Hero Inc.

Now that I have settled into my new city and been placed on a new project at work, it is time to deal with the commute.  Please understand that this commute is by no means terrible even if it is about an hour and forty minutes each way (morning and afternoon).  The trip is a straight shot based on the MUNI (if it is running correctly that day) and BART.  I am able to have a internet connection for about 90-95% of the trip so if I need to do work I have that option.  Some may say the BART is terrible, but I am provided an easy laugh twice a day as I read the “Committed to Excellence” Oakland Raiders sign that rests on the stadium.

However, there are those days where I don’t need to do any work and I can just sit back and enjoy the ride.  Now my sister will tell me that I should pick up a book to read.  Well I have picked up a book, which is just a book I started while at the beach this summer but never finished.  It’s just that I can’t force myself to read along this trip because I’m very picky about my reading spots.  That and I’m of the generation who doesn’t know what reading is.  We won’t laugh about that in the future, but we can laugh now.

Anyway, I decided to get back into listening to podcasts on my Creative Zen Vision W, or the Betamax player as it is known on my project team.  I have been away from podcasting in general for several years so I wasn’t sure what was still out there or what new good ones were available.  Here’s a quick list of the ones I have found that I have enjoyed so far.

Podcast Name	Description
	DiggNation is pretty much where my world of podcasting started out. DiggNation, hosted by Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht, discusses the week’s top stories from the social news site, Digg.com. I truly enjoy the way the two hosts play off of each other and the topics can range from tech, news, sports, etc. It is usually a random assortment of “news” selected by those that post to Digg. I have listened to this podcast since it was first started as just audio. Now with video, so much more is added to the experience.
	I’m not a huge fan of the news, mainly because it is usually so depressing and only certain stories are stressed in the political realm. NPR’s 7AM news report provides me a fast and effective update for the day’s news stories. The report is offered in the audio clarity that only NPR can offer and usually is not much longer than 5 minutes in length. Perfect for a quick update.
	Pardon The Interruption has become my true DVR pleasure. Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser are always entertaining and provide a quick shot of all the latest sports news. I love watching this show daily but I ran into an issue recently where I didn’t have time to watch the show each day. Thanks to the podcast, I don’t miss a beat. The audio only version of the show is not as good as the real thing but it is as close as you are going to get if you just don’t have the time to sit in front of a TV to enjoy. This one is not a push (Wilbon’s trademark).
	If DiggNation was my first podcast, then This Week In Tech is my tied first. A weekly discussion of the week’s tech stories is hosted by Leo Laporte. This is truely a geek’s show but I still find my chance ot laugh and enjoy another dose of tech talk.
	Provided by the same group that produces This Week In Tech and Security Now, TWIG (as it is known) follows the top stories related to Google or cloud computing. I’ve only had a chance to enjoy a single episode, but I did find it interesting enough to give it another shot. I’m just wondering if too much Leo Laporte in one week is good for me.
	Not long after I was listening to TWIT and DiggNation while in college, Security Now! began. I gave it a listen a few times in order to find out more within the security industry (might need this for work), but I just haven’t been able to consistently enjoy it. That basically means I’ll drop it soon, but for those that are concerned with their computer security, then give the show a chance. The show does find itself able to explain even the high level security issues so that normal users can understand them and how they could be affected.
	DiggNation was the first of many shows to come for the Revision3 online network. For those familiar with the days of TechTV, you’ll notice many old faces. AppJudgement provides a simple review of applications or “apps” for smartphones. These reviews are for both iPhone and Android phones. Since I’m close to purchasing a smartphone (NOT AN IPHONE), I thought it’d be a great idea to begin finding some apps that I’d find useful. The show runs between 5-10 minutes so it is easy to get in, learn, and get out.
	With my enjoyment of Alex Albrecht from DiggNation (that’s too many plugs for that show), I thought I would try his second Revision3 show, The Totally Rad Show. TRS discusses movies, video games, and comic books. I tried a single episode and enjoyed it but not sure if I will continue thanks to a few of the other shows below.
	Need a review of current and future video games? Well, CO-OP is a well produced show that does just that. My introduction to the show was an older episode that discussed Uncharted 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wii since I had just played both of them recently. My time to spend playing games is not what it used to be but I might follow this show every now and then if I’m looking to find a new game to try.
	InstMsgs had the most interesting concept in that they dramatize all things web. From instant messages to craigslist ads, they do it all. I first heard of this show from the first podcast listed above (I can’t name it again or I might have to start paying fees) and thought “Why not?” Well I jumped on for episode 8(Mad Men?) and that’s about as far as I’m going to get. The show was good and interesting but I don’t know if it is enough for me to keep going with it. Those who find lolcats funny might want to try episode 10.
	A podcast about comics? I’m so there! The discussion is sporadic in the episode (I’m only one in as of posting), but that’s the only way to describe comic book stories. Finding new comics, diving deeper into stories, or providing interviews, this is a great stop to keep up or find out more about the world of comics.
	Since moving to Linux, I wanted a chance to learn more on a more consistent basis. When I found Linux Outlaws, I thought that a podcast could be the perfect place if it was done correctly. Well I’m only one show in (Simple Doesn’t Equal Shit) and I have a few thoughts. First, I will not continue with this one if the running time is around 2 hours for each show. I need shows that are an hour or under to truly enjoy a show during the commute. Two hours is just way too much for me. Second, the content is there in this one. They discuss different flavors/distros, new application updates, and news within the Linux world. As long as the time is shortened for future episodes, I’ll continue listening along.

Anyone have any others I should try? I am interested in checking out others that are not only tech based but I do like what I like.

After years of wishing and hoping, I was finally able to dress as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. I may not have been my favorite, but a turtle is a turtle.

The party was great and the costumes were even better. I was unable to defend my Best Costume 2008 award, but the Democrat deserved the award for staying in character all night. I am jealous for not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize since he was handing them out to everyone.

Overall, I believe the Double Dare couple was the best. I mean, it was so simple yet so perfect. I wanted to throw my drink at them any time I was nearby so that I could win the physical challenge.

I was also shocked at how many people could tell that my shell was a papasan chair. I did receive several compliments and that was without being noticed as the guy that also brought the pizza to the party.

The party was great and the costumes keep getting better every year.

For quite some time I’ve wanted to write about something dealing with Green Lantern. He (or they) is (are) a superhero within the DC universe and is easily my favorite of all the superheroes.  Well, it now seems that I can post some interesting news thanks  to a wonderful week of many new notes concerning the Emerald Knight(s).

Movies
We all know that superhero movies are in high demand thanks to the wonderful successes over the years of X-Men, Spider-Man, Batman, and many more that are in development.  The movie industry has been trying for a number of years to put together a Green Lantern movie.  Originally slated as a comedy with Jack Black (worst idea ever), the execs finally decided to take a serious approach.  A director was quickly named (Martin Campbell of Casino Royale and Goldeneye fame) and the search for the lead began.  Several names were thrown out (Bradley Cooper, Jared Leto, and Justin Timberlake (on second thought, this is the worst idea ever)), but in the end, the role went to………..Ryan Reynolds.

I can’t say I’m completely thrilled over the casting, but Ryan Reynolds brings a name to the screen and that might bring in the money to finance the movie and make a big sci-fi blockbuster. Ryan’s also a comic book fan and usually makes it known that he wants to stay real to the literature that is already out there. Hopefully this will be more evidence of that. Now that we have our hero, we need our future villain in Sinestro. My possible choices (if they have the money) are Alan Cumming, Hugo Weaving, or James Marsters.

Based on this fan made trailer, I’m hoping for something along the lines of the new Star Trek movie for sci-fi action.

Music
I know you are already questioning this section because you are scared of what a green lantern can offer in terms of music. Well, thanks to a Green Lantern Message board (yes, I am that much of a dork) I stumbled across a band (Kirby Krackle) that centers around video games, pop culture, and comic books. It’s indie/rock/comedy but the lyrics are well thought out in my eyes. Basically it’s Weird Al but with a band.

The GL factor is from their summer release titled, “Ring Capacity.” I’m in love with this song. It’s my new favorite even if that tells too much about me. However, “Up Down Up Down” and “Back to the Beginning (Mark Kart Song)” are growing on me quickly as well. For those that play Mario Kart, you just can’t beat lyrics such as:

There’s nothing better than a Blue Shell,
Send it off yeah and send the leader straight to hell
Somebody help me, I’m trying to get back to the beginning!

or

I’ve got a princess in my rear view mirror,
I’ve got Italians on either side,
I’ve got a feeling things aren’t gonna get better,
so I ride!

Comics
Now I can’t get out of here without mentioning the art of comic books. I’m not going to get into storylines or anything like that. I want to stick to the art itself. I’m a sucker for good cover art, evident by my recent purchase of the Green Lantern #43 variant by Rodolfo Migliari below (click for a larger version).

The week prior I was also given a great cover for Captain America Reborn 1 by Alex Ross. Ross is one of my favorites thanks to his realistic depictions of the superheroes. While I’m here, I figure I can share some of my other favorite covers. Most of them are quite recent and are based on what covers I can remember that stood out or I could find.

Ultimates 2 #11	Captain America #25	Dark Knight Returns GN	Action Comics #1	Detective Comics #3
Astonishing X-Men #10	Son of M #5	52 #1	52 #1	Flash: Rebirth #1

I’m not going to hide from the fact that I was never really a fan of the other films. Sure, T2 was a marvel of modern technology at the time, but that was about it for me. Something about this film seemed interesting to me and that was just enough to get me to shell out the money to see Batman beat up some machines.

Salvation is set in the year 2018 where the war against the machines has begun (but not in a Matrix sort of way).  John Connor (Christian Bale) is not the leader of the resistance, but he certainly leads his own team.  Over the course of the war, the Resistance has found a signal that will act as an off switch for the machines and allow the humans to win the war.  However, things change when a new man is saved and is discovered to be one of the machines.  Marcus Wright believes he is human but slowly learns that he is nothing more than a project for a woman after he was put to death for past crimes.

Salvation is simply another post apocalyptic movie of the future where both Sony and Seven 11 are still around.  Remind me to invest in both soon rather than later.  The graphics are simply amazing throughout.  The Terminator movies always excelled in this category and this movie doesn’t disappoint.  I’d say the highlight of the film is known to some and others of us are kept in the dark about a special appearance.  Take a shot in the dark and you will get it.  Let’s just say what they can do with graphics today is shocking.  It’s just too bad that X-Men and Wolverine just made it look weird.

Overall I was pleased with this movie more than the others (minus T2), but it’s not great.  McG plus some horrible out of nowhere love story makes the movie fall short.  That and a post apocalyptic world that has a gas station sign set at 1.89 just doesn’t make me believe it is going to end like that.  Someone call Mad Max and maybe John Connor can fight it out for the new world.

In a non Terminator comment, go ahead and get used to Sam Worthington and Common.  Say hello to Hal Jordan and John Stewart respectively.

Rating:

…To Zambia.

As the press release states, my good buddy David is leaving the country. I’m not truly sure why since it is in such perfect shape now, but that’s a different story for a different day on a different site.

In order to aid in the extradition transfer of this wonderful American and great guy, he is calling on the help of as many people his voice, his brother’s voice, and any one else’s voice can reach. You could even get a cool t-shirt out of the whole deal.

If you have the time, if you have the funds, if you have anything you can do to help, take the time and effort to help however you can. Please use the information contained on the press release for donations or best wishes.

Feel free to join the Facebook group as well.

Thanks in advance and did I mention the press release that you should read?

This past Saturday, May and I headed to midtown Atlanta to take a mutal friend out to eat for her birthday.  During our sushi/birthday adventure we enountered a moral dilema/karma moment.

As we headed back to my car, Erin spotted a set of keys sitting on top of a car that was parked behind mine.  We lightly joked that these keys might belong to one of the cars in the area.  I picked them up and pushed the “lock” button.  Sure enough, the keys locked the vehicle that were located under the keys.  Oops.  At this point in time, we had three basic theories on why the keys were here.

1. Due to the current recession someone was actually looking for the car to be stolen in order to cash in on the insurance because the current payments could not be made for the car.
2. This was a pay it forward moment.  I mean, it was a Lexus.
3. Stupid moments happen from time to time and this was one of those REALLY stupid moments.

Basically at this point we chose to go with option 3.  In order to produce good karma for all three of us, we chose to do something about it.  We wrote a short note stating that we locked the keys in the car for “safety.”  The owner might not have liked this option because they would have to pay for a locksmith, but at least this way they would still have a car (barring that option 1 wasn’t the correct one).  The note was left on the driver’s seat folded so that the words “Read Me!” were plain to see.

As we drove away, we all encountered a great sense of moral victory.  Go us!  We are good Samaritans without the need for a reward.  My only regret is not leaving a phone number to ensure that the car’s owner made it home safely that night from downtown.

Besides this interesting encounter, I visited the High Museum for the first time in order to view the Terracotta army.  Sorry for no pictures of them but no cameras allowed in the exhibit.

The unfilmable graphic novel is finally filmed.

Watchmen was written by Alan Moore (V For Vendetta) and he hates you for going to see this movie.  Really, he does.  He’s a purist and believes that his creation should never be reproduced in a different medium other than it’s original.  The Watchmen was a story based on a set of characters DC had bought and had no real avenue to use them until Moore decided to use them for his ultimate tale.  According to the wiki, the Watchmen is “set in an alternate reality which closely mirrors the contemporary world of the 1980s. The primary point of divergence is the presence of superheroes. Their existence in this iteration of America is shown to have dramatically affected and altered the outcomes of real-world events such as the Vietnam War and the presidency of Richard Nixon. In keeping with the realism of the series, although the costumed crime fighters of Watchmen are commonly called “superheroes”, the only character who possesses obvious superhuman powers is Doctor Manhattan. The existence of Doctor Manhattan has given the U.S. a strategic advantage over the Soviet Union, which has increased tensions between the two nations. Additionally, superheroes have become unpopular among the public, which has led to the passage of legislation in 1977 to outlaw them. While many of the heroes retired, Doctor Manhattan and the Comedian operate as government-sanctioned agents, and Rorschach continues to operate outside the law.”

I was quite worried that this story truly was unfilmable, but it seems that Zack Snyder (300) did the best that he could and the story came together quite well.  Better than expected in some cases.  Both the Comedian and Rorschach were brilliantly cast and I could not ask for better characters.  It almost feels that they were truly lifted off the pages of the graphic novel.

Now the downfall of making this movie great occur in 2 areas for me.  The first is a combination of gratuitous violence and sex.  I don’t normally mind both of these items in a film as long as they are truly used to move a story forward.  On both accounts, I felt that neither helped the film.  It was just over the top and I didn’t need it.  The second area was the music.  A real soundtrack (actual songs) were used and at time it made the film feel campy and underrated the “seriousness” of certain scenes.  Simon & Garfunkel during the funeral as well as Cole’s Unforgettable worked well, but many of the songs later used (during Vietnam scene, horrible “Hallelujah” cover, and final few songs) made me lose interest in actually listening to what was going on.

Overall, as you can already tell, the movie was good, but not great.  This is another film that proves the book was better than the movie.  However, the changed ending from the film, does work better in some ways than the one in the graphic novel.

Rating:

I don’t really have enough for a complete post about anything important but over the past few weeks there have been several items that I’d like to spill my thoughts and ideas around. That’s right. This is one of those I don’t care enough to devote full time so you are getting my halfhearted approach.  Welcome to the hodgepodge.

• Alex Rodriguez is on steroids?  Really?  The savior of baseball?  The one that was to make all of the records right and legit.  Well, he is now just another cheater.  I wonder if he is actually upset at what he did or the fact that his name was released.  I mean, you can’t state that you never did steroids and then be exposed for telling a lie.  It just won’t work out well when you ask us to believe you when you state you are no longer taking them.  He’s a cheater to me and if I actually attended games I’d boo him.
• The World Baseball Classic is coming up and the world doesn’t care.  I’m starting to notice a trend with these world athletic events.  It seems that the athletes or owners are pushing to not let the players participate.  You don’t see this same concept with the World Cup.  The players will play regardless and the world wants them to play.  Is there a higher sense of honor in the world cup?  Why don’t the other sports show it?
• I’m a fan of Lost and 24, but Burn Notice is the show that really gets me excited each week.  When its Thursday, I have a smile on my face.  Not because it is almost the weekend.  It’s because that Michael, Sam, and Fie are about to kick butt.  Everyone I’ve suggested the show to has really enjoyed it.  It’s Spy + Equalizer + A-Team.
• I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again.  Heroes is not a good show.  Yes, I watch it, but it isn’t that great.  The stories are terrible and never really conclude.  The writing can’t develop characters and now there are too many.  The first season was good but only had 2 great episodes (“Company Man” and “Five Years Gone“).
• Free Agency starts tonight at 12:01AM for the NFL.  I don’t expect big things out of the Falcons, but I could see us going after lesser Free Agents.  Derrick Brooks’ name was thrown out today which I like in ways but you can’t pick up a huge rival such as this while you are dropping your loyal player (Keith Brooking).  Instead how about we get Jermaine Phillips?  I’m always a fan of more Georgia players on my dirty birds.
• I love it when the “good” NFL combine stories are released.  Especially the ones where a kicker beats the other players in the workouts.  A kicker who benches 225 lbs 25 times?  More than his USC LB teammate?
• I’ve recently purchase cymbals for Rock Band 2 and I must say that it dramatically increases the amount of fun one can have playing rock’s greatest tunes.  I’m barely moving into the area of “Hard”, but there are a few songs that I really feel like I’m a fake rocker.
• All this talk about a new stimulus plan reminds me of the following Ducktales Inflation lesson.  I’m just glad we are passing on debt further to our children.  That just means I don’t have to pay for this mess.
• Yes, the US and the world is in bad shape due to the economy.  We all know it.  All of our investments are dropping.  It’s terrible.  Let’s get over it and begin to move forward.  We can’t fix what most of us caused so we need to begin turning over a new leaf.  No more living outside of one’s means.  Change people.  Don’t wait for someone else to do it for you no matter what John Mayer tells you.
• Watchmen comes out next week and I’m looking forward to it.  Not because it is another heroes movie.  I’ve read this graphic novel and it blew my mind.  When I started it, I didn’t think much of it other than the writing was quite good.  It wasn’t until I reached the end that I truly realized how good it really was.  Take it how you want, but I will be upset if there is not fully frontal male nudity in this movie (it actually has a purpose here).  Wow, I can’t believe I just typed that.
• Reese’s Easter Egg time is upon us.  It is now time to begin hoarding for the winter.  If you go to a store and they are out, you know where to find me.

Note: My ultimate goal was to see this movie in IMAX due to Christopher Nolan filming parts of the movie with an IMAX camera. These images were to be more visually stunning when compared to the normal movies that are translated to the IMAX screen. However, the “great” people at the Mall of GA Regal IMAX did not seem to plan well for the numerous screenings that were scheduled for the IMAX and how this might affect the IMAX blub that could overheat and break. The AJC has a good short story about it. I still got to see it on a regular screen but I will update this post later when I finally get to see the movie as it was intended.

In the simplest of terms, The Dark Knight is perfect. I have seen many movies in my lifetime and I’ve seen many that have been hyped by the media and myself prior to seeing them. All of the hyped movies have never ever lived up to the hype until the Dark Knight. I really don’t want to write this review for the simple fact that I could write “perfect” and walk away knowing that I got it right. I’ll still take some time to point out a few non-spoilerish items.

First, the reviews you have heard do not lie about Heath Ledger. I tried and tried and tried during this movie to find Heath but was only able to find him for all of 2 seconds in a scene where the Joker was wearing no makeup. Other than that I only saw the Joker, a sadistic, chaos happy murderer/thief. Heath’s performance was great for a superhero movie and even better for a general movie. He was lost in the role and brought to life one of the most eccentric characters I have seen since Hannibal Lector or Bill The Butcher (Gangs of New York). He will make you laugh at things you know are not funny and you should not be laughing if you were told the same thing if you were outside of the theatre. As for Oscar nods, I feel he deserves one. Should he win? Well, that is the best performance I have seen all year. I will most certainly make the time this year to look at all nominees and then judge again. I don’t want him to win just because he died early. He should receive it only if he deserves it.

The plot/dialog is even better than I imagined. All of the characters were perfectly captured and given adequate time to be furthered in the story. The film may clock in little over 2 hours and 30 minutes but you would never know it since you are sucked into the story. The action makes you jump and cheer while the characters can make you love/hate the world we have without heroes.

When the film ended, I knew there was nothing after the credits, but I didn’t want to move from my seat. I wanted them to start it over so I could watch it again and again. Heck, I’d go right now if someone offered it to me. I believe when everything is said and done, The Dark Knight will be the number 2 all time box office movie (you just can’t beat the teen sensation of Titantic).

I will state that this movie is NOT for younger viewers. I felt disturbed at times and I know kids would be far worse. Batman Begins might have been ok for kids, but The Dark Knight is just too….well….dark.

On my normal rating skill, The Dark Knight would receive the following rating.

Rating:

However, every now and then you see a movie that breaks the rating system and you must design a new one specifically for the movie. Therefore, The Dark Knight would/should receive the following.

Rating:

Hellboy II has one fatal flaw that will make it a box office bust and I must start out my review by stating what it is.  Pure and simple, it is the fact that The Dark Knight opens on Friday, July 18th giving Hellboy only one week before the real dark hero walks away with more money than Bruce wayne ever thought he would see.

Hellboy II raises the bar many times over the previous movie.  I remember going to see the first Hellboy with low expectations and enjoyed every minute of it.  It incorporated a great mix of humor and action.  When I went to see Hellboy II, I had a little bit higher expectations but I was worried Hollywood would try to sellout and not give the second movie the justice it deserves.  Man was I wrong.  Hellboy II is probably on the same level with Iron Man and will measured against TDK at the end of this week.  Hellboy II keeps the humor and action but ups the ante as well as throwing in new characters, better effects, and a love story.

This movie is led by two great artists, Ron Perlman and Guillermo del Toro.  Perlman gets even better as Hellboy as the character struggles to fit in with the human world once the secret is out that a devil boy does exist.  He even tries to shrug off those that see his skills as inadequate while also imparting great relationship advice to a few of his friends.  Guillermo’s eye for the dark and creative is simply amazing.  The creatures he creates are spectacular look at while also allowing the characters to seem human.

The two best scenes of this movie are the Hellboy/Dr. Phil style moment with Abe and few brews as well as the fight between Red and his new boss.  You might find yourself falling on the floor laughing and as well you should.  However, please forgive the “new” direction for Jeffrey Tambor’s character.  They do make him look more like a bumbling idiot than he was in the first film.  Oh well, it works for him in some ways.

As a side note, it never hurts to see a movie with a friend who brings a cell phone jammer along for the ride.  It doesn’t stop the chomping on food and talking but it does limit the most annoying part of seeing movies today, cell phone chatter.

Rating: