A Library Is Many Things

Here's a fascinating piece about a very special library.  It's filled with all kinds of letters like this.

The Importance of Customer Reviews

R. Scot Johns has written a very interesting piece about the value of customer reviews. As he writes,

"The days of benevolent gatekeepers looking out for our literary welfare are long gone. Regardless of whether it's independent or traditional, there is no one now evaluating the actual merit of what is being published but ourselves. Trade publishers tend to look at monetary rather than literary value, and self-published works are released regardless of value. Any given book published today can span the gamut of value, both monetary and literary. There is no real way to know unless someone has actually read the book and made the effort to give it an honest review."

You can read the whole post here.

A Word About Netflix

I watch a lot of movies, usually around 150 a year. I love film. I'm a major movie buff and someday will be working (as in getting paid) in the industry. We have a pretty good video store nearby, but there are still a lot of really good movies I've never seen. I don't like watching movies online, but have watched a few that way because it's the only way they are available anymore. In order to brush up on some of my gaps in film history, I have been thinking about subscribing to Netflix. Netflix is in bad shape right now, however, I was told that they still have their DVD by mail service. For $8 a month, it would be a bargain for me because I know I spend at least twice that every month on rental fees.

Well, I went to the Netflix website and discovered there is no DVD-only service listed. The only thing the website mentions about DVDs is that you can get DVDs at an extra charge when you sign up for the streaming service. I don't want or need the streaming service. I live in an area that makes streaming a laughing stock; it doesn't work well. So, I called the Netflix customer service telephone number (877-742-1480). The gentleman I talked to was very friendly and courteous. He informed me that the DVD-only service is available. However, at the moment it doesn't show up on the website automatically. You have to sign up for the streaming service, then sign up for the DVD-only service while describing from the streaming service at the same time. That's crazy. The gentleman said their "engineers are busy working on the problem and we hope to have the website corrected soon". Until then, I'm not sure if I'm going to subscribe or not, but I thought this is information that someone out there might find useful and informative.

What do you think about Netflix and all their crazy shenanigans the past few months? Do you think the company will survive after jumping the shark?

When Worlds Collide: Rin-Tin-Tin and Tintin

--"Bizarro" Wednesday, January 4, 2012

 

I usually don't enjoy this comic very much, but for some reason I found this comic hilarious.

Beetle Bailey and Harvey

-"Beetle Bailey"  Tuesday, January 3, 2012

It's amazing how and where Harvey will pop up. I love that pooka rabbit.

The Addams' Family Gets a Google Doodle.

I didn't know this, but today is Charles Addams' birthday. For those who don't know, Addams was the creator of The Addams Family. In the land of television, I'm a Munsters guy. However, I really enjoy The Addams Family comics. In honor of the late artist's birthday, Google has given him a doodle today (Saturday, January 7, 2012).

For more information, read this article at the L.A. Times.

I Wish I Had a Watermelon

-Jonny Hawkins, 2011 Teacher Cartoon-a-Day Calendar

Book Review: BRIGHTEST DAY, VOL. 2

At the end of the “Blackest Night” storyline, it was inevitable that Geoff Johns and DC would focus on another part of the Green Lantern Oath. So, after the “Blackest Night” has ended, the “Brightest Day” will take place.  BRIGHTEST DAY, VOL. 2 begins immediately following where the previous volume ended. Martian Manhunter learns that he isn’t the only green Martian alive. Hawkman seeks to rescue the kidnapped Hawkgirl. Firestorm tries to defeat the Black Lantern virus that is corrupting the Firestorm Matrix. Aquaman squares off against Black Manta and Deadman attempts to find the “chosen one” who will bear the power of the White Light. That doesn’t even touch the few minor incidents that happen. Despite everything that is happening, BRIGHTEST DAY, VOL. 2 seems somewhat lackluster.  The book reads like the quiet before a storm; you know it’s all leading to something, but that something doesn’t happen in this book.

Personally, the Deadman and Aquaman arcs were what I found most interesting in BRIGHTEST DAY, VOL. 2. Deadman doesn’t get a lot of time, but his arc in the book is more satisfying than many of the others, particularly his developing relationship with Dove. As for Aquaman, this is one of the best Aquaman stories ever. This is the type of Aquaman that Hollywood really could make a blockbuster movie around.

There’s a variety of artwork, depending on what characters and what part of the overarching story is illustrated. Sometimes the illustrations are gorgeous elaborations and other times they look like rejected images from SUPER FRIENDS!

Overall, though the overall story is lackluster, the book isn’t a bad one. It has some real fine moments.

The Principal As Boss

-Jonny Hawkins, 2011 Teacher Cartoon-a-Day Calendar

I'm not for sure why, but I find this particular comic extremely funny.

THE LORAX Has Never Been Banned

After seeing the trailer for the upcoming animated movie THE LORAX, I recently purchased a copy of the Dr. Suess book. I really enjoyed the story. I found some similarities between the book and other Dr. Suess tales (does anyone else think the Once-ler's arms look identical to The Grinch?). However, I was surprised to discover that posted all over the Internet are these claims (and on some fairly reputable sites in some cases) that THE LORAX is a book that was banned because it made the logging industry look bad.  Well, I've done some research and this claim isn't true.  THE LORAX has never been banned by any school in the United States. In 1989 the Laytonville Unified School District in Laytonville, California did receive a request to have the book downgraded from mandatory on the school's reading reading list to optional, but the request was denied and the book remained on the list. That's it. That's the only challenge to the book on record. Beyond that, THE LORAX has never been banned.

So why is it that when you search of THE LORAX or you read reviews for the book, people talk about it being banned because of the negative portrayal it gives of the logging industry? The answer is because of Banned Books Week. THE LORAX is a book that is often included on the list of  "Banned Books". However, like many of the books on the list, the book has never been banned. The books listed each year on the "Banned Book List" (sponsored by the American Library Association) aren't really books that have been banned, but they are a list of books that have been "challenged" or are controversial. Very few of the books on the list have ever actually been banned.

I'm all for literacy and literary freedom. I used to be supportive of Banned Book Week. However, I've now discovered that it is a farce and it's something I won't be supporting in the future.

A Blossoming Hope

The past few years have been really difficult ones for me.  2008 had some ups, but there were so many challenges that they seemed to destroy all the good that occurred.  2009 was one of the most amazing and difficult years of my life; for instance I directed my first theatrical production that year and starred in a production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, but my Dad died and that's something that will affect me for the rest of my life. 2010 started out more promising, but then I got the hours of the job I was working reduced and eventually my entire job was eliminated. The first part of 2011 was really difficult, but the last part of the year hope has been blossoming.

I try to remain hopeful about things, but there is a dark vein in me: for instance I'm drawn to sad stories. I've always begun a new year in a spirit of joy and optimism, yet it seems all of that is quickly zapped away. 2011 is ending on a positive note and it is my hope 2012 will continue in that vein. Perhaps this year will be the turning point that like the Dark Tower and Roland Deschain has evaded me for so long.

Here's to 2012!

Teaching and Game Shows

-Jonny Hawkins, 2011 Teacher Cartoon-a-Day Calendar

Graphic Novel Challenge 2011

I'm not in to very many of online book challenges you can sign up for. However, a few years ago (2009). I came across the Graphic Novel Challenge and took it and completed it. 2011 is the third year I've taken the challenge. Here are a list of books I read for the challenge.

1.  The Dark Tower-The Gunslinger: The Journey Begins   by   Robin Furth, et al.
2.  Asterios Polyp   by   David Mazzucchelli
3.  The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye   by   Robert Kirkman, et al.
4.  The Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us   by   Robert Kirkman, et al.
5.  Mister Wonderful   by   Daniel Clowes
6.  The Walking Dead, Vol. 3:  Safety Behind Bars   by   Robert Kirkman, et al.
7.  Superman: The Black Ring, Vol. 1   by   Paul Cornell & Peter Woods
8.  American Vampire, Vol. 2   by   Scott Snyder, et al.
9.  Heavy Water   by    Jonathan W.C.Mills
10. Cowboys and Aliens  by   Scott Mitchell Rosenburg
11. Benjamin Bear in Fuzzy Thinking   by   Philippe Coudray
12. Yellow Rose of Texas   by   Douglas Brode & Joe Orsak
13. Zig and Wikki in Something Ate My Homework   by   Nadja Splegelman
14. Cat Vs. Human   by   Yasmine Surovec
15. Mo and Jo: Fighting Together Forever   by   Dean Haspiel
16. Brightest Day, Vol. 2   by   Geoff Johns, et al.
17. The Walking Dead, Vol. 4: The Heart's Desire   by   Robert Kirkman

Media Consumed: August 2011

Books Read
Swamplandia!   by   Karen Russell
*School Days: Cartoons from The New Yorker   Ed. Robert Mankoff
*Heavy Water   by   Jonathan W.C. Mills
Tom Thumb   by   George Sullivan
*Cowboys and Aliens  by   Scott Mitchell Rosenburg
Tomatoland   by   Barry Eastabrook
+Ten Little Indians   by   Agatha Christie

* = denotes graphic novel, TPB, or collection of comic strips
+ = denotes play

Swamplandia! was a very interesting read. The tone begins rather cheery, then quickly becomes dark. Yet, the protagonist of the story remains hopeful throughout. The ending is incredibly dark, almost depressing. Some very bad things happen. What makes it all that much more frightening is that even though the world of the novel is a "different world" than our own, it really isn't.

Tom Thumb was an interesting biography about a very interesting historical figure.

Cowboys and Aliens is the graphic novel that the movie is based upon. The book is better than the movie.

I thought Tomatoland would be an examination of the history of the tomato. It has some of that, but its mostly a critique of the tomato farming industry.

Movies Watched
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Dylan Dog
Captain America
Cowboys and Aliens
Indian Summer

Rise of the Planet of the Apes was entertaining, but I also felt it was kind of short. The film could be seen as a prequel to the original series, but it's actually a complete reboot.

It didn't do well at the box office, but Dylan Dog was a really fun movie to watch.

I loved Capt so much I had to go see him again.

Cowboys and Aliens was ok, but it could have been so much more. There was so much potential in the idea, but it ended up being wasted.

Media Consumed: July 2011

Books Read
The Skinny on Creativity   by   Jim Randel
Primetime Propaganda   by   Ben Shapiro
+Ten Little Indians   by   Agatha Christie


+ = denotes a play

Three books in July. That was it. I definitely don't do much reading in the summer. Of course, in July I was in a musical, was preparing to be in another play (that got cancelled), and was preparing for the play I would start directing in August. I also took a trip to Wisconsin to visit one of my closest friends who was working at camp.

It has become more and more obvious that there is a strong liberal bias in Hollywood. However, though there have been a few scattered stories here and there and a few random studies and some anecdotes, there really hasn't been an in-depth study done on the subject with not only first-hand accounts, but with facts and figures.  Ben Shapiro has done that in Primetime Propaganda. I'm not sure how he got away meeting all the figures he met. However, what they reveal is what everyone outside of Hollywood and New York have known for years: there is a strong liberal bias in Hollywood and conservatism is frowned upon. I found the book fascinating.

I read Ten Little Indians because it's the play I began directing in August. I like the play better than the novel, though the novel is written a little better.

Movies Watched
Cars 2 (two times)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Zotz!
The Spine Tingler
Fright Night (1985)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Aliens Vs. Predators
Horrible Bosses
And Then There Were None
The Big Red One
Captain America
Insidious
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Cedar Rapids


Critics from both sides of the political spectrum trashed Cars 2. They all said it lacked the heart of the original Cars. The funny thing is most of those critics were the same people who trashed Cars for being too sentimental and hokey. I don't think they changed their opinion; they just want people to think they did or not remember at all. I liked Cars 2. It's a spy movie. I wish there was more of an explanation why Doc was no longer around.

I was still on my William Castle kick as one of the movies was one he directed (Zotz!) and another was a documentary about Castle (The Spine Tingler).

I found the original Fright Night entertaining. When I was younger the cover of the VHS tape always scared me so much, I kept away from it.

Many people were all gaga over the last Harry Potter movie. Personally, I think it was one the least satisfying movie out of the entire series. I'm not sure what it was. The darker tone was a huge plus, but in terms of story and cinematography, the film is lacking. Perhaps since everyone knew this was the last one that had something to do with it. Of course, I was a little disappointed by the way things ended in the book, anyway. I think Harry should have ultimately died. Instead, he lived, got the girl, and had an even better life than he had before.

Even if you don't like comic book/superhero movies, you should watch Captain America. It's one of the best movies of the year, too. The film looks gorgeous, the storytelling is superb, and it's emotionally charged (spoiler: the hero doesn't ultimately end up with the girl here). It's a movie that not only makes you feel good to be an American, but just makes you feel good.

Media Consumed: June 2011

Books Read
*American Vampire, Vol. 2   by   Various
*EC Archives: Tales from the Crypt, Vol. 1   by   William Gaines & Al Feldstein
Robopocalypse   by   Daniel Wilson
+ The Boardinghouse   by   Vern Harden

* = denotes graphic novel or comic book collection

+ = denotes a play.


During the spring and summer, I just don't read as much as I do in the fall and winter. Two of the books I read were comic book collections and one was a play.

DC sent me American Vampire, Vol. 2 to read. I didn't think I was going to like it, but I did. It's not your traditional vampire story, but isn't like the ribbons and lace version of vampires from the Twilight universe.

I read EC Archives: Tales from the Crypt, Vol. 1 out of curiosity. The visuals in those old EC comics are just amazing. The stories are also good ones. They can be frightening, but nothing that happens in the story just happens for the sake of shock or gore.

Robopocalypse was a book I picked up because it's going to be the next movie that Stephen Spielberg directs. The story is basically a more streamlined version of Terminator told in the form of an oral history.

The Boardinghouse was a play I was in that never happened. The Board of Directors for the organization cancelled it two weeks before we were to open.

Movies Watched
Into the Wild
The Tingler
13 Frightened Girls
X-Men First Class
13 Ghosts
Thirteen Ghosts
Homicidal
Strait-Jacket
Super 8
The Old Dark House (William Castle version)
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
Green Lantern
Mr. Sardonicus
Tron

I was on a William Castle binge this summer. Castle was the poor man's version of Hitchcock. Castle made his name and fortune in the business by being a showman first and foremost. Even though all of his movies were extremely profitable and Castle was a master of many great filmmaking techniques, his showmanship kept him from getting the respect he needed and wanted from his peers and the critics. Some of his films are cheesy, but all of them are entertaining. There's an innocence in his "horror" movies that's missing in almost all major horror movies made from the mid-1970s onward.  The Tingler, 13 Frightened Girls, 13 Ghosts, Homicidal, Strait-Jacket, and Mr. Sardonicus.

Into the Wild was an interesting movie based upon a true story. However, the movie seemed to make the story's protagonist Christopher McCandless more of a hero than he actually was. For such a free-spirited person who had a seemingly high intellect, how he died (of starvation in the wilderness when there was plenty of opportunities for him to leave) is almost absurd. The movie makes it appear that McCandless had no way of leaving his self-imposed solitude whereas in real life that wasn't the case.

X-Men: First Class was a surprisingly entertaining movie despite the fact that it had very little to do with the comics on which it was based.

Super 8 is one of the best movies of 2011. It's kind of a combination of E.T. and The Goonies. It's the best Spielbergian, non-Spielberg movie I've seen.

Green Lantern was kind of a let down. The movie is an average superhero movie, but it had the potential to be so much more. It's an example of what happens when studio execs decide to make a superhero movie and not let the director and writer do their job.

I watched Tron because it's been years since I last watched it. It's a good movie, but there are elements that don't hold up well.

Media Consumed: May 2011

Books Read
The Millennials   by   Thom & Jess Rainer
Arguing With Idiots   by    Glenn Beck
And Then There Were None   by   Agatha Christie
Unthinking   by   Harry Beckwith
The Reading Promise   by   Alice Ozma

May was somewhat as a slow month as I only finished reading five books. However, if you notice there were no collections of comic strips, graphic novels, TPB, or plays. Just five regular books.  The Millennials was an interesting book about what the largest generation of Americans ever (three times the size of the baby boomers) thinks about life. I find myself in the divide between Generation X and the Millennials. The year I was born is considered part of Generation X, but I share more values and have more similar cultural experiences with the Millennials. But, that's always been the case with me, I never quite fit in exactly wherever I'm at. Anyway, the book is a must read for anyone who works with people between the age of 10-30.

I like Glenn Beck. I think he's really crazy on some things, but the direction of crazy he goes in isn't towards destruction. The direction of crazy he points towards sometimes is one of preparation and defense. Anyway, I like reading what he writes because even when there's something I don't agree with, it's presented in an entertaining manner. I think Arguing With Idiots is the best of his books that I've read.

I read And Then There Were None because it's the novel that the play Christie wrote is based upon. I've got to say, I like the play better. Christie is a great writer, but her mysteries are often so complex and have a twist that's never even hinted at so even Sherlock Holmes wouldn't even know how to solve them. The novel is a great book, though. It's probably the best mystery I've ever read.

Unthinking is a business book, but it's more of a philosophy of life book. It's filled with short stories and anecdotes that are quite interesting.

The Reading Promise is a memoir that's both a tribute to the author's father and to books and reading. Alice Ozma's father read to her every night for about nine years. It began as a bet and continued right up until the night her dad dropped her off at college. It's a great book for anyone who loves reading or wants to encourage others to read. It's also a great story about the relationship between this daughter and her father. I teared up a few times while reading it because it recalled memories of my own dad.

Movies Watched
This Island Earth
Murder By Death
Thor (2 times)
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
The Tomb of Ligeia

May was a slow month of movie watching, too.  This Island Earth is a classic 1950s sci-fi movie that's actually much better than I thought it would be. It holds up rather well after nearly 60 years.

Murder By Death is a comedy that has parodies of famous detectives that are all brought together at a mysterious house for a weekend. It's a movie I watched in preparation of directing Ten Little Indians. The movie is an oft-overlooked gem that starts Peter Falk as well as Truman Capote in a smaller role.

I went to the cinema twice with friends and family to see Thor. A lot of critics raved about the film when it came out, but have now been lampooning it since it arrived on DVD. I don't understand that. The movie is a good movie with the same positives and flaws that it had in the theatres.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the movie that should have been the third part of the original Pirates trilogy.

I watched The Tomb of Ligeia at the Hi Pointe movie theatre as part of the Vincentennial. The movie was one of longest Roger Corman movies ever made. It's also one that had one of his biggest budgets. Plus, it has Vincent Price and Price made any movie better than it was.

Media Consumed: April 2011

Books Read
*Li'l Abner: The Complete Dailies and Color Sundays, Vol. 1: 1934-1936  by  Al Capp
*Mister Wonderful   by   Daniel Clowes
*The Walking Dead, Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars   by   Robert Kirkman, et al.
*EC Archives: Weird Science, Vol. 1   by   Various
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years   by   Donald Miller
There I Fixed It (No, You Didn't)  by   Cheezburger Network
*Big Nate Out Loud   by   Lincoln Peirce
*Pearls Blows Up  by   Stephan Pastis
* EC Archives: Weird Science, Vol. 2   by   Various
*Superman: The Black Ring, Vol. 2   by   Paul Cornell & Pete Woods
*Reality Hunger   by  David Shields

* = denotes a graphic novel, TPB, or collection of comic strips

Most of my reading in April consisted of graphic novels and comic strips. The only regular book I can recommend is A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. The book is a memoir from Miller about the time he spent trying to adapt his life into a fictional screenplay. Life as story is an interesting concept and in the talented hands of Miller it becomes fascinating.

I really enjoyed a lot of the graphic novels I read. After reading Li'l Abner: The Complete Dailies and Color Sundays, Vol. 1: 1934-1936, I can see why the strip went on to become one of the most popular comic strips in the country.

The Walking Dead gets better with each installment.  I read the EC Archives out of historical interest and found them fascinating. You don't seen comics treated with the respect that EC gave to theirs.

Movies Watched
Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
Sourcecode
Jonah Hex
127 Hours
Assault on Precint 13 (2005)
Turtles Forever
Scream 4
Soul Surfer
Ahhh! Zombies!
Identity
The Stand

April can often be a nomansland for movie lovers. I didn't watch many movies at the cinema, but I did watch several view DVD.

Both versions of Assault on Precinct 13 were good, but the 1976 version is the better of the two. I found Jonah Hex entertaining.  Turtles Forever is a movie that brings together three versions of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in a way that makes complete sense according to the laws of their universe.

I enjoyed Scream 4. I'm not a big fan of horror, but I enjoy that franchise. It's so much better than most of the horror garbage people digest nowadays.

Soul Surfer was a well-done movie which is surprising in a "Christian" movie; it's a Christian movie that doesn't look or feel like a typical Christian movie.

Ahhh! Zombies! is a hilarious film about a group of kids who become zombies, but don't realize they are zombies. It's an interesting twist to see how the world looks and feels to a person who becomes a zombie.

Identity was a movie I watched several years ago, but rewatched in preparation to direct Ten Little Indians. It's a movie with a twist that many won't see coming.

Lastly, I watched the mini-series of The Stand when it first aired on tv over 15 years ago. It was a well done series then and I can still say that it still holds up well.

Though there were a few films I didn't enjoy as much as others, there's really not one I would say you should completely avoid.  Sourcecode comes closest, because of the plot, but since everything in the film is so far-fetched anyway, the ending actually does make sense. There's also some really interesting camera work that happens in the movie.

On New Year's Resolutions

Each New Year in the U.S. brings about a flurry of resolutions. People resolve to eat better, to read the Bible more, to give up smoking, to lose weight, to not get angry as much, to pray more, to learn a new language, to be a better person, to watch less tv, etc. At the start of New Year’s Day, we will “resolve” to do just about anything. A new year is full of the savory aroma of hope and brings the opportunity for a fresh start.

However, the majority of New Year’s resolutions (around 88%) ultimately fail. Though we have good intentions, we make resolutions as though they are fanciful dreams and whimsical wishes. Resolutions aren’t like that. They are not wispy wonders that can be imagined but never realized. They are, instead, like large pieces of granite driven into the Earth for all to see. They are not something to be taken lightly. When we resolve to do something, it is a serious matter.


In the NIV Bible, the word “resolve” can only be found four times (2 Chronicles 20:3, Daniel 1:8, Malachi 2:2, 1 Cor. 2:2). When you examine those verses, you’ll find that the only time someone resolves to do something is in matters of great importance. For instance, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of God when Judah was completely surrounded by her enemies and while staying with the Corinthians, Paul resolved to only know Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as another year begins, let us bask in the glow of hope and promise that comes with it, but let’s refrain from making any hasty resolutions. Let’s keep our resolutions for the times when we really need them.
**************
The above is a short essay I wrote for the January 2012 monthly newsletter, The Christian Messenger, of the Christian Church of Litchfield.

Prediction: Ron Paul Wins Iowa

I don't write much about politics here. I know there's a lot of people who despise it. I don't like the games involved in politics, but I do enjoy following political campaigns and learning about candidates.

The race to choose a Republican nominee for the 2012 Presidential Election begins in earnest next week with the Iowa caucuses. Iowa usually doesn't mean anything, even though they are the first primary. With that said, I think Ron Paul is going to pull off a victory in the state. The man has the best advertising people of any of the other candidates working for him. Just watch this ad.

See what I mean? This is a no BS ad. It takes names and kicks butt. None of the ads for any of the other candidates come close to something of this quality. I think Paul will win the Iowa caucuses. At the least he will finish in second place and because Iowa is distributing its delegates proportionately, Paul will be guaranteed a voice and presence at the Republican Convention in the summer. So, sit back, buckle up, and get ready. It's going to be one heck of a ride.

What Teaching Can Really Be Like

--by Jonny Hawkins

Exploding Class Sizes

--Cartoon by Jonny Hawkins

A Short Commentary About End of Year Lists

Two days after Thanksgiving (Nov. 26th) I saw a blurb about the "10 Worst Films of 2011". November 2011 wasn't even over, let alone the entire year of 2011 and already someone had published an end of the year list. I understand why news outlets publish "Best of the Year" and "Worst of the Year" lists. They're fairly easy to put together, they make for popular filler, and they can also serve as a source of reflection for the communities they serve. I usually have a best of list for movies and books that I post on my blog each year. What I don't understand is why most news outlets insist on publishing these lists before the year has ended.

A year doesn't end until a new one has officially begun. I realize the chances of something major happening in those final few days of the year are small, but there is still the possibility that the biggest story of the year could happen on December 31st. If you publish the "Most Important News Stories of 2011" List so it makes the December 2011 edition of your magazine, you might end up leaving out the one event that really is the most important event of the year. I do understand that the reason why some commentators/reporters/writers/etc. publish these lists before the year is over because they won't be working when the old year ends and the new year begins. However, though I understand it, I don't really agree with it. End of the year lists should be published after a year is completely over otherwise they really aren't an end of the year list.

Post Office Closings

Here's some interesting facts about the possible upcoming post office closings in the next few months (brought to you by the folks at "Who Knew?")

A Little Something About Egg Nog

Just a little video from "Who Knew?" About Egg Nog. It's quite interesting.

Tesla Is Greater Than Edison

I came across this image (sold as a bumper sticker) at The Oatmeal. You can read more in depth about why Tesla is greater than Edison in the book from The Oatmeal, 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth.

For anyone who knows anything about the history of modern technology, they know something about the conflict between Tesla and Edison. In my mind, Tesla is by far the better and greater scientist. He actually invented most of his inventions instead of stealing them and engaging in corporate espionage like Edison did.

I intend to buy a couple of these bumper stickers after the holidays with my first paycheck in 2012. You should, too. Tesla isn't just greater than Edison, he's better.

A Spanking Machine

Here's another video about some of those crazy DeMoulin Brothers inventions. This one is about a spanking machine.

The Jedi Mime Trick

Here's a great comic from Puns of Steel, a collection of "Argyle Sweater" comics by Scott Hilburn. This one can be found on page 109. If you like great one-panel comics, you should check it out. 

Education Comics

Here are a few cartoons about teaching and education from the TEACHER CARTOON-A-DAY: 2011 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR by Jonny Hawkins. My favorite of the three is the one that alludes to Byron.

Happy Birthday, Walt!

 

- "Lio" Mark Tatulli, Monday, December 5, 2011

Walt Disney was born 110 years ago today. Say what you will about the man and his beliefs, he was one of the most creative and influential people in the movie and entertainment business of all time. Happy Birthday, Walt! 

House of Swine and Frog*

This comic illustrates much of what I feel about THE MUPPETS.

*--HijiNKS ENSUE   Nov. 29, 2011

Star Wars and the N.R.A.

- Pop Culture Shock Therapy, Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Media Consumed: March 2011

Books Read
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?     By: Michael Benson
Suddenly In the Depths of the Forest     By:  Amos Oz
*+Something Under the Bed Is Drooling     By: Bill Watterson
The Adventures of Sir Gwain the True     By:  Gerald Morris
+The Dark Tower-The Gunslinger: The Journey Begins     By: Robin Furth, et al.
American Lightning     By:  Howard Blum
5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth     By: The Oatmeal
+Asterios Polyp     By:  David Mazzucchelli
+The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone By     By:  Robert Kirkman, Tom Moore, et al.
Just the Right Size     By:  Nicola Davis, et al.
I Will Make of Thee a Great Nation     By:  Val Greenwood
+The Walking Dead, Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us     By:  Robert Kirkman, Tom Moore, et al.
Danse Macabre     By:  Stephen King
Drive! Zits Sketchbook #14     By:  Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman

* = denotes a previously read worl
+ = denotes a graphic novel, TPB, or collection of comic strips

The two books I enjoyed reading most in March were both by Stephen King.  The Dark Tower-The Gunslinger: The Journey Begins is the next chapter in the series of graphic novels/TPBs being published that are adapted Stephen King's Dark Tower saga into an illustrated form. I really need to read the regular books and I intend to, but until then, I'll keep whetting my appetite with this series of graphic novels.

The other book I enjoyed most was King's Danse Macabre. It's basically a treatise on horror fiction in literature and film that King adapted from a series of lectures he delivered (in the 1970s I believe). King is just a great writer in general, but I've found that the stuff I enjoy most from him is his non-fiction and his non-horror writings. Danse Macabre is all about horror, but it's a massive tome of non-fiction. I learned a lot about the genre. I know a lot of it can by crap, but now I feel I have a more thorough sharper stick to help me wade through the crap and fight off the piranhas.

Other recommendations from this month are The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone By and 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth.  I picked up Days Gone By after having previously watched the entire first season (6 episodes) of the tv show on AMC as it aired. Even though the show can be incredibly gory, the show was some amazing tv because it was a show about the characters and their journey to survive and not just about zombies and some cliche plot. The first couple episodes of the tv show seem to have used this first graphic novel in the series as a storyboard.  As for 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth, it's a book that's kind of gross, bizarre, outlandish, and naughty. But if you can scavenge through some of the garbage you'll find some amazing gems: such as some of the best grammar instruction guides I've ever seen or the reason you need to know more about Nikola Tesla.

Movies Watched
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Piranha (1980)
The Forbidden Kingdom
Touching Home
Rango
Panic In Year Zero
Battle Los Angeles
Piranha 3-D
Romancing the Stone
The Maze
Paul
The Last Lovecraft
Titanic II
Limitless
The Expendables
Flash Gordon

Roger Corman's original Piranha was a joy to watch. Low budget and all, it's vastly superior to the 2010 remake.

Touching Home is a great little semi-autobiographical movie made by two twin brothers. It stars Ed Harris in one of the finer performances of his career.

Rango is a bizarre cartoon. It's a modern Western told with mostly animated lizards.

Battle Los Angeles was a thoroughly enjoyable, mind-candy action movie.

The Maze is a low-budget horror flick that I enjoyed because of the corn mazes my family and I used to visit.


Paul was a major disappointment.

The Last Lovecraft is another low-budget picture. It's an action comedy that is hilarious and is even more enjoyable if you know anything about H.P. Lovecraft.

A Word About THE MUPPETS Movie

I believe I've mentioned this before and I'm sure I'll mention it again at some point, but I was partially "raised" by The Muppets. What I mean by that is that I watched a lot of Muppets growing up: SESAME STREET (it used to actually be good tv), THE MUPPET SHOW, FRAGGLE ROCK, and THE STORYTELLER. All those shows had Muppets (and in most cases Jim Henson had a hand in designing them in some way). I think THE MUPPET SHOW was my favorite. It was this sweet show with a huge heart that never spoke down to kids. The humor of THE MUPPET SHOW was classic humor: it's the type of stuff they used to do on vaudeville, radio, and in the golden age of television. Sometimes the humor was subtle, sometimes it was corny, but it was humor that people from every age and walk of life could enjoy. You don't see that very much anymore. Jokes are beaten to the point they are dead and the humor isn't even humor anymore. In short, THE MUPPET SHOW was full of wit and in our current cultural landscape, wit has been forgotten.

THE MUPPETS is a movie all about bringing back wit in this forgotten age. It's about friends, family, and finding your place in the world. It's a movie that dares to threaten the void that is our cultural landscape and shout, "Hey, you think you're funny? You're not funny. This is funny!" At the same time, there is a thread of irony that runs through the film. All through the movie Kermit and the gang question themselves that, perhaps, they really aren't relevant anymore. As the villain of the film proudly boasts, the world has moved on since the Muppets last were popular (the last Muppet movie was MUPPETS IN SPACE released in the summer of 1999-I can tell you where I was when I saw it and even give you the location of the theatre). The world's a much more dark, sinister, and dangerous place. No planes had flown into skyscrapers when a Muppet movie last played in movie theatres. In 1999, unemployment in the U.S. hovered around 4%, the lowest it had been in 30 years and the longest war in U.S. history was still that conflict in Vietnam (Afghanistan, where's that?).

Yet, though this is a darker and more dangerous world, there still is goodness. The Muppets are good, they are joyful, and they are hopeful. We can all do with a lot more of that in our lives.

An Automobile Milestone

You don't get to see this happen very often in life.

I've really been places.

Book Review: THE EXTRAORDINARY CATALOG OF PECULIAR INVENTIONS

At the end of the 19^th Century and the beginning of the 20^th Century, three brothers named DeMoulin joined together to form the DeMoulin Brothers Company. The company they started is still in existence today and is the leading manufacture of band uniforms in the country. However, the DeMoulin Brothers didn’t make their fortune selling band uniforms. They made their fortune designing, creating, and manufacturing lodge initiation devices. Replicating such a success in today’s sue-happy society would be impossible. However, it did happen once upon a time in America. The story of the DeMoulin brothers is quite interesting and at times fascinating and this unique and particular American story is finally beginning to gain some of the attention it deserves.

Last year (2010) saw the publication of CATALOG 439 edited by Charles Schneider and published by Fantagraphic Books. That book was mostly a reprinting of Catalog 439, the most famous of the DeMoulin Brothers catalogs. Now there is THE EXTRAORDINARY CATALOG OF PECULIAR INVENTIONS by Julia Suits. Unlike CATALOG 439, this book isn’t a reprinting of one particular DeMoulin catalog. Instead it is a hodge-podge of selected items from several different DeMoulin catalogs, photos from the period, essays about lodges and lodge initiation devices, and random quotes. The subtitle of the book is “The Curious World of the DeMoulin Brothers and Their Fraternal Lodge Pranks Machines—from Human Centipedes and Revolving Goats to Electric Carpets and Smoking Camels” and several of the devices invented and manufactured by the DeMoulins are featured within. However, the book itself is more like an overview of lodge life in the early 1900s.  Chapters include “The Brothers DeMoulin”, “Fraternalism 101”, “Fun Work: The Side-Degree”, “Factory Goats”, “See You in Court”, “Zzzzzt! The Shockers”, “Bang! Crash! Splat!: The Mechanicals”, and “Wardrobe! The Wearables”. The book also includes a brief introduction by magician & illusionist David Copperfield (DeMoulin artifacts are highly collectible among magicians).

THE EXTRAORDINARY CATALOG OF PECULIAR INVENTIONS is an interesting book. However, the book lacks focus. The illustrations of the book fit the chapters, but the written text that accompanies the illustrations don’t always fit those chapters. Not only that, but there is also a lot of random bits thrown in. While I was reading the book, I felt like I was reading a literary equivalent of a pop-up video. In short, the material in THE EXTRAORDINARY CATALOG OF PECULIAR INVENTIONS is fascinating, but the way it’s edited make the book feel more like a reference or trivia book; it makes a create coffee table book and conversation piece.

How to Ride a Goat

Here's another one of those quirky little videos about the new DeMoulin-inspired book, THE EXTRAORDINARY CATALOG OF PECULIAR INVENTIONS.