version. I found it distracting and not particularly well-executed. Go see the 2D version, and, preferably, at a reduced-price matinée.

A few minutes later: On the other hand, I can’t say that the recaps here are totally unfair: http://www.toplessrobot.com/2011/06/topless_robot_presents_the_best_scenes_from_the_gr.php

I wave my hand and raise a storm

Late last week I began composing a short piece for this blog about the phrase “get over it.” However, knowing that the weekly edition of TidBITS was running a little light this week, I showed it to the editors there, and they felt it was worthy of publication, so I submitted it, and they published it.

It seems I touched a nerve: as I write this, the article has accrued almost 90 comments in the course of the day. And I didn’t even mention sex or free prizes in it once!

Words Have Consequences

Sarah Palin said, “Don’t Retreat, Instead – Reload,” and included Representative Gabrielle Giffords among those politicians targeted on her SarahPAC site. I expect that Palin will claim that she bears no responsibility for the shooting of Giffords today.

Just like I’d bear no responsibility for the havoc that ensues when I shout “Fire!” in a theater.

Update: Palin hasn’t disclaimed responsibility, but she has cried some crocodile tears on Facebook over the shooting.

Update 2: Giffords’ recent opponent in the November election bears some responsibility, too, though I don’t expect him to be man enough to admit it.

Today in Journamalism™

I keep hearing journalists and correspondents from major media outlets (such as CBS and ABC) talk about the “Republican takeover of Congress.” According to my copy of the Constitution (the one that includes the bit about slavery that has been left out of the group reading staged in the House of Representatives), the Congress consists of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. And the Senate, as I recall, currently has a Democratic majority.

Holy Jeebus on a jet scooter! The stupid: it BURNS!

A short pantoum inspired by the opening line of “Gravity’s Rainbow”

A screaming comes across the sky.
A sound we haven’t heard before:
A distant wailing thin and high,
It drops into a dreadful roar.

A sound we haven’t heard before,
To freeze the blood within our veins
It drops into a dreadful roar:
The cries of countless fears and pains.

To freeze the blood within our veins,
A distant wailing thin and high—
The cries of countless fears and pains—
A-screaming, comes across the sky.