On Putting an End to GameStop’s Neediness

I received an e-mail from GameStop this evening… Dear Wayward GameStop Customer, We miss you. And we’re worried. There must be some reason why you haven’t been responding to our emails. We’re wondering if you still want them – bursting with the latest from GameStop: Exclusive game trailers GameStop exclusive bonus items Events at storesContinue reading “On Putting an End to GameStop’s Neediness”

On Delving into Marvel Comics’ Thor

On paper, I should love Thor. Norse mythology? The Viking age? Absolutely fascinating to me. I’ve read the Volsung Saga, the Poetic Edda, the Greenland and Iceland sagas. I’ve listened to Wagner’s Ring Cycle in its entirety several times (even though I don’t speak a word of German). Northlanders is a comic I look forwardContinue reading “On Delving into Marvel Comics’ Thor”

On the Tea Party and Their Place in History

Just when I think politics can’t get any stranger, a Congressional candidate in Alabama seems to be advocating armed rebellion. What bothers me is the bewildering lack of historical understanding on display here. Railing against a progressive income tax? Thomas Paine was in favor; read The Rights of Man where he devotes an entire chapter.Continue reading “On the Tea Party and Their Place in History”

On Shore Leave Anticipation

Shore Leave is coming up. The second weekend in July — the 9th through the 11th. Guests this year include Edward James Olmos and Katee Sackhoff. If you’re in the Baltimore area in mid-July and you’re looking for a convention, Shore Leave’s worth your time. I bring up Shore Leave because yesterday I received anContinue reading “On Shore Leave Anticipation”

On Mid-Week Errata

I’ve had Cat Stevens’ “Peace Train” stuck in my head today. My day actually began with Jethro Tull. My Tull collection is not large — Aqualung, the Christmas album, a greatest hits album. While working this morning, I needed something different to keep me going, and “Locomotive Breath” from Aqualung seemed auspicious. Which made meContinue reading “On Mid-Week Errata”

On Things I’ve Been Reading

I haven’t done one of my comic book reading round-ups since, umm, well… it’s been about nine months. I’ve read a lot of comics in the past nine months. I’m not going to try and catch up on things I’ve read; instead, I’ll point out three things I’ve read recently. Do Androids Dream of ElectricContinue reading “On Things I’ve Been Reading”

On the New Blog Design

After deciding to redesign my blog’s layout, I decided against it. I ran a Hot Wax Weekend instead over Memorial Day. The thing was, I’d already started coding the new website design I’d selected, taking the CoolBlue stylesheet from StyleShout. I had the “main” files done — header.php, index.php, sidebar.php, and footer.php. Yes, there areContinue reading “On the New Blog Design”